Royal Ulster Academy of Arts: Call to Artists
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Royal Ulster Academy of Arts
145th RUA Annual Exhibition
Call for Entries 2026
Royal Ulster Academy of Arts
145th RUA Annual Exhibition
The 145th RUA Annual Exhibition is Northern Ireland’s longest-established and most prestigious open exhibition of contemporary visual art. Open to all artists working across painting, drawing, print, sculpture, photography, and craft, the RUA Annual offers a carefully curated and hig...
Preselection Completed
Entry Deadline: 14/07/2026, Midnight
Please login to find out if you have been selected for the next stage.
LoginExhibition Location: UK
Exhibition Type: Gallery and Online
Full Details, Entry Terms & Conditions
Royal Ulster Academy of Arts
145th RUA Annual Exhibition
Call for Entries 2026
Royal Ulster Academy of Arts
145th RUA Annual Exhibition
The 145th RUA Annual Exhibition is Northern Ireland’s longest-established and most prestigious open exhibition of contemporary visual art. Open to all artists working across painting, drawing, print, sculpture, photography, and craft, the RUA Annual offers a carefully curated and highly competitive snapshot of current practice, bringing together emerging voices and established artists in a single, landmark exhibition.
Drawing a substantial public, critical, and collecting audience each year, the RUA Annual is a cornerstone of the cultural calendar and a vital platform for artists, combining visibility, professional recognition, and significant sales opportunities. It remains a key event for both public institutions and private collectors at every level.
The 145th guest adjudicator is Dr Caroline Campbell Director of the National Gallery of Ireland.
Dr Caroline Campbell is an international museum director and art historian from Northern Ireland, serving as Director of the National Gallery of Ireland since November 2022. She is the first woman to hold this position in the Gallery’s 158-year history.
Amongst the many new prizes , We are also delighted that this year’s Portrait Prize will be increased to £1,000, courtesy of Ross’s Auctioneers, as part of the RUA’s wider move towards larger financial prizes that give a more meaningful direct benefit to artists. Thousands of pounds of prizes spread across many disciplines: watercolour, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, figurative work, textiles, printmaking and more.
Call Status: Preselection Completed
Exhibition Location: UK
Exhibition Type: Gallery and Online
Entry Deadline: 14/07/2026, Midnight
Exhibition Contact: info@royalulsteracademy.org
Key Dates
Key Dates
Submission Period
Opening: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Deadline: Monday, 14 July 2026
All works must be submitted online through the OESS submission system before the deadline.
Stage One Selection (Digital)
Completed: Tuesday, 22 July 2026
Artists will be notified of the outcome of Stage One selection through their OESS accounts.
Please log in to your account to view your result.
Delivery for Physical Selection
Artists whose works are selected at Stage One will be invited to deliver their work for physical selection.
Deliveries will take place in Belfast on 2 August 2026.
The exact delivery address and schedule will be provided to successful artists following Stage One selection.
Delivery is by scheduled appointment only.
Please note that the Royal Ulster Academy does not operate a public intake venue and therefore walk-in deliveries cannot be accommodated.
Dublin Drop-Off (Optional Service)
A Dublin drop-off point will be available for artists based in the Republic of Ireland.
This is an independent service arranged for artists’ convenience and carries a small handling fee.
The drop off date will be the 1st August (Molesworth street) Contact Brian@tomcaldwellgallery.com
or whattsaap or call +44 07711 716 887
Final Selection
Completed: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Artists will be notified of the outcome through their OESS accounts.
Exhibition
145th Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition
Open to the public:
18 October 2026 – 3 January 2027
Venue: Ulster Museum
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Important
Only works selected at Stage One should be delivered for physical selection. Unselected works should not be delivered.
Entry Pricing and Concessions
Standard Prices.
Maximum Artwork Entries: 3
First or Single Entry Price: £20.00
Up to 2 artworks: £35.00
Up to 3 artworks: £50.00
Extra Questions
When entering this call, the organisers request that you answer the following questions.
Terms and Conditions
Royal Ulster Academy of Arts
145th RUA Annual Exhibition – Call for Entries 2026
The Royal Ulster Academy of Arts invites submissions for the 145th RUA Annual Exhibition, Northern Ireland’s longest-established open exhibition of contemporary visual art.
Founded in 1879, the RUA Annual presents a rigorously selected survey of current practice and is a major platform for both emerging and established artists. The exhibition is scheduled to take place at the Ulster Museum, Belfast, from October 2026 to January 2027 (subject to confirmation).
Who Can Apply
Submissions are open to artists aged 18 and over.
The Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition primarily presents works in painting, drawing, original print, photography, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, and craft, reflecting the Academy’s longstanding emphasis on materially-based practices.
Artists working with multi-media or digital processes may submit work; however, the exhibition format and available infrastructure are principally designed for physical works. As a result, only a very limited number of digital or screen-based works can typically be accommodated.
All works are considered through a democratic selection process by the Academy’s panel.
Technical requirements and presentation guidelines for digital or multi-media submissions are available here: [Digital & Multi-Media Submission Guidelines].
Additional Conditions
Work must have been created between 2024 and 2026
Work previously exhibited in Northern Ireland is not eligible
Maximum size: 2 metre in any one direction. There is no minimum size
Artists should bear in mind that the exhibition typically includes several hundred works, and larger works may be more difficult to accommodate within the available gallery space
All works must be for sale and suitably prepared for display
Works on canvas may be submitted unframed, provided they are properly stretched and presented in an exhibition-ready condition suitable for display.
Submission fees are non-refundable and apply whether or not a work is selected
How to Apply
Online submissions only
Opens: 10 March 2026
Deadline: 14 July 2026 (midnight)
Maximum of three works per artist
⚠️ Important:
Physical artworks must not be delivered at the submission stage. Delivery is only permitted for artists shortlisted following Stage 1 digital pre-selection.
Selection Process
Stage 1: Digital pre-selection (completed 22nd July 2026)
Stage 2: Physical selection for shortlisted artists only
Delivery date: Sunday, 2 August 2026
Belfast delivery address to be confirmed and issued directly to shortlisted artists
Optional Dublin drop-off 1st August available via an independent third-party service (small handling fee applies)
contact brian@tomcaldwellgallery.com or phone +44 7711 716 887 for further details
Pricing
1 artwork: £20
Up to 2 artworks: £35
Up to 3 artworks: £50
Selected works are subject to a 30% RUA commission.
Minimum artwork price: £200.
Submission fees are non-refundable and apply whether or not a work is selected
Framed Multiples (Photographs & Prints)
For editioned works, the exhibited piece is the only framed example sold through the RUA.
Any additional editions sold through the RUA will be supplied unframed, with framing arrangements left to be agreed privately between artist and purchaser.
Image Files
Images must be uploaded as JPEG (.jpg) or TIFF (.tif/.tiff) files. Files should be of sufficient quality for the selectors to assess the work clearly. As a guide, image files should be approximately 2–5 MB in size. Excessively large files should be avoided as they may increase upload times without improving the selection process.
Framing
Artwork on wooden board or panel may be submitted unframed, provided the edges are cleanly finished, the work is professionally presented, and it is suitable for exhibition.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artists using AI tools must comply with the RUA’s AI Usage Policy and declare AI use where applicable.
Full policy:
https://www.royalulsteracademy.org/ai-policy
Key Notes
All works are submitted at the artist’s risk; artists are responsible for insurance
Entry fees are non-refundable
Dates, venues, and delivery arrangements are subject to change
Enquiries
📧 info@royalulsteracademy.org
🌐 www.royalulsteracademy.org
Please Note: The above terms and conditions are provided by the exhibition organisers.
For terms and conditions which apply to the use of the OESS entry system please view below:
OESS Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy