Applications for the 18th edition of Young Painter Prize (YPP) are now open.

For more than 18 years, YPP has been discovering and championing the next generation of painters in the Baltic region. As the oldest and most recognized competition for emerging painters in the Baltics, YPP provides young artists with opportunities for visibility, professional development, international exposure, and meaningful connections within the contemporary art world.

From all eligible submissions, an international jury of artists, curators, collectors, and art professionals will select 25 finalists to participate in the YPP 2026 exhibition programme.

The finalists’ exhibition will open at Tallinn Art Hall in Lasnamäe, Estonia, from 11–27 September 2026, before traveling to:

Art Academy of Latvia Gallery, Riga
21 October – 21 November 2026
Klaipėda Culture Communication Centre (KKKC), Lithuania
4 December 2026 – 4 January 2027

What

Young Painter Prize (YPP) is a Baltic-based international competition dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging painters. Through exhibitions, awards, residencies, and professional networking opportunities, YPP helps young artists develop their practice and connect with audiences across the region and beyond.

Who

Applications are open to artists aged 18–33 who work primarily in painting.

Applicants must be:

• Citizens of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, or Ukraine, regardless of where they currently live; or
• Permanent residents of Lithuania, Latvia, or Estonia.

No formal art education or university degree is required. At YPP, we are interested in exceptional painters, not CVs.

When

Application deadline: 30 June 2026 (inclusive)

Jury announcement: 1 July 2026

Finalists announcement: 3 August 2026

Opening exhibition: 11–27 September 2026, Tallinn Art Hall in Lasnamäe, Estonia

The exhibition will then travel to Latvia and Lithuania as part of the YPP 2026 exhibition programme.

How

To apply, complete the application form and upload the following materials:

• One high-quality image of the submitted artwork (JPG format, maximum 2 MB).
• A description of the submitted artwork (maximum one page, PDF, in English).
  Important: The description must not mention the artist’s name, gender, nationality, place of residence, or any other identifying information. Please also ensure that the file name does not contain identifying information.
• Images of eight additional artworks by the artist (JPG format, maximum 1 MB per image).
• A short motivation statement explaining why you would like to participate in the competition (maximum 250 words).
• The declared market value of the submitted artwork (in EUR).

All image files must be clearly labelled with the artwork title, dimensions, medium, and year of completion. Please do not include the artist’s name in artwork file names.

Please ensure that all images are uploaded in the correct orientation.

All application materials must be submitted in English.

Awards & Opportunities

More than €10,000 in awards, residency opportunities, professional recognition, and international exposure await this year’s finalists. But the real prize is becoming part of a network of artists, curators, collectors, galleries, and institutions that continues to open doors long after the competition ends.
Additional awards and opportunities provided by YPP partners will be announced throughout the competition cycle.

Judges

The international jury for YPP 2026 will be announced on 1 July 2026.

Important:

By submitting an application, participants confirm that all submitted artworks are their original work and that they hold all necessary rights to the submitted materials.
By submitting an application, participants confirm that they have read, understood, and agreed to all terms and conditions outlined in this section.
By accepting the main Young Painter Prize, the recipient agrees to transfer ownership of the winning artwork to YPP for inclusion in the YPP collection. To be eligible for the main prize, the declared market value of the submitted artwork must not exceed €5,000.
By submitting an application, participants grant YPP the non-exclusive right to reproduce submitted artworks for promotional, educational, archival, and publicity purposes related to the competition and its activities.
All jury decisions are final.
Artists who have previously won the main Young Painter Prize are not eligible to compete for the main prize again.
Selected finalists must provide exhibition-ready artworks and comply with technical and logistical requirements communicated by the organizers.
Transportation, packaging, customs duties, taxes, and any related costs associated with delivering artworks to and from exhibition venues are the responsibility of the artist unless otherwise agreed in writing by the organizers.
Personal data submitted through the application process will be used solely for the administration of the competition and handled in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
The organizers reserve the right to make adjustments to the competition schedule, exhibition programme, awards, jury composition, and related activities if circumstances require.