Submissions for the RWS Open 2027

are now open

Submit your entry

The RWS Open is the Royal Watercolour Society’s annual open-submission exhibition, celebrating the breadth, versatility and creative potential of water-based media. Artists from across the UK and around the world are invited to submit original works on paper, with no restrictions on style or subject matter.

The RWS Open 2027 marks the relaunch of one of the UK’s longest-running open exhibitions for water-based media, presented by the world’s oldest watercolour society. For the first time, the exhibition will take place across both homes of the Royal Watercolour Society: Bankside Gallery on the Thames Path and the new RWS Gallery next to Trafalgar Square.

The RWS welcomes water-based media in all its forms, including watercolour, ink, acrylic, gouache and tempera. Artists of all backgrounds and at every stage of their careers are encouraged to submit, from traditional approaches to innovative contemporary practice.

Selected artists can expect to:

• Exhibit their selected work across Bankside Gallery and RWS Gallery

• Be eligible for a range of prizes and awards

• Have their work featured on the Royal Watercolour Society website during and beyond the exhibition

• Join a network of past and present RWS Open exhibitors

• Have opportunities to meet RWS Members and connect with the Society

The Royal Watercolour Society are happy to assist with processing applications from artists with disabilities. Please contact us at info@royalwatercoloursociety.com if you require assistance.

Submit Your Entry