Pastel Society | Annual Exhibition 2026

About the Open Call

Calling all artists working with pastel, pencil, charcoal, crayon, chalk, and more… This is your chance to take part in a contemporary, adventurous and creative show, presenting a positive challenge to those with pre-conceived ideas about pastel and dry media. The exhibition will celebrate the 'direct touch' of dry media. 'The joy of dry media is its ability to transmit feelings through the hand directly onto paper,' says the Society, 'The touch is evident and powerful.'

What is Offered

Successful applicants can expect: To have their work included in the exhibition at Mall Galleries and online, the opportunity to win prizes and awards (including cash prizes from £400 to £1,000, product prizes, and publication prizes like a feature article in The Artist magazine), an invitation to the Private View, the chance to sell their work to new collectors, to be part of a network of exhibiting artists dating back to 1898, and the possibility of election to membership.

Requirements

Any artist aged 18 or over, from anywhere in the world, may enter a maximum of six works (up to four may be selected). Work must be completed within two years prior to the exhibition, be an original creation, and not previously exhibited at Mall Galleries. Works should be no larger than 2.4m along the longest dimension. Acceptable media include all types of pastel and other dry mediums like charcoal, chalk, and pencil. Mixed media and three-dimensional works are accepted if dry media is primary. All work must be framed and glazed (unless dispensation is accepted), with plain, simple framing, and no metal/clip frames or unprotected glass edges. Remove all fittings from frames. International artists who are not UK residents must register with HMRC for a UK VAT number if selected.

How to Apply

A single-stage online judging of all submitted works will take place. Artists must register or log in to the Open Exhibition Submission System (OESS) to submit work between 12 noon on Monday 18 August and Friday 14 November 2025. Upload images in JPEG or PNG format, under 5MB. Include title, medium, size (cm), year of completion, and price. Selected works are to be delivered unwrapped to Mall Galleries, London, on Saturday 10 January 2026, 10am to 5pm, with downloadable forms and labels.