10 April 2019

National Portrait Gallery calls for entries to Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2019

Entry is now open for the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2019, the leading international photographic portrait competition, which celebrates and promotes the very best in contemporary portrait photography. The National Portrait Gallery, London is inviting submissions from Wednesday 10 April until 23.59 on Tuesday 11 June 2019. The competition is open to everyone aged 18 and over from around the world. Photographers are encouraged to interpret ‘portrait’ in its widest sense, with ‘photography focused on portraying people with an emphasis on their identity as individuals.’ The winner of the competition will receive £15,000, with second prize receiving £3,000 and third prize £2,000.

The National Portrait Gallery’s Photographic Portrait Prize, sponsored by international law firm Taylor Wessing since 2008, is one of the most competitive photography awards in the world and showcases the work of some of the most exciting and cutting-edge contemporary photographers. Since the international competition began in 1993, it has established a reputation for creativity and excellence, with works submitted by a range of photographers, from leading professionals to talented amateurs and the most exciting emerging artists.

The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 exhibition featured over fifty selected works and was seen by over 40,000 people at the National Portrait Gallery.

To enter the competition photographers are required to upload their image(s) via the website. All images will be viewed anonymously by a panel of judges and the entrants who are successful in this round will be invited to deliver their work to a venue in London for the final round of physical judging.

For the fifth year running, entrants to the competition are being encouraged to submit works as a series – either a group of individual portraits based on a particular theme, or two or more photographs that form a single portrait when shown together – in addition to stand-alone portraits. One series of photographs submitted to the competition may be chosen by the judges to be exhibited in its entirety. There is no minimum size requirement for submitted prints.

Also for the fifth year running there will be an In Focus display within the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition devoted to the work of one distinguished photographer but not part of the competition. This accolade has been awarded to Pieter Hugo in 2015, Cristina de Middel in 2016, Todd Hido in 2017 and Rinko Kawauchi in 2018.

Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London, says: “We’re delighted to be calling for entries to the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2019. Each year, the competition showcases leading examples of contemporary photographic portraiture from around the world, presenting a wide range of styles and approaches. The Prize continues to be a significant platform for portrait photographers, where both professional and amateur artists are able to enter. I look forward to another year of inspiring submissions.”

Shane Gleghorn, Managing Partner at Taylor Wessing LLP, says: "The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize is at the heart of the firm's culture. We like to think that it reflects the creativity that we bring to legal services. We enjoy working as a team with the National Portrait Gallery to create a platform that allows talented artists to flourish. I am sure we will see some exciting new talent emerge and look forward to another fantastic exhibition."

The competition is open to anyone over the age of 18. Full information about how to enter, including entry forms and rules, can be found online at npg.org.uk/photoprize.