The ING Discerning Eye is calling for entries for a brand-new edition in 2020. The show gives artists the opportunity to showcase their work in a unique virtual exhibition and win a range of prizes, including the ING Purchase Prize, worth £5,000.

The coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing lockdown have rapidly driven sales online and pushed the art world to make a transformative shift towards virtual galleries. As a result, this year’s edition of the ING Discerning Eye will be held 100% virtually, helping artists display their work in this new era.

A new online submission process will run from 27 July to 1 October 2020, making it even easier for artists from across the UK to submit their work and take part – so, please read all the information below carefully before entering.

A virtual gallery will open on 19 November and run until 31 December 2020 showcasing the artists’ shortlisted works with commentary and introductions by the selectors and a new platform for viewers to buy the artwork directly. All exhibiting artists will be included in a fully illustrated print catalogue. Awards will be given out to the winners in a virtual prize giving.

The ING Discerning Eye is an educational charity, established in the UK in 1990, to encourage a wider understanding and appreciation of the visual arts and to stimulate debate about the place and purpose of art in our society, and the contribution each one of us can make to its development.

The exhibition comprises both publicly submitted works and works independently selected by six prominent figures from different areas of the art world: two artists, two collectors and two critics. Each section is hung separately to give each its own distinctive identity. The impression emerges of six small exhibitions within the whole.

It provides an unusual opportunity for works by lesser-known artists to be hung alongside contributions from internationally recognised names. The selectors are solely responsible for their own selection; selection is not by committee. The only restrictions are limitation of size (only small works are permitted) and to select at least 25% of their section from the open submission.

The exhibition is also supported by the sponsorship of ING Wholesale Banking.

For further information and links please visit http://discerningeye.org

INFORMATION FOR ARTISTS

Please be aware that this year YOU MUST SUBMIT DIGITAL IMAGES OF YOUR WORK IN ORDER TO BE ENTERED. There will be no physical hand-in of work at any point.

The ING Discerning Eye 2020 is open to all artists resident in the UK. Artists may register to enter up to six works for consideration by the Selection Panel. Before entry artists are asked to carefully read the Rules & Guidelines, as all entrants will be asked to confirm acceptance of these during the online entry process.

Step 1
Click on the online entry tab and fill in the details on the registration form.

Step 2
Make your payment. You will be sent an email confirmation with your Unique Reference Number and if you have not used Artopps before you will be sent login details.

Step 3
You must then return to this site to upload you works. If you have not been automatically logged in you must login before going to online entry where you will then be able to upload images of your works.

Step 4
You will have 1-6 slots depending on the number you chose at registration. For each slot you will need to upload an image and the following details: Title, Medium, Year, Dimensions, Price and a Delivery Price. Once you have uploaded all your images* you can go back and edit your entry up until the deadline. Your application will be automatically entered at 5pm on 1 October 2020. If you would like to purchase more works after registering you can by going to online entry, viewing your My Works page and selecting Add More Works at the bottom of the page.

*Images should be a maximum of 1MB

The 2020 ING Discerning Eye Exhibition will be open online from Thursday 19 November 2020 – Thursday 31 December 2020.

Artists benefit from many lucrative prizes offered by both ING and a number of other generous sponsors.

• ING Purchase Prize* – £5000
• The Discerning Eye Founder’s Purchase Prize** –  In honour of Michael Reynold’s £2500
• The Discerning Eye Chairman’s Purchase Prize** – £1000
• Meynell Fenton Prize* – £1000
• Humphreys Purchase Prize* – £750
• Discerning Eye Sculpture and 3D Work Prize** – £250
• Discerning Eye Original Print Prize** – £250
• Regional Prizes** – There will be up to 8 prizes of £250 each awarded to an outstanding entry from the national regions
• Parker Harris Mentoring Prize*:  Parker Harris will give a one-to-one mentoring session covering all aspects of professional development to a selected artist.

* These prizes are selected by the individual prize givers, not the selectors.

**These prizes are selected by members of the Discerning Eye Educational Board, not the selectors.

Artists may submit up to six works. Entry fees are listed below.

One work – £10

Two works – £20

Three works – £30

Four works – £40

Five works – £50

Six works – £60

If you pay to enter less than six works at registration you may add more work/s at £10 each.

The 2020 selection process will be completely digital. You must upload a digital image of any work you would like to be considered. There will be no physical hand-in of works.

PLEASE NOTE: You can only enter six works in total.

Artists will be notified of the results of their entry directly. Results will be emailed to you in the w/c the 12 October 2020. The selectors’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

All accepted works will feature in the ING Discerning Eye 2020 online exhibition from the 19 November to the 31 December 2020.