DorsetArts Prize
2-4 July 2026
Get ready to explore creativity in motion with the Dorset Art Prize 2026 - a celebration of Dorset’s brilliant artistic talent.
Run by Bournemouth & Poole College in partnership with the Dorset Community Foundation, and hosted this year by Poole Museum, the prize invites artists aged 16 and over to share their work with the world.
This year’s theme, Metamorphosis, is all about transformation - big, small, wild, wonderful.
Whether it’s a shift in nature, identity, or imagination, artists can embrace the theme across everything from painting and photography to animation, film and sculpture.
Free to enter and open to both emerging and established creatives, the prize has become a much‑loved fixture in Dorset’s cultural calendar, offering cash prizes of up to £1,000 and the chance for finalists to exhibit their work in our amazing venue.
We’ll be showcasing the shortlisted pieces this July, bringing together a vibrant mix of talent, ideas and interpretations of this year’s theme. We can’t wait to see the incredible range of entries and share these inspiring works with our visitors!
Curious to find out more and even enter the competition? Read the full story in our media release.
