THE VIKING CRUISES BRITISH ART Winners PRIZE' 2021 Special
Artists & Illustrators has been proud to support The British Art Prize 2021, in association with Viking, the award-winning cruise line. This major new national open art competition was designed to provide artists of all ages and abilities with a platform to gain exposure and recognition for their work.
There was a prize fund worth more than £10,000 on offer, which included art vouchers, cash prizes, a £7,000 Viking river cruise, and the chance to work towards a solo exhibition in London's Panter & Hall.
The response to the inaugural prize was overwhelming, with 2,455 entries in total, as quality paintings, drawings and original prints poured in from the UK and beyond. Narrowing things down first to a longlist of 150 artworks and then the shortlisted 50 pieces was a tricky, yet thoroughly enjoyable process.
While judging art is always subjective, we tried to focus on three main criteria. Firstly, was there a strong concept behind the work or a clear motivation for making it in the first place? Secondly, was there some artistry or artistic license involved in the decisions made during the creation of the work? And finally, was there a good level of skill and technique visible in the finished work?
