Rules
1. INTRODUCTION
TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE is a private initiative for the promotion of art. Our goal is to give visibility to creators, motivate artistic production, and offer content to enthusiasts, collectors, and galleries. Interaction, dynamism, and global reach are the hallmarks of this artistic project. Beyond the competition, the organization will promote other events, collaborate with art schools, artist residencies, and will apply itself to the artists’ own drive for success.
The excellence of TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE is marked by its vocation to become a global window through which artists of every pictorial style, technique, culture, and significance can emerge. Emerging, amateur, professional, and established creators have the opportunity to showcase their work on a widely broadcast platform and, consequently, position themselves in the market. Their work will be analyzed and fairly judged by reputable jury members and considered for acquisition by collectors of established prestige.
In the following pages, we explain how to participate in this first edition of the international competition. Our website provides a space where artists can create their profile and register their works. They just need to photograph their works (up to three images maximum) and attach the files in JPG format. The entry fee for participating with one work is €50, and from the second work onwards, the price reduces to €30. In the young artist category, prices are €35 for the first work and €15 for each additional work.
The registration period ends on February 15, 2025. Then, a prestigious international jury formed by painters, curators, collectors, and gallery owners from five continents will select the 200 finalist works. The organization, with the advice of the jury, will decide which finalist works will be featured in the final exhibition, at the prestigious Ateneo de Madrid, where another physical jury composed of renowned painters from the global art and culture scene will award the main prizes included in the competition rules. Around 50 paintings will be selected for the exhibition at the Ateneo de Madrid, which will be inaugurated on June 5 and will remain open until the 12th.
One of the great attractions of TARTGET is the visibility that Madrid will give to the artists. No other city brings together three of the world’s most outstanding art galleries in so few meters; and the final exhibition will be located in that golden mile of art, a five-minute walk from the Prado Museum. The exhibition will attract the attention of a substantial audience after the works are revealed in a preview for collectors, sponsors, and entrepreneurs, so they can be acquired.
Of course, the other great value of TARGET is the unparalleled number of prizes it awards. More than €40,000 in cash will be distributed among the winners, divided into four main prizes (€12,000 for first place, €6,000 for second place, €4,000 for third place, and €4,000 for the Fusion Target prize), ten additional prizes of €500 each for the first place in each category, and acquisition prizes exceeding €10,000. Furthermore, more than forty awards in art materials, training, and promotion valued at over €10,000 will be given out. In total, more than €50,000 in prizes make this competition one of the most important in the world.
The award ceremony will be attended by personalities from the art world, culture, sports, and politics, in addition to numerous media outlets. A unique opportunity to open the doors to success. The competition starts now. GOOD LUCK TO ALL! And thank you for being part of this artistic community.
2. PARTICIPANTS
Article 1.- The competition is open to painters from all over the world.
Article 2.- There is no limit to the number of works registered per participant, bearing in mind that each work will generate a registration, with the corresponding financial obligations.
Article 3.- Each participant must register on the website www.tartgetpaintingprize.com. Once registered, they can register each work on a separate form (even at different days) or multiple works at once through the same form, so that, in both cases, the discount for registering a second, third, or more than three works will be taken into account.
Article 4.- An artist can receive multiple awards with the same work and with different works.
Article 5.- In the case of artists under 18 years old, they must send a signed letter from their legal guardians authorizing their participation. It must be sent to the email address info@tartgetpaintingprize.com.
Article 6.- The participating artist cannot decide which prize to aim for, they can only choose the acquisition prizes they wish to participate in. By participating, they accept the rules and cannot renounce the prizes they win.
Article 7.- All works will participate on equal terms regardless of the style or category in which they are registered. They will be judged by different juries and experts in each category.
3. CATEGORIES FOR PARTICIPATION
Article 8.- All participating works must be registered in one of the following categories:
1) URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE
2) NATURAL AND OPEN-AIR LANDSCAPE
3) ANIMALS AND WILDLIFE
4) DRAWING/ILLUSTRATION
5) STILL LIFE AND EVERYDAY OBJECTS
6) FIGURE AND PORTRAIT
7) FANTASY AND IMAGINATIVE
8) CONCEPTUAL AND COLLAGE
9) ABSTRACTION
10) YOUNG
Article 9.- The same work can be registered in several categories independently as long as it fits the required characteristics. This will increase the chances of winning a prize. For example, the same work can participate in the young artist category and in the urban landscape category. Both the theme and the technique will be the artist’s free choice.
Article 10.- Works created by painters under 25 years old at the time of the registration deadline (February 15, 2025), i.e., born after March 10, 2000, can be submitted in the “Young” category.
This prize is aimed at fostering and supporting young artists.
The organization may request proof of age from painters registered in the young artist category in order to verify compliance with category requirements.
Failure to provide this documentary evidence within a maximum period of fifteen days may result in disqualification.
4. REQUIEREMENTS FOR THE WORKS
Article 11.- Works must be original creations of the artist and produced entirely by them; additionally, the artist must own the copyright of the works, and they must have been created within the last three years. Participating works must not have received awards in other competitions.
Article 12.- Both the theme and the technique will be the artist’s free choice.
Article 13.- Works of all styles are accepted. Creations that fit into hyperrealism, photorealism, contemporary realism, imaginative realism, fantastic realism, surrealism, impressionism, expressionism, plein air painting, conceptual art, abstraction, and any other type of representational painting are welcome.
SPECIFICATIONS: Figurative, realistic, hyperrealistic, surrealistic, impressionistic, or expressionistic artworks can be registered in the following categories: 1. Urban and Industrial Landscape, 2. Natural Landscape and Outdoors, 3. Animals and Wildlife, 4. Drawing and Illustration, 5. Still Life and Everyday Objects, 6. Figure and Portrait, 7. Fantasy and Imaginative.
Abstract works may only be entered in the “Abstraction” category. Conceptual works and collages may only be registered in the “Conceptual and Collage” category. This ensures that different styles can be evaluated by a different jury.
Article 14.- Painters under 25 years old who choose to participate in the “Young” category can submit works under any of the themes and styles listed in article 8.
Article 15.- Register your work in the category you believe is most representative. In case of doubt, please contact the organization via the email info@tartgetpaintingprize.com
Article 16.- Works created in a class, masterclass, or under the supervision of an instructor will not be admitted.
Article 17.- Works created on surfaces such as canvas, linen, cardboard, paper, copper, wood, or any other surface suitable for exhibition are accepted.
Article 18.- All types of pictorial techniques are accepted, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, graphite, colored pencils, ink, charcoal, gouache, tempera, engravings, graffiti, other traditional mediums, mixed media, or collage.
Article 19.- Photographs, digital works, digital paintings, digitally manipulated works, giclees, prints on canvas, or other reproductions are not accepted. Works that violate these rules will be disqualified. For any questions about these admission restrictions or subsequent penalties, please contact…
Article 20.- The minimum dimensions are set at 40×40 cm. and the maximum at 180×180 cm. Dimensions smaller than 40 cm. on any side will be accepted, as long as the sum of width plus height is not less than 80 cm. The work must be presented unframed or, failing that, with a simple strip. Works protected with glass will not be accepted; if necessary, methacrylate must be used.
Article 21.- To be eligible for the top four main prizes and the acquisition prizes (cash prizes), the works must be available for adquisition by the organization or the prize sponsor.
For other prizes, availability for purchase is not necessary.
Article 22.- It is recommended that all finalist works selected for the physical exhibition in Madrid be available for shipping, although it is not a mandatory condition for receiving prizes. For any additional information, please contact with info@tartgetpaintingprize.com
5. PRIZES
Article 23.- The TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE competition offers financial support to artists and a great opportunity to highlight their work. We promote living creators. Our goal is to give visibility to the works and open them up to new markets, collectors, media, and social networks.
The payments made by the Organization will be subject to the tax provisions imposed by Spanish Law, with the corresponding deductions applied (prizes with VAT included and 19% personal income tax withholding) if applicable.
Article 24.- The TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE has initially established a broad catalog of prizes, which positions it as one of the great global competitions. However, the organization works daily with new sponsors, so it is very likely that during the registration period, this catalog of prizes will increase. If this happens, it will be communicated through the website and social networks.
It is important to highlight that the same work may win several prizes or the same painter may win different prizes with different submitted works.
Article 25.- All the awards outlined in these rules can be awarded to any participating artwork. The exception is that works entered in categories 8 (Conceptual, Collage) and 9 (Abstraction) cannot compete for the Gold, Silver, or Bronze Tartget awards. For these styles and painting techniques, an exclusive award has been created: the Fusion Tartget. Similarly, only individuals under 25 years old are eligible for the Young Artist Award.
The jury’s decision will be strictly based on the quality, technique, and originality of the work. Additionally, all winners and honorable mentions will receive a certificate suitable for framing.
Article 26.- All prizes included in this catalog include the promotion of the winners on the official social media accounts of the sponsors of each prize, as well as on those of TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE. Many of our sponsors have communities of over hundreds of thousands of followers, so the winning painter will, in addition to the prize, gain great visibility and reach, adding an extra value to the achievement of each prize.
Article 27.- The winning, finalist, and accepted works for the collective exhibition will be promoted and exhibited on our website. Additionally, as part of our collection, the winners will remain permanently exhibited on the website.
You can consult the awards catalog in the corresponding section of the web site.
6. REGISTRATION
Article 28.- Applications must be submitted before February 15, 2025, exclusively through the official website www.tartgetpaintingprize.com
Article 29.- It will be necessary to fill out the registration form with the requested data on our website.
Article 30.- Characteristics of the artwork images:
Up to three photographs of each artwork can be submitted, but at least one must frame the complete work. The images (in JPG format) must be between 1MB and 5MB. For proper evaluation by the jury, photographs must have acceptable quality. We recommend that, for social media dissemination purposes, one of the images includes the artist alongside the artwork.
Article 31.- During the registration process, participants must indicate whether the artwork is entering the acquisition prizes and which of these prizes they wish to enter. Acquisition prizes of €1,000, €2,000, €3,000, and €4,000 are established. The winning artworks of these prizes will become the property of the organization or sponsor.
7. REGISTRATION FEES
TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE stands out from its first edition as one of the most esteemed international competitions. A prestige measured by the amount of cash prizes, materials, training, and promotion. In addition to these quantifiable conditions, there is the professionalism and experience of the organizing team and the accredited staff of globally recognized jurors. Participation in this contest is undoubtedly a great investment, a great opportunity to grow, evolve in the world of painting, and become known among the artistic community formed by collectors, gallery owners, and sponsors, and even to achieve success and recognition.
Article 32.- Artists can submit as many works as they wish. Even the same work can be presented in different categories, as long as it fits the required characteristics (for example, a landscape including people could be included in the Figure and Portrait category or in the Natural Landscape category). The registration prices are:
a) Cost of the first artwork: €50.
b) Cost of the second artwork: €30. This also includes registering the same artwork in another different category.
c) In the Young Artist category, the fee for the first work is €35 and €15 for each additional work entered in the same category.
Article 33.- Once the registration form, images, and payment through PayPal or Stripe are submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. Please review that your data is correct. If you do not receive it, contact: info@tartgetpaintingprize.com. The confirmation email may end up in the junk or spam folder. Please check this before contacting us.
Article 34.- If any data is incorrect after submitting the registration form, we will proceed to correct it if you send us an email indicating the errors to be corrected.
Article 35.- The registration fee is non-refundable. There will be no refunds after the artwork registration or for works not accepted for the competition or disqualified. The registration fee will be used to cover administrative costs, exhibition expenses, promotion of the contest on social media and other platforms, and prize configuration and distribution.
8. JURY AND SELECTION PROCEDURE
Article 36.- For the selection of finalist works in each category, the organization has composed a staff of prestigious international painters, renowned curators, and experts in the art world and collecting. This professional staff will form the Virtual Jury.
Their task will be to evaluate the works presented through the photographs submitted in order to proceed with the selection of the 200 finalist paintings (the top 20 per category), a significant portion of which will be selected for the physical exhibition in Madrid.
If any of the categories have not received enough submissions or do not have the appropriate quality, more than 20 works from the categories with the most participation will be selected to reach the 200 finalists.
The composition of the Virtual Jury is visible in the “Jurors” section on our website. It is emphasized the obligation to send high-quality photographs that are faithful to the artwork in order to participate on equal terms.
Article 37.- Another group of prestigious judges and organization members will form the Physical Jury. This will be divided into two groups, depending on the categories to be judged. One group will assess and award the 3 absolute prizes, and another group will award the “Fusion Target” prize. Each group will consist of at least 5 individuals renowned in the fields of painting, art, and culture in general. They will be responsible for evaluating the artworks selected for the final exhibition and determining which ones deserve the various cash prizes mentioned earlier, as well as the 10 corresponding to the top 10 artworks in each painting category, including the Young Artist prize and Honorable Mentions.
Article 38.- For the selection of the winners of the group of training, fine arts materials, and artistic promotion awards, a specific jury will be formed for each prize, composed of a member of the organization, a member of the Physical Jury, and a member of the sponsoring company for each prize.
Article 39.- Participants who win any of the top three prizes in the competition and the Fusion Tartget prize will not be eligible to win the prizes for the best in each category of €500, nor the acquisition prizes, but they will still be eligible for other prizes such as fine arts materials, artistic residencies, and promotion.
Article 40.- The winners of each category will also be eligible for the rest of the prizes, including fine arts materials, artistic residencies, and artistic promotion.
Article 41.- Once the artwork submission period, set on February 15, 2025, has ended, the Virtual Jury will meet to select the Finalist works based on the submitted images. The jury’s decision will be final.
Article 42.- Between March 20 and 24, 2025, you will receive an email with the results determined by the Virtual Jury.
In that email, you will be informed if your work has been selected as a finalist and if it has also been chosen for the final exhibition in Madrid. In that case, you will be given the necessary instructions for the physical shipment of the painting, packaging type, and participation conditions in the final award process.
Article 43.- Only artists selected for the physical exhibition will proceed to physically send the artwork.
9. SHIPPING OF SELECTED ARTWORKS
Article 44.- The deadline for submitting artworks will be between March 25th and April 25th, 2025, inclusive. Artworks that need to be sent from outside the European Union will have an extended deadline, ending on May 10th.
This date is non-extendable. The address for sending works will be announced in advance.
Article 45.- All expenses related to the shipping and transportation of the artwork, as well as its subsequent return, will always be borne by the author, with the organization not participating in any of these expenses.
Article 46.- The contracting of insurance for transportation will be voluntary for each artist and entirely at their own expense. The organization will not be responsible in any case for loss, breakage, loss, etc., of the submitted artwork. This rule does not admit exceptions.
Article 47.- The shipment of unmounted and rolled artworks will be accepted, provided that the dismounted stretcher is also included in the tube or package.
a) The artist wishing to send their artwork unmounted must communicate it to the organization via email.
b) The artist must sign an authorization for the organization to mount and stretch the artwork upon receipt and to unmount it at the end of the exhibition. This document will be provided by the organization.
c) The organization declines all responsibility for any damage that may occur during the stretching and unmounting process of the artwork, although these works will be carried out by professionals.
d) It will be essential for the artist to provide the stretcher of the artwork.
Article 48.- In case of sending the artwork from outside the European Customs Union, please inform yourself about the corresponding customs procedures according to your country of origin. For your convenience, consider the value you attribute to your artwork for customs duty purposes. Likewise, your package must be sent with the DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) regime. If customs payments are required, the Organization will not be responsible for them.
Article 49.- The organizing entity of the contest, as well as the “Ateneo de Madrid,” will ensure the care of the received artworks but declines all responsibility for losses, damages, or thefts, as well as any incident that may occur during their transportation, reception, custody, return, or exhibition. Any necessary repairs to an artwork will always be borne by the author. This rule does not admit exceptions. The Ateneo de Madrid is protected by an alarm system.
Article 50.- Painters who want to take out insurance will have to do so at their own expense.
10. RESULTS
Article 51.- Once the artworks are received, they will undergo various verification phases to ensure that they meet all the requirements established in these regulations.
Article 52.- The Physical Jury will meet in Madrid between May 10 and May 20, 2025, to deliberate and decide the awards.
Article 53.- The decision of the Physical Jury will be communicated on May 22, 2025. It will be final and non-appealable.
11. EXHIBITION AND AWARD CEREMONY
Article 54.- The physical exhibition will open on June 5, 2025. It will be open for visitation until June 13, 2025, the date on will begin to be packed for later return, at the author’s expense.
Article 55.- The exhibition will be held in Madrid, the capital of Spain, at the prestigious “Ateneo de Madrid.” The Ateneo de Madrid is the most important private cultural institution in contemporary Spanish history.
Article 56.- The mounting of the physical exhibition will be the responsibility of the organization without the artist having to make any additional payment, only the corresponding shipping costs and possible insurance. Likewise, the organization will assume all the costs of promotion, management, and organization of the opening event and award ceremony.
Article 57.- The works may be removed until July 15, 2025. All works that have not been removed within the agreed period will become part of TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE collection . If the works are not removed, the author automatically renounces any right to the works. themselves. in favor of the organization, which will be able to dispose of it freely.
However, the organization will collaborate as much as possible to facilitate the return of the artwork or try to resolve any problems that arise.
12. LEGAL NATURE OF THE INIATIVE
Article 58.- Participation in this project does not imply the establishment of any contractual relationship, labor link, or employment relationship between the artists and the promoting institution of the initiative.
Article 59.- Participation in the initiative implies total acceptance and conformity with the provisions of these regulations and with the criteria of the organizers. The organization reserves the right to take initiatives not reflected in these rules always in favor of the contest.
Article 60.- The organization may cancel the contest if there is not an acceptable number of registrations, in which case the registration fee will be refunded to the participants. The organization reserves the right to introduce new articles to the rules during the course of the contest to regulate important aspects not covered initially in them.
Article 61.- The artist retains the rights or copyright over their images. However, participation in this exhibition and contest implies authorizing the TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE to use the images of the participating works for advertising and promotion purposes on the social networks of the organization and sponsors, in art magazines and any other media, or advertising diffusion, including future promotions of events promoted by the organization.
Article 62.- Likewise, by entering this exhibition and contest, the artist agrees to subscribe to the monthly newsletter that TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE will use to inform about this and future events. The artist’s information will not be shared with third parties.
Article 63.- The rules and prizes may vary from the publication of these rules until the award ceremony due to the incorporation of new sponsors and adaptation to the number of registrations. New prizes may be added or increased, but never eliminated.
Article 64.- The artist agrees to comply with all the rules and regulations of this document. Registration in this exhibition and payment of the entry fee, which is non-refundable except in the event of cancellation of the event, constitutes agreement to all the conditions established in this document.
Article 65.- By submitting your artwork, you ensure that it is an original work of art, conceived and created exclusively by you, and that you have read and accepted the rules and conditions explained here. You also ensure that you are over 18 years old, and if you are not, you certify that you have the permission of your parents or legal guardian who in turn must accept the rules and regulations stated here. Each participant certifies that they have read, understood, and accepted all the clauses that make up the rules of the contest with their registration in it.
13. DATA PROTECTION
Article 66.- The applicant is informed that the personal data collected will be incorporated into the databases of the TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE, responsible for the processing and conservation, and will be processed for the purpose of attending to the participation request made, managing and informing about the development of the contest in this and future calls, in accordance with the points indicated in these regulations.
Article 67.- The data collected must be completed obligatorily, otherwise the participation request could not be attended to.
Article 68.- TARTGET PAINTING PRIZE undertakes, regarding the personal data to which it has access in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, to comply with the provisions of European Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5, on the Protection of Personal Data and guarantee of digital rights and the current regulations applicable at all times.
Article 69.- At any time, the participant may exercise their rights of access, rectification, deletion, limitation, opposition, and portability by contacting the email address info@tartgetpaintingprize.com, specifying their request. The participant guarantees the authenticity of the data they provide and undertakes to keep them updated during the duration of this call, being responsible for all damages and damages caused by the provision of incomplete, inaccurate, or false data.
Article 70.- By participating, you accept that your data will be transferred to the collaborating entities indicated in these rules solely for the purpose of awarding the different prizes of the contest.
