A celebration of the best pencil art
Renowned for championing art in pencil, the Derwent Art Prize announces a shortlist of 71 artworks for its highly anticipated 2026 edition. With 5,000+ entries from over 2,100 artists representing 77 countries, the prize received an incredible outpouring of creativity from artists worldwide.
A panel of esteemed art professionals selected the shortlist from this diverse array of entries: Charles Villeneuve De Janti, Professor at the École du Louvre, Paris; Modupeola Fadugba, Nigerian multi-media artist; and Kathleen Soriano, Curator and former judge on Sky Artist of the Year.
“All of the artists put their best foot forward, which made it genuinely difficult to say no to some works. The standard was incredibly high,” says Modupeola Fadugba, one of the Derwent Art Prize 2026 selectors.
According to judge Kathleen Soriano, “Viewers can expect to see a punchy exhibition that showcases incredible pencil artists. Drawing continues to go from strength to strength and this exhibition is testament to that.”
The selected artworks encompass a wide range of styles and subjects, and showcase the talent of artists working in pencil today.
The Derwent Art Prize 2026 represents a celebration of the best pencil art worldwide, with artists hailing from Australia, Chile, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The shortlisted artworks will be showcased in the Derwent Art Prize exhibition, open daily and free to see at Oxo Gallery in London from 9-19 April 2026.
Additionally, the exhibition will feature a daily programme of demonstrations and masterclasses which can be found here
The Derwent Art Prize will award prizes totalling over £13,000, including a First Prize of £4,000 plus a year’s supply of Derwent products to outstanding artists from the shortlist.
Oxo Gallery from 9-19 April 2026.
