Society of Wildlife Artists: The Natural Eye 2025 Exhibition Open Call

About the Open Call

The Natural Eye, the annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists at Mall Galleries, showcases the very best of fine art inspired by the natural world. Artists are invited to submit work for exhibition alongside members of the Society of Wildlife Artists at the SWLA 62nd Annual Exhibition: The Natural Eye 2025. The Society is seeking works that depict wildlife subjects and evoke the spirit of the natural world. The Selection Committee welcomes: all forms of two and three-dimensional artwork based on representing the world’s wildlife; artists with fresh visions that show imagination, artistic ability, originality and creativity; artworks that reveal a personal experience or true understanding of the subject. This prestigious exhibition at Mall Galleries, London in October 2025 is a showcase for the very best of fine art inspired by the natural world and offers 11 prizes & awards with a prize fund worth over £5,000. Submissions are ONLINE ONLY and open from Friday 23 May 2025 until Friday 22 August 2025. The exhibition runs from Thursday 16 October to Saturday 25 October 2025.

What is Offered

This exhibition offers 11 prizes and awards with a prize fund worth over £5,000, including: the British Trust for Ornithology Award (£500); The Birdwatch and Swarovski Optik Artist of the Year Award (ATS 80 HD spotting scope with 25-50x zoom eyepiece, value £2,430, plus BirdGuides/Birdwatch subscription); The BIRDscapes Gallery 'Conservation through Art' Award (£1,000, split between artist and conservation organization); RSPB Award (£500); The Swarovski Optik New Artist Award (£250 for best non-member work); Trymwood Studios Art Prize (solo exhibition); The Michael Harding Oil Painting Prize (£500 art materials); The Michael Harding Watercolour Painting Prize (£500 art materials); Art Safari Works on Paper Award (£250); Mall Galleries / FBA Award (Ten free submissions to FBA exhibitions, worth up to £200); and Dry Red Press Award (winning work reproduced as a greetings card). All submitted work must be for sale, with a minimum price per work of £200 (framed prints £120, unframed prints £95).

Requirements

Any artist aged 18 or over may enter, from anywhere in the world. Artists may enter a maximum of six works, which must have been completed within the last three years and not previously exhibited at Mall Galleries. Works should be no larger than 2.4m along the longest dimension. All works must be an original creation by the artist. Subject matter must be based on representing the world's wildlife (non-domestic animals), excluding botanical subjects, pets/domestic animals, decorative wares, or biological/scientific illustrations. Work should show a personal experience or true understanding of the subject, ideally informed by field observation. Acceptable media include drawing, painting, sculpture, and original prints (excluding photography). Computer-generated images are accepted as 'original prints' if created by the artist specifically to be realized as a print (reproductions of paintings or photographs are not accepted). Works must be presented in plain, simple framing in a light or medium colour; metal frames, unprotected glass edges, and clip frames are inadmissible. All fittings and fixings must be removed from the back of frames.

How to Apply

Applications are online only via the Open Exhibition Submission System (OESS). Artists must register or log in, upload images (JPEG or PNG, under 5MB, one main image + two optional detail images) and provide title, medium, size (cm), year of completion, weight (for sculptures), and price. Selected artists will be notified on Friday 5 September and must deliver unwrapped work with forms and labels to Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD on Saturday 4 October, 10am to 5pm. Artists are responsible for delivery and collection costs.