Hunting Art Prize

The Hunting Art Prize competition was established in 1980 by the then Chairman of the Hunting Group plc, Clive Hunting. Its aim was and still is to encourage British artists working in any media to submit their best endeavours be it abstract or representational to a committee for judgement. This panel of judges has at various times included practising artists like Tom Coates who has sat on the committee on more than sixteen occasions, art critic and writer William Packer and gallery owner and art dealer Angela Flowers. The locations for the shows have included the Mall Galleries and more recently the RCA where its celebratory 25th anniversary exhibition was held in February, 2005. Exhibitions have also toured to venues in Birmingham, Portsmouth, Swansea, Bath, Great Yarmouth, Cornwall and Scotland. The first show attracted only 49 entries, the latest over 2000 submissions reduced to a selection of approximately 100. Prizes have been awarded to Richard Eurich, Hans Schwarz, Margaret Thomas, Ken Howard and Michael Buhler amongst the better-known artists, and Donald Blake, Martin Churchill, Barry Burman, Shani Rhys James and Mary Griffiths amongst the lesser-known but no less worthy entrants.

In 2006 the Prize relocated to Texas, USA. The rules of eligibility now appear to be open to artists aged 18 and over who must be legal residents of the state of Texas. As of 2010 the top prize is $50,000.