7th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition

Wells, Vermont

View Site Plan

First Entry Fee: $35

Additional Entry Fee per entry up to five entries: $15

Contact Information

Women in Watercolor

Contact Email: womeninwatercolor@gmail.com

Requirement Overview

Location Eligibility Type: International
Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
Submission Limit: 1

Media Requirements

Images | Min: 1, Max: 5
Audio | Min: 0, Max: 0
Video | Min: 0, Max: 0
Total | Min: 1, Max: 5

Opportunity Summary

7th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition

Open for Entry
April 1, 2026 through EXTENDED June 22, 2026

This will be an ONLINE ONLY competition for WOMEN watercolor artists.

Over $17,000 in CASH prizes plus thousands more in merchandise awards.

General Information

More info at: www.WomeninWatercolor.com

Application Requirements

7th Annual 2026

Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition

Sponsored by Holbein Artist Materials

www.WomeninWatercolor.com

ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY PROCEDURES

Entrants will be able to enter ONCE IN EACH CATEGORY, so a total of Five (5) paintings may be entered in this year’s show. There are no restrictions on size, what year the painting was completed or if it has been entered in other shows outside of Women in Watercolor.

· The exhibition is open to all female artists, age 18 and over, working in watercolor on paper, synthetic paper, watercolor board, Yupo or other two-dimensional surfaces. Transparent and opaque watercolors, casein, watercolor gouache (not acrylic gouache) or water-soluble inks are allowed. Medium must remain water soluble after drying.

· NO acrylic, egg tempera, permanent inks, pastels, colored pencil, collage or any form of print or reproductions.

· Watercolors sealed with spray or wax after completion are allowed as long as it does not alter the original image.

· Artist’s original work only. No class work. No work done under supervision. No copies or likenesses of another artist’s work including published source or reference work.

· Photo reference material must have been personally photographed by the artist. You may not use any part of others reference materials for paintings entered into this show.

· NO AI (Artificial Intelligence) of any kind used in reference photo or painting image. Any use of AI will ban you from ALL future competitions.

· One entry per artist per category. (5 total) Multiple entries per category will be exempt from judging.

· No work previously entered or accepted in past Women in Watercolor exhibitions or competitions may be submitted.

· Paintings of nudes are acceptable with Women in Watercolor reserving the right to refuse entries depicting undue violence or obscenity as determined by Women in Watercolor.

If an entry does not follow these guidelines all prizes will be forfeited and entrant may be banned from future competitions. No refunds will be given.

ENTRY PROCEDURES

Submissions will be made online.

Step by step entry directions can be found on the FAQ page on the WIW website.

https://womeninwatercolor.com/frequently-asked-questions-faq/

ENTRY OPENS: April 1, 2026

ENTRY CLOSES: EXTENDED June 22, 2026

Juried Awards Notice After July 24, 2026

**If you have any issue with entering/uploading your art, please contact the entry website directly, not Women in Watercolor. If the entry deadline is extended for any reason, it will be posted on the WIW website.

ENTRY FEES: $35 USD for first entry, $15 USD for each additional entry

One entry per artist per category (5 paintings entered max.) If more than one painting is entered per artist per category, they will not be valid for judging. No refunds will be given.

ABOUT YOUR DIGITAL IMAGE

· Image must be correctly oriented (vertical or horizontal).

· Show only the image, no frame, mat or border. Image must be cropped to show painting only.

· No digital enhancement is allowed. Image submitted must exactly match actual painting.

· Digital Image must be 5mb or under in size for upload on entry website.

Entry grants Women in Watercolor permission to reproduce work for records and promotional purposes. Images of accepted work may be used by Women in Watercolor in print/web promotional ads.

AWARDS

JUDGES OF AWARDS

Awards judges for the 2026 competition are listed on the Women in Watercolor website.

Recognition – Winners in every category will be shared on the Women in Watercolor Website, Facebook and Instagram page. Top winners will also have a featured article in a major watercolor magazine at the end of the show.

Five Categories for Awards: You can win an award in EACH category.

1. Abstract: Art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures. If it is not abstract, do not enter it into this category.

2. Animal & Wildlife: Living things and especially mammals, birds, and fish that are not human.

3. Landscape & Water: The depiction of natural scenery in art. Landscape paintings may capture mountains, valleys, bodies of water, fields, forests, and coasts. This may or may not include urban landscape, man-made structures, as well as people or animals. People and animals should not be the focus of the painting, but can be in it.

4. Portrait & Figure: Includes the human form in any of its various shapes and postures. Paintings can show partial figures or the whole figure.

5. Still Life & Floral: A piece that features an arrangement of inanimate objects as its subject. Includes all kinds of man-made or natural objects, flowers, fruit, vegetables, fish, wine and so on. Looked at another way: still life’s depict things that are “still” and don’t move.

Note: One entry per artist per category (5 paintings entered max.) If more than one painting is entered per artist per category, they will not be valid for judging. No refunds will be given.

Best in Show Overall Award:

BEST IN SHOW: $2500 USD

· Painting in published magazine article

· Hard copy certificate

· Gold Coin Award