The Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year competition is on the hunt for the best portrait painter in Sussex — could it be you?

The Sussex PAOTY Competition is an exciting opportunity for both amateur and professional artists to battle it out for the prestigious accolade of Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year.

Featuring celebrity sitters, guest judges, artist stalls and live entertainment throughout the day - this unmissable event takes place at The Venue, Worthing once a year. 

Submissions are now open for your chance to test your skills against 9 other artists in front of a live audience.

The Live Final will take place on Saturday, 28 March 2026, at The Venue, a beautiful Grade II listed building in Worthing.

Finalists will paint from celebrity sitters in front of guest judges, with the winner crowned Sussex Portrait Artist of the Year 2026.

How to Apply

To enter, please follow these steps:

• Confirm you are a Sussex-based resident (proof may be requested if you are selected as a finalist).

• Submit one image of a portrait painted by you, created within the last three years.

  • Artwork must be uploaded as a JPEG file, under 1MB, and labelled with your name (or artist name if different).

• Pay the submission fee of £15.
  
  

Key Dates

• Entry deadline: Saturday 1 November 2025, 23:59 (GMT)

• Finalists notified by: Friday 12 December 2025

• Live Painting Final: Saturday 28 March 2026 at The Venue, 55b Chapel Rd, Worthing BN11 1EE

What to Expect in the Final

• 9 finalists will paint one of three celebrity sitters over a 4-hour session.

• The event will run on the 28th March 2028, from 1 pm – 5 pm, with the winners announced at the end.

• The final will be ticketed and open to the public.

• Artists must be comfortable painting in a live setting. Phones and tablets may be used to capture reference photos of the sitters.