International FiKVA Award 2026
For Representational & Figurative Painters
Welcome to the International FiKVA Award for painters 2026!
The International FiKVA Award for painters 2026 is a global online competition, open to all artists aged 18 or older, worldwide. Enter the paintings produced in the last two years you are most proud of and you could win up to €5500 in cash and other prizes! The FiKVA Award is open to all styles of representational painting – modern and classical realism, imaginative realism, hyperrealism, photorealism, luminism, surrealism, etc. If your work captures the essence of the real world while reflecting your unique artistic voice, we want to see it!
No comics, airbrush, digital or mechanical work is accepted.
Works must be recent – produced between 2024 and 2026.
You must register and pay a registration fee to submit your work.
The top 35 works must be available for an online exhibition.
The deadline for entering the contest is: April 22, 2026
No shipping required – this competition is entirely online.
All semi-finalists and winners will be informed about the results via email.
You can use our SUBMISSION FORM here after Dec 3, 2025.
Please reach out through award@fikva.art if you have any questions.
Important Dates
Submissions Open: December 3, 2025Submissions Close: April 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM (Brussels Time)
Top 100 Announcement: June 2, 2026 (via email and social media)
Winners Announcement: June 11, 2026 (Finalists and winners will be notified by email and listed on the FiKVA website and social media channels)
Online Exhibition Launch (Top 35): June 20, 2026
Image credit: © Alessandro Tomassetti
ARTIST ELIGIBILITY
The FiKVA Award is open to all artists aged 18 and older, from anywhere in the world.We celebrate inclusion and diversity, and we’re passionate about supporting artistic growth. Whether you’re an emerging talent or a seasoned artist, we invite you to submit your finest paintings and inspire us with your creativity!
Image credit: © Salony Garg
ARTWORK ELIGIBILITY
Acceptable media: oil, water-soluble oil paint, acrylic paints, watercolor, ink, gouache, tempera - all traditional wet mediums on any support: canvas, board, paper, wood, panel, wall, aluminum, glass, etc.Work must have been completed between 2024 and 2026.
The artwork must be the artist’s own original creation, produced solely by the artist, with the copyright fully owned by the artist.
The entire process is online - no need to ship your work or part with it at any stage of the process!
Image credit: © Samuel De Maré
Subject matter & Techniques
We have no requirements regarding subject matter or technique - submit what you feel represents your strongest work.Image credit: © Anna Wypych
Images
To enter the competition, you must upload your images in JPG or PNG format through the Submission form on the website. Entries via email will not be accepted.The image files must be a minimum of 1000 pixels wide and must not be larger than 4 MB in size.
Have the file name format: Artist Name_Artwork Title_Material_Size_Year of production
If the work is framed, please do not include the frame in the image.
Image credit: © Nadine Robbins
Jury
The International FiKVA Award 2026 will be judged by a distinguished panel of accomplished artists and cultural managers. Their collective expertise - shaped by diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and artistic traditions - ensures a rigorous, nuanced, and truly comprehensive evaluation:Alessandro Tomassetti (ES)
Anna Wypych (PL)
Arina Gordienko (UK)
Christiane Vleugels (BE)
Christoph Eberle (CH)
Francien Krieg (NL)
Lucas Bononi (US)
Nadine Robbins (US)
Samuel De Maré (BE)
Tanya Atanasova (BE)
Zhang Hongbin (CN)
Image credit: © Christoph Eberle
Fees
Participation in the FiKVA Award with just one work: €36Every additional work will add €16 to your participation fee
You can enter up to 5 works
Image credit: © Karen Offutt
Monetary Prizes
First Prize:€3500 cash award + 12 color paints, courtesy of M. Graham, valued at €300 + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €300 + Certificate of Achievement + Participation in the online group exhibition of finalists + Published interview with the FiKVA Foundation + Permanent display of the submitted artwork on the FiKVA website + 6-month online gallery representation for a selected artwork
Second Prize:
€1500 cash prize + Certificate of Achievement + Participation in the online group exhibition of finalists + Published interview with the FiKVA Foundation + Permanent display of the submitted artwork on the FiKVA website + 6-month online gallery representation for a selected artwork + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €300
Third Prize:
€500 cash prize + Certificate of Achievement + Participation in the online group exhibition of finalists + Published interview with the FiKVA Foundation + Permanent display of the submitted artwork on the FiKVA website + 6-month online gallery representation for a selected artwork + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €300
Image credit: © Sara Sisun
Special Prizes
Purchase Prize:Acquisition of one selected artwork for the FiKVA Collection + Certificate of Achievement + Permanent display of the purchased artwork on the FiKVA website + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €300
Honorable Mention (3 will be awarded):
Certificate of Achievement + Participation in the online group exhibition of the finalists + Permanent place on the FiKVA website + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €300
Top 35:
Participation in the online group exhibition of the finalists + Permanent display on the FiKVA website + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €200
Gallery Representation Prize:
Up to 10 outstanding artworks from the Top 100 will be handpicked for a 6-month gallery representation with the FiKVA Online Gallery. This exclusive opportunity is by invitation only, with no obligation to the artist.
Image credit: © Lucas Bononi
Disclaimer
PRIVACY TERMS
By participating in and submitting to the FiKVA Award, the artist acknowledges their unconditional acceptance of the rules, disclaimer and privacy terms.
PRE-SELECTION
Once the jury has evaluated the works, you will receive an email with the results. The FiKVA organization is responsible for sending the emails, but not for their reception. We are also not responsible for “broken communication” due to email addresses that are misspelled by the artist.
JUROR DECISION
The jury evaluates the originality of subject matter and technical skill. Their selection of winning works is final and the decision cannot be appealed on any grounds.
Judges are not allowed to participate in the competition in the year they are serving as jurors, nor family members of them, nor members of the FiKVA organization.
DISQUALIFICATION
The FiKVA organization reserves the right to disqualify any work that does not comply with the competition rules or violates our ethical and moral standards. AI-generated or AI-assisted “paintings” are not accepted and will result in immediate disqualification.
IMAGE USE
By submitting to the FiKVA Award you agree to grant the FiKVA Foundation the right to use your (complete or cropped) images for digital and printed advertisement. FiKVA does not claim any intellectual rights on works entered in the competition. You will be credited, on our website, newsletter and social media.
Any questions, concerns or requests to remove an image in relation to use of artwork can be directed to info@fikva.art
ENTRY FEE
The entry fee is non-refundable donation and does not include any taxes that may be applied by your country of residence or by Belgian authorities. Cancellations or refund requests will not be accepted after the contest deadline.
PRIZES IN CASH
All cash prizes are stated and paid in euros and may be subject to legally required tax deductions (including VAT where applicable and income tax at the source). Any bank fees or currency conversion costs are not FiKVA’s responsibility. FiKVA will issue all payments, but it cannot be held liable for delays or failed transfers caused by incorrect banking details provided by the artist or by intermediary banks. FiKVA may request identity or bank verification to ensure the secure processing of payments.
PURCHASE PRIZE
The FiKVA Foundation reserves the right not to purchase an artwork. The Purchase Prize will be awarded only if a suitable piece is identified and selected by the Foundation.
SALES AFTER PROMOTION
FiKVA does not claim any financial compensation if a work submitted to the FiKVA Award is sold after being promoted by FiKVA.
If awarded, the Purchase Prize will correspond to the artwork’s sale price as provided by the artist at the time of submission.
SALES THROUGH THE ONLINE GALLERY
If a work is selected for the FiKVA online gallery and a contract is signed with the artist, the gallery will retain 45% of the sale price as commission and the artist will receive 55%.
