AXA Art Prize US 2025

The AXA Art Prize US is a juried art competition open to undergraduate and graduate art students in the US. 40 finalists are selected for a virtual exhibition and in-person exhibition in NYC with two grand prize winners: First Prize of $10,000 and Second Prize of $5,000.

 

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree-granting program, either as an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in studio art at a US school. Previous XL Catlin and AXA Art Prize US exhibition participants are eligible to participate in the 2025 AXA Art Prize US competition; however, they must use a different piece from the one previously exhibited. Previous First and Second Prize winners are not eligible to submit.

 

PRIZES:

First Prize: $10,000 cash prize

Second Prize: $5,000 cash prize

 

EXHIBITION:

40 finalists will be selected to exhibit their work in NYC at the New York Academy of Art in November 2025.

 

JURY PROCESS:

The competition is structured around three rounds of jurying:

 

1. Regional Jury:

The US has been divided into five regions for the prize: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest, and West. Regional Jurors from the Strategic Advisory Board will rate all submissions from their region on a scale of 1 to 5. Upon completion, regional submissions will be presented to the Exhibition Jury.

 

 2. Exhibition Jury:

A four-person Exhibition Jury consisting of prominent curators of the art world will review and rate the top 50% of all submissions and select 40 works to comprise the traveling exhibition. Finalists for the exhibition will be notified and posted online.

 

3. Prize Jury

A panel of three to four prominent artists will review the 40 finalists and determine the First and Second Prize winners.

 

Submissions close March 25, 2025 at 11:59pm EST, go to www.axaxl.com/axa-art-prize to learn more.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree-granting program, either as an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in studio art at a US school. Previous XL Catlin and AXA Art Prize US exhibition participants are eligible to participate in the 2025 AXA Art Prize US competition; however, they must use a different piece from the one previously exhibited. Previous First and Second Prize winners are not eligible to submit.

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

•         The submission deadline is Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 11:59pm EST.

•         Students must apply online at www.axaxl.com/axa-art-prize (via Submittable).

•         One submission is allowed per student.

•         Students must provide evidence of their student status, in the form of an unofficial transcript.

•         In the event that an entrant fails to provide a fully completed application form or does not provide all the required documentation, they will be disqualified.

 

EXHIBITION AND AWARDS NOTIFICATION

•         Finalists selected for the AXA Art Prize exhibition will be posted online and informed by email no later than June 2025.

•         First and Second Prize winners will be notified in September 2025.

 

SUBMISSION SPECIFICATIONS

•         The work entered must be 2-Dimensional. Only figurative works (depicting the human figure) will be considered. No photography or digital art will be accepted. Original print making is acceptable.

•         All artwork submitted must be original and completed within in the last few years (2022-2025).

•         Maximum dimensions are 4 feet x 4 feet including frame (48 x 48 inches).

•         Multi-panel work will be accepted and regarded as one work, as long as the dimensions do not exceed a total of 4 feet x 4 feet including frame (48 x 48 inches).

•         Artwork will be judged anonymously so work should not be signed on the front.

•         One submission per person is allowed.

•         Submissions will be accepted online only.

•         Any submitted work that differs from the digital entry guidelines will be disqualified.

•         Image files must be in .jpg format at 72 dpi and at least 2000 pixels on the shortest side.

•         File names for each jpeg must be named exactly as follows: Lastname_Firstname_Titleofwork.jpg (e.g. Doe_John_Untitled.jpg)

 

Submit at www.axaxl.com/axa-art-prize

Please email questions to [email protected]

03/25/2025