All competitions · Prize / award
Koninklijke Prijs voor Vrije Schilderkunst 2027 (Royal Award for Modern Painting)
Stichting Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam · Amsterdam, Netherlands
Annual Dutch painting prize presented by the King: three awards of EUR 9,000 for painters under 35 working in the Netherlands, with an exhibition at the Royal Palace Amsterdam. 2027 call opens June 2026; 2026 deadline was 15 August 2025.
Your eligibility
Tell us about yourself and we will check these rules against your details. Nothing leaves your device until you sign in.
Who can enter
- Location
- Netherlands (by country of residence)
- Age
- 24 to 35
- Career stage
- Emerging
- Mediums
- Painting
- Status
- Professional artists only
- Size limits
- Max 200 cm high x 300 cm wide (multi-panel works within the same total).
- Submission
- Online submission
- Also
- Working in the Netherlands; under 35 on 1 January of award year; min 24 unless holding an art academy BA; current academy students excluded; foreign residents need valid permit/BSN and lasting bond with NL.
About
Instituted in 1871 by King Willem III, the Koninklijke Prijs voor Vrije Schilderkunst encourages young painters working in the Netherlands. Each year three artists receive EUR 9,000 each, and the winning works plus a selection of other nominees are shown at the Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam; a public prize is drawn among voters.
Eligible are Dutch visual artists working professionally and independently in the Netherlands (foreign artists resident in NL with a valid permit/BSN and a lasting bond with the country) who are under 35 on 1 January of the award year and at least 24 unless they hold a Bachelor of Arts from an art academy; current academy students are excluded. Applicants upload five to eight works (max 200 cm high x 300 cm wide). For the 2026 prize the deadline was 15 August 2025, second-round judging 7–8 October 2025, ceremony 3 February 2026 and exhibition 4 February to 29 March 2026. The palace states the 2027 open call opens in June 2026.