East London Art Prize

The East London Art Prize is an all-media art prize designed to showcase the talent of artists working and living in east London, with an accompanying event programme supporting artists’ careers and opportunities. 

The prize is run by affordable studio provider Bow Arts with financial support from our sponsors Minerva and Prue MacLeod. We’ve been working in east London supporting artists for over 27 years. 

As a prize that celebrates east London, we are supported by a network of local partners who provide opportunities for both the prize’s activity and winners. These include The British Council, Dulux, The Line, London College of Fashion (LCF), London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), University College London (UCL), V&A East and Whitechapel Gallery.  

We partner with our supporters for the Prize’s event programme and they also offer academic, archival and other opportunities for the winners and shortlist.

The prize is open to any artist living or working within an ‘E’ postcode, encompassing E1-E20, SE1-SE28 and EC1-EC4. Submitting artists should hold an arts degree, equivalent arts qualification or be able to show demonstrable commitment to their practice. Artist collectives/joint submissions are accepted. 

Only one artwork may be submitted per entry.  

All media types are accepted, including (but not limited to!) painting, print, drawing, sculpture, digital, film, audio, ceramics, textiles and performance. There is no size / length of digital work restriction.

Each year the prize is judged by a different selection panel. The 2025 Prize judges are Louise Benson (Director of Digital, ArtReview Magazine), Phoebe Collings-James (Artist), Jonny Tanna (Director, Harlesden High Street) and Sam Wilkinson (Head of Public Art and Cultural Engagement, UCL). 

First prize is a £15,000 cash prize and a solo exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery. The exhibition will be developed with the Nunnery Gallery and take place a year after the winner’s announcement.  

Second prize is a year’s free studio space at one of Bow Arts’ studio sites. 

The entire shortlist is presented in an exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery and each shortlisted artist is given mentoring and career development opportunties, supported by the Prize partners.

The 2025 Prize is now closed for submissions. Follow the East London Art Prize Instagram or sign up to the Bow Arts mailing list to be kept up to date with the 2027 Prize open call. 

In 2023 Kat Anderson won the East London Art Prize with her two-channel film installation ‘John’. The East London Art Prize Winner’s Exhibition was titled Mark of Cane and debuted in February 2024 at the Nunnery Gallery.

Cora Sehgal-Cuthbert was the runner-up with her work ‘My Life and Yours, Birth Beer and Sex’.

The prize takes place every other year. The open call for the 2025 Prize launched in May 2024.

Over the Prize’s two year cycle, two exhibitions take place: a shortlist exhibition following the Open Call, from which the winners will be announced; and a winner’s exhibition the year following. 

Follow the East London Art Prize Instagram or sign up to the Bow Arts mailing list to learn all our latest news and to find out about events.    

Minerva is the sponsor of the East London Art Prize, committed to championing the talent of east London. Founded in 2013, Minerva provides executive search and leadership services for clients across the cultural, social impact and education sectors. They stand out for our commitment to diversity, leadership development and supporting governance. 

Their commitment to art has been at the heart of the firm since they started, including previously sponsoring the FBA Futures exhibition at the Mall Galleries and working with the Van Gogh House in Brixton supporting summer residencies.