BATSFORD PRIZE
How to enter
On this page, you’ll find the rules for entering the Batsford Prize 2025.
Who can enter
Undergraduate, postgraduate or foundation students studying at any university or college in the United Kingdom are eligible to enter the Batsford Prize.
Entrants must have been a student at any time between September 2024 and March 2025.
Applied Art and Textiles
Students of any Applied Art subject, including but not limited to:
- Applied Art
- Textiles
- Design
- Craft
- Fashion Design
Fine Art
Students of any Fine Art subject, including but not limited to:
- Fine Art
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Photography
Illustration
Students of any Illustration subject, including but not limited to:
- Illustration
- Drawing
- Fashion Illustration
- Graphic Design
- Visual Communication
Children’s Illustration, sponsored by Spring Literary
Including but not limited to:
- Students of illustration subjects focusing on children’s illustration.
*NEW* The Geoffry Powell Award for Architecture
Our newest category welcomes handmade architectural drawings. Students of any architecture subject can enter, including but not limited to:
- Architecture
- Architectural Engineering
- Structural Engineering
Theme
The theme for the Batsford Prize 2025 is ‘Fun & Play’
Submitting your entry
Entries should comprise:
- Up to 7 digital images of the work, OR a digital version of a picture book/graphic novel, OR a video (plus optional stills).
Examples of additional images to support your entry include close-up details of your work and images illustrating your creative process, which will be helpful to the judges when assessing your entry. - A supporting statement of up to 300 words.
What the judges are looking for in the statement is information about the work’s media, techniques used, the creative process, inspiration and what the meaning of the work is.
Additional rules
- File types accepted are low-res JPEG and PDF. Video entries can be embedded using a platform such as Vimeo or YouTube.
- For the Architecture category, only hand drawn entries will be accepted. There is no restriction on the medium or method used for the other categories.
- The submitted work should be original to the student and any copyright cleared (if necessary).
- Both works created as a part of the student’s coursework and personal works will be accepted for entry.
- Professional works created for clients or due to be published in a professional context will not be accepted.
- There’s a limit of one entry per person per category. A work cannot be entered into multiple categories, but a student can enter a different work into a different category where relevant.
- A series or collection of work will be considered as one entry even if it includes several pieces of work as long as the overarching theme is the same.
- We do accept joint entries. Each team member needs to fulfil the eligibility criteria for the award. In the case of a joint entry winner, the prize will be split between each team member.
The judging process
The Batsford Prize is judged by industry professionals. The judges are looking for entries that show innovative and well-crafted interpretations of the theme, in terms of subject or materials used, or a combination of the two. It’s also important to showcase the creative process within your entry.
Key dates
- Late February 2025 Applications will open via Zealous. A link will appear on this page.
- 24 March 2025 at 23.59 Deadline for entries.
- April 2025 Shortlist announcement.
- 28 May 2025 Awards event, winner announcement and shortlist exhibition private view at the Batsford Gallery.
- 29 May–8 June 2025 The shortlist exhibition will be open to the public (the gallery is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).
HOW WE USE YOUR DATA
We reserve the right to publish shortlisted entrants’ works, name, course and college to promote the Batsford Prize. We will always include a credit.
Your personal details will only be used for communicating with you about the award only, unless you opt in to receive the Batsford email newsletter. We will contact the tutor you have specified on your entry form about the award should you be shortlisted.
You can read our full privacy policy here.
If you have any questions, please email marketing@batsfordbooks.com with ‘BATSFORD PRIZE’ as the email subject.
