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Royal Award for Modern Painting
From 2025, H.M. the King will award the Royal Award for Modern Painting annually in January, instead of October. As a result, the additional exhibition of the winners‘ and nominees’ works will be on show for longer each year at the Royal Palace Amsterdam. This will create a larger stage for young painting talent.
For the Royal Award 2025, this change means that from June to 31 August 2024, the King will stimulate all young talents to submit work for the 2025 edition. At the end of January, the King will present the Award and officially open the exhibition at the same time.
On this page, find out more about the Royal Award, participants' experiences, the conditions and what to do to submit your work.
His Majesty the King is encouraging young painters in their work as artists. For the 154rd time, the Open Call for the Royal Award for Modern Painting will be launched.
Are you a painter, under 35 years old and living in the Netherlands? One of the oldest art award of the Netherlands: the Royal Award for Modern Painting, offers a platform and launching pad for your career. Submit your work up to 31 August 2024 and maybe you will receive this prestigious Award from H.M. the King and your work will be exhibited among the historic chandeliers in the Royal Palace Amsterdam from 3 Februari up to March 2025.
Artists such as Toorop (1887), Jan Sluijters (1904), Jan Dibbets (1974), Natasja Kensmil (1998), Raquel van Haver (2018), Bobbi Essers (2023) were already there before you.
Learn more about the Award on this page, experiences of artists, the terms and conditions and what you need to do to submit your work.
Dutch nationals who are working as independent, professional artists and were aged under 35 on 1 January 2025 may apply for the Open Call. The list of nominees is carefully compiled by a professional jury through two judging rounds. The first round will take place on 15 October 2024 and second judging round will take place on 29 and 30 October 2024. The award ceremony and opening of the exhibition at the Royal Palace Amsterdam take place on 31 January 2025. The dates might be subject to change.
What do you have to do for the first round?
1) Anyone who satisfies the conditions can enter the first round.
2) Submit five to eight digital images up to and including 31 August 2024. You can upload these images at the digital application form.
3) Write a brief commentary on the works you are submitting (no more than 100 words).
4) Briefly describe your own, work-related interests (no more than 100 words).
You can only participate in the second round if you are invited based on your entry for the first round.
Click here for the terms and conditions and procedure for the first round.
Watch the video below and find out how important the award is to Bobbi Essers.
The Award was instituted in 1871 by H.M. King William III as a Royal Subsidy for Modern Painting.
After King William III, Queen Emma, Queen Wilhelmina, Queen Juliana and Queen Beatrix developed this incentive award into a tradition of royal attention to painting. King Willem-Alexander has continued this tradition since the year 2013.
This makes the Royal Award one of the oldest art awards in the Netherlands. The Award has been awarded to leading artists such as: Jan Toorop (1887), Jan Sluijters (1904), Jan Dibbets (1974), Natasja Kensmil (1998), Raquel van Haver (2018), Bobbi Essers (2023). See the list of winners from 2011-2023.
The Royal Award for Modern Painting is designed to encourage young painters in their work as artists. Talented artists receive special attention and are encouraged to develop further and increase their visibility.
Dutch nationals who are working as independent, professional artists and were aged under 35 on 1 January 2025 may apply for the Open Call. The list of nominees is carefully compiled by a professional jury through two judging rounds. Three artists are awarded annually by the King on the recommendation of the jury. With the award, the artists receive €9,000 each. The King simultaneously opens the exhibition of the winning works and a selection from the other entries. All artists nominated for an award will be invited to attend the opening.
"Anyone who wants to see which young artists are currently distinguishing themselves in the Netherlands will get a fantastic overview of the state of affairs here" - said H.M. the King in his speech at the award ceremony on 5 October 2023.
A public prize is attached to the exhibition. Visitors can vote for their favorite work. The work that has received the most votes is raffled among those who voted for it. The costs (maximum € 2,300 incl. VAT) are reimbursed by the Royal Palace Amsterdam. If the value of the work exceeds the available amount or the work cannot be transferred for any other reason, an alternative will be offered in consultation with the artist. The artist will have to make another work available, or execute one specially, for the winner.
This year the members of the jury are: Laurie Cluitmans, Esiri Erheriene-Essi, Yasmijn Jarram, Natasja Kensmil, Rezi van Lankveld, Mounira el Sohl and Mirjam Westen (Chair).
A jury made up of artists, curators, and art critics nominates the award-winners on the basis of the work they have submitted. Three artists are presented a Royal Award by His Majesty the King. A selection of the works submitted for the contest are shown in an exhibition at the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace Amsterdam Foundation is responsible for organizing the Royal Award program.
H.M. the King presented the 2023 Award to Bobbi Essers, Ricardo van Eyk and Thierry Oussou. More information on the winners can be found here.
Royal Award 2024
OPEN CALL'24 - 1 January to 31 March 2024
Jury round 2: 8 June 2024
Award ceremony - 10 October 2024
Exhibition - 12 October to 10 November 2024
Royal Award 2025
OPEN CALL'25 - June to 31 August 2024
Jury round 1 - 15 Oct 2024
Jury round 2 - 29 and 30 Oct 2024
Award ceremony - 31 January 205
Exhibition - until March 2025
Stay up to date with the Royal Award through the social media channels:
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