International FiKVA Award 2025
For Representational & Figurative Painters
Welcome to the International FiKVA Award for painters 2025!
The International FiKVA Award for painters 2025 is a global online competition, open to all artists age 18 or older, worldwide. Enter the paintings produced the last two years you are most proud of and you could win up to €5000 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 2023 and 2025.
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 15, 2025
No shipping required – this competition is entirely online.
All semi-finalists and winners will be informed about the results via email.
You can read our Open Call in your own language here after Jan 3, 2025.
Please, reach out through award@fikva.art if you have any questions.
Important Dates
Submissions Open: January 3, 2025Submissions Close: April 15, 2025, at 12:00 AM (Brussels Time)
Top 100 Announcement: May 1, 2025 (via email and social media)
Winners Announcement: May 15, 2025 (Finalists and winners will be notified by email and listed on the FiKVA website and social media channels)
Online Exhibition Launch (Top 35): May 20, 2025
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!
ARTWORK ELIGIBILITY
Acceptable media: oil, water-soluble oil paint, acrylic paints, watercolor, ink, gouache, tempera and all traditional mediums on any support - canvas, board, paper, wood, panel, wall, aluminum, glass etc.Work must have been completed between 2023 and 2025.
The work must be artist's original work.
It must have been produced solely by the artist and the copy rights must be his/her exclusive property.
The entire process is online—no need to ship your work or part with it!
Subject matter & Techniques
We have no requirement on the subject matter and techniques of your work - we are just looking for what you consider the best work in your art portfolio.
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.
Fees
Participation in the FiKVA Award with just one work: €32Every additional work will add €16 to your participation fee
You can enter up to 4 works
Prizes
First Prize:€3,000 cash award + Art supplies package, courtesy of M. Graham (12 colours paints) and Rosemary & Co (brushes), valued at €300 + Digital and social media marketing, valued at €200 + 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 €200
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 €200
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
Top 35:
Participation in the online group exhibition of the finalists + Permanent place on the FiKVA website + Digital and social media marketing
Gallery Representation Award:
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.
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 organisation is accountable for the correct sending of the e-mails but not for its 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 trusted as jurors, nor family members of them, nor members of the FiKVA organisation.
DISQUALIFICATION
The FiKVA organisation reserves the right to disqualify work from the competition, if we find that it doesn’t meet the rules or our moral norms.
IMAGES 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 advertisement. FiKVA does not claim any intellectual rights on works entered in the competition, nor any financial compensation, should a work be sold following its promotion through FiKVA. You will be credited, on our website, email 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 and not inclusive of any tax applied by your own country or Belgium.
PRIZES IN CASH
The payments that FiKVA makes will be subject to the legally set taxes, undertaking the deductions required (prices with VAT included and income tax deducted)
SALES
FiKVA does not claim any financial compensation, should a work be sold following its promotion through FiKVA.
