Exhibition Royal Award for Modern Painting 2026

Discover the work of emerging artists at the Royal Palace Amsterdam.

Tuesday 3 February, his Majesty the King will present the Royal Award for Modern Painting 2026 and officially open the exhibition. Visitors will discover, from 4 February to 29 March, the work of emerging artists and explore the latest trends in contemporary painting at the Royal Palace Amsterdam.

Established in 1871 by King Willem III as the Royal Grant for Painting, the Award is one of the oldest art Awards in the Netherlands, offering a platform for promising young artists.

For the 155th edition of the Royal Award for Modern Painting, 334 artists submitted their work. The jury has nominated the following artists:

Vicente Baeza, Elma Čavčić, Anthony Chiou, Sofiia Dubyna, Gideon van Gameren, Safae Gounane, Lorian Gwynn, Gvantsa Jgushia, Nazif Lopulissa, Samuel Mackiewicz, Jochem Mestriner, Christin Mussa, Ada Maricia Patterson, Dion Rosina and Thijs Segers.

The Exhibition

Each year, discover the work of up-and-coming artists at the Royal Palace Amsterdam.

Each year the exhibition opens after the award ceremony of the Royal Award for Modern Painting. Around thirty works of art by the nominated and winning artists are shown.

The exhibition shows what is going on among the current generation artists. From abstract- to realistic-styles, from socially engaged to deeply personal – this selection reflects the rich diversity of contemporary painting. You are welcome to visit! The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to discover the future of Dutch painting.

About the Award

The Award was established in 1871 by King William III as the Royal Grant for Painting. After King William III, Queen Emma, Queen Wilhelmina, Queen Juliana and Queen Beatrix developed this encouragement award into a long-standing tradition of royal support for the arts. King Willem-Alexander has continued this tradition since 2013.

The Royal Award is therefore one of the oldest art prizes in the Netherlands. It has been presented to leading artists such as Jan Toorop (1887), Jan Sluijters (1904), Jan Dibbets (1964), Natasja Kensmil (1998) and Raquel van Haver (2018).

Each year, visual artists under the age of 35 and working in the Netherlands are invited to submit their work during the Open Call. Three artists are selected annually, on the recommendation of the jury, to be honoured by the King. Each selected artist receives an award of €9,000.

The Royal Award for Modern Painting is intended to encourage young painters in their artistic practice. Talented artists receive special recognition and are supported in developing their work further and increasing their visibility.

The Public Award

The exhibiting artists also have a chance to win the audience award. During the visit, cast a vote for one of the exhibited works. The painting with the most votes will be raffled off among visitors who express a preference for this artwork.

Look back: nominees of 2025

The nominees for the Royal Award of Modern Painting 2025 are: Taqwa Ali, Akiboji, Gegee Ayurzana, Eniwaye Oluwaseyi, Eddy Eustache, Jesse Fischer, Lieve Hakkers, Frederique Jonker, Shani Leseman, Samuel Mackiewicz, Jochem Mestriner, Josse Pyl, Pedram Sazesh, Thijs Segers and Marilyn Sonneveld.

Jury 2026

Mounira Al Solh, Marcel van den Berg, Amira Gad, Yasmijn Jarram, Rezi van Lankveld, Mirjam Westen (chairman), Ina van Zyl.

Open Call 2027

The OPEN CALL for the Royal Award for Modern Painting 2027 will open in June 2026. To be informed, keep an eye on the social media channels of the Royal Palace Amsterdam.