The ING Discerning Eye is calling for entries for a brand-new edition in 2021. The show gives artists the opportunity to showcase their work at the Mall Galleries in London and in a unique virtual exhibition, with the chance to win a range of prizes, including the ING Purchase Prize, worth £5,000.

The online submission process will be open until Tuesday 7 September 2021, making it even easier for artists from across the UK to submit their work and take part. Please read all the information below carefully before entering.

The exhibition will open at the Mall Galleries from the 12 to 21 November alongside a virtual gallery showcasing all the artists’ shortlisted works with commentary and introductions by the selectors. All exhibiting artists will be included in a fully illustrated print catalogue. Awards will be given out to the winners in a prize giving at the start of the exhibition.

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 for selection. You will only need to deliver your work if you are selected.

The ING Discerning Eye 2021 is open to all artists resident in the UK. Artists may register to enter up to six works for consideration by the Selection Panel. Works must be no larger than 50cm (20 inches) including frame.

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 and 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 7 September 2021. 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 2021 ING Discerning Eye Exhibition will be open at the Mall Galleries and online from the Thursday 12 to Sunday 21 November 2021.

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
• The Mervyn Metcalf Purchase Prize* – £500
• Discerning Eye Sculpture and 3D Work Prize** – £250
• Discerning Eye Original Print Prize** – £250
• Discerning Eye Cityscape Prize** – £250
• Discerning Eye Landscape Prize** – £250
• Discerning Eye Portrait 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 at £10 each. 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 2021 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 for selection. You will only need to hand-in your work if you are selected.

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

Artists will be notified of the results of their entry by email by the 1 October 2021. Results will be also posted on the Downloads/Links section of this website.

Only the selected work will be listed on the site. If your name and work number do not appear on the website you have not been successful on this occasion. The selectors’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. Due to the number of entries we receive we cannot offer individual feedback.

If you are selected you will need to deliver your work to one of the following locations:

Federation of British Artists, 17 Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5BD (rear of The Mall Galleries) on Friday 5 or Saturday 6 November from 9am – 5pm.

Regional collection points in the UK. Details of these will be released shortly. You will be charged £8 for the use of one of these regional collection points.

If you have not heard from us to say that your work(s) have sold by the end of the exhibition (Sunday 21 November 2021) please can you arrange for the collection of your work on Wednesday 24 November or Thursday 25 November from 9am-5pm at 17 Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y 5BD (rear of The Mall Galleries).

After this date, all works that remain uncollected will be removed from the Mall Galleries and taken into storage. Collection will be by available by appointment and charges of £12.00 per work, increasing by £12.00 per week, will be applied. The storage and collection address is: Chelsea Self Storage, Blantyre Street, London, SW10 0EQ. Please contact Art Moves of Chelsea directly, 020 7352 7492 or artmoveschelsea@aol.com.