Open Call

FiKVA Award 2026

The FiKVA Foundation proudly presents the 4th International FiKVA Award for Representational & Figurative Painters - a remarkable opportunity for artists worldwide to gain international recognition, share their talent globally, and earn substantial financial rewards. Best of all, the entire process is online - no need to ship your work or part with it! 

Submit your best paintings from the past two years for a chance to win up to €5500 in cash, premium art supplies, a 6-month gallery representation or be featured in a celebrated online exhibition!

The International FiKVA Award for painters is open to all artists 18 years of age or older. The FiKVA Award is open to all styles of representational painting - modern and classical realism, imaginative realism, hyperrealism, photorealism, luminism, surrealism etc - as long as the artwork reads as representational and not stylized or abstract. If your work captures the essence of the real world while reflecting your unique artistic voice, we want to see it! 

Deadline
22 April 2026
Organizer
FiKVA
Participate

Fees 

To submit your work, you must register and pay a submission fee: 

  • Participation in the FiKVA Award with just one work: €36
  • You can enter up to 5 works; each additional work will add €16 to your participation fee. 


Arist eligibility

The FiKVA Award is open to all painters aged 18 and older, from anywhere in the world. 
 

Artwork eligibility

  • The work must be the artist's original creation, produced solely by the artist, with copyrights exclusively owned by the artist.
  • The work may be signed and may have participated in previous competitions.
  • The work may be sold, provided the copyright of its image remains solely with the artist.
  • Works must have been produced between 2024 and 2026.
  • Works must be available for inclusion in an online exhibition.
  • Works do not need to be available for sale.

Accepted Media: Oil, water-soluble oil paint, acrylic paint, watercolor, ink, gouache, tempera, and all traditional wet mediums on any support - canvas, board, paper, wood, panel, wall, aluminium, glass, etc. All works must be handmade; digital or mechanical works will not be considered. 

Subject matter & size

No restrictions - submit what you consider your best work from the last two years. 


No shipping required

This competition is entirely online - just submit high-quality images of your artwork to participate. Even if you win, your painting stays with you; no need to part with it.
 

Key dates

Submissions Open: December 3, 2025 
Submissions 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 


Contact us 

For any questions, reach out at award@fikva.art