2027 Open Call – now live!
The 2027 East London Art Prize Open Call is now live from Thursday 14 May to Sunday 16 August 2026.
To find out more and apply click below.
About the Prize
The East London Art Prize (ELAP) celebrates and promotes the incredible talent and diversity of art made in the cultural hive of east London.
Headed by Bow Arts and supported by a network of local partners, the Prize forms part of our ongoing support and development of opportunities for artists.
The prize is proudly sponsored by Minerva.
The partners
Our partners are British Council, Dulux, East Bank, The Line, London College of Fashion UAL, London Legacy Development Corporation, Own Art, UCL East, V&A East and Whitechapel Gallery.
The prizes
Each cycle the Prize supports a cohort of 12 artists, through exhibiting their work in the ELAP shortlist show, career development support with grants for mentoring and training, and various paid opportunities through the ELAP event programme. From this cohort two further Prizes are awarded:
Exhibition prize: a cash prize of £15,000 and a solo exhibition at our Nunnery Gallery.
Residency prize: a year’s studio space with Bow Arts.
Prize cycle
The Prize is biennial, enabling time for its extensive event and exhibition programme. For each cycle we present:
- the shortlist exhibition
- the event programme
- the mentoring & training programme
- the winner’s exhibition
ELAP Network
Now in its third cycle, we have a growing community of ELAP alumni – artists, previous and current judges, and partner representatives – as well as a loyal following of artists and art-lovers who have participated in the public programme.
We continue to provide opportunities for this emerging network to come together and inspire further collaboration and creativity.
What is the 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.
Who runs the prize?
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 30 years.
Who supports the prize?
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, East Bank, The Line, London College of Fashion (LCF), London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), Own Art, UCL East, 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.
Who can enter?
The prize is open to any artist living or working within one of the east London boroughs listed below. 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.
Eligible boroughs:
Barking & Dagenham ~ Bexley ~ City of London ~ Greenwich ~ Hackney ~ Havering ~ Islington ~ Lambeth ~ Lewisham ~ Newham ~ Redbridge ~ Southwark ~ Tower Hamlets ~ Waltham Forest
Only one artwork may be submitted per entry.
Unsuccessful artists who submitted to the 2023 or 2025 Prize are welcome to apply again; our judging panel changes every year.
What media is accepted?
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.
Who judges the prize?
Each year the prize is judged by a different selection panel. The 2027 Prize judges are Brendan Cormier (Chief Curator, V&A East), Alex Needham (Arts Editor, The Guardian), Marine Tanguy (Founder, MTArt Agency) and Michelle Williams Gamaker (artist).
What are the prizes?
The exhibition winner receives a £15,000 cash prize and a solo exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery. The winner’s solo exhibition will be developed with Sophie Hill, Director of Arts & Events, and will take place in spring 2028.
The residency prize winner is awarded a year’s free studio space at one of Bow Arts’ studio sites.
The entire shortlisted cohort of 12 wins career development support, including the exhibition of their work in the ELAP shortlist show, grants for mentoring and training and various paid opportunities through the ELAP event programme.
How can I apply?
The 2027 Prize is now open for submissions. Please submit via our online application form (via Board of Arts). Apply here.
Who are the previous winners?
In 2025, Laisul Hoque was the exhibition winner with his interactive installation ‘An Ode to All the Flavours’. Lydia Newman was the residency winner with her work ‘In the Wake of Ruin, She is Here’.
In 2023, Kat Anderson was the inaugural exhibition winner with her two-channel film installation ‘John’. Cora Sehgal Cuthbert was the residency winner with her work ‘My Life and Yours, Birth Beer and Sex’.
How often does the prize take place?
The prize takes place every other year. The open call for the 2027 Prize launched in May 2026.
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.
How do I find out about the latest prize news and events?
Follow the Nunnery Gallery Instagram or sign up to the Bow Arts mailing list to learn all our latest news and to find out about events.
Who are the sponsors?
Minerva sponsors the East London Art Prize.
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.
More questions?
Get in contact with us at nunnery@bowarts.com