About Buxton Spa

Welcome to The Buxton Spa Art Prize 2021 - an art competition celebrating the town’s culture, natural beauty and heritage.

Buxton nestles in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District. It is a town full of architectural gems and beautiful open spaces.  The Opera House, Crescent, Octagon and Old Hall Hotel (where, famously, Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned) all surround the magnificent landscaped Pavilion Gardens.

There is a rich tradition of the creative and dramatic arts within the town. The Buxton Spa Art Prize is proud to be part of the town's vibrant summer festival season.

The Competition

The Prize, now in its seventh year, is a semi-en plein air competition. Competing artists are free to choose their own favourite spot in or around Buxton.  Work must be started on location but may be completed in the studio.

The exhibition features work in any 2D media except photography. There is also a display of the popular young people's artwork.

The winner of The Buxton Spa Prize 2021receives a grand prize of £4,000 generously sponsored by The Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust.  There is also a 2nd Prize of £1,000 and a 3rd prize of £500.

Entry to the competition is now closed.

From the Slopes – Simon Roderick
​1st Prize - The Buxton Spa Art Prize 2019

Entries will be judged by a panel of experts and guest judges selected from the town and art world. Winners will be announced at the preview evening on Thursday 24th June.  For information on the 2021 judges please click here.

All artwork will be available for purchase at the exhibition which runs from Friday 25th June to Sunday 25th July at The Green Man Gallery – Hardwick Studios, Hardwick Square South, Buxton Spa, Derbyshire. SK17 6PY.

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Categories

The Buxton Spa Art Prize 2021

• 1st Prize : £4,000
• 2nd Prize : £1,000 
• 3rd Prize : ​£500

The Buxton International
​Festival Choice 2021

Artists entering The Buxton Spa Prize will automatically be entered into The Buxton International Festival Choice.​

​​The Buxton Spa Art Prize
​People's Choice 2021

Artists entering The Buxton Spa Prize will automatically be entered into The Buxton Spa Prize People's Choice.

​The winning artwork will be hung in the Ensana Buxton Crescent Hotel. The winning artist will receive £500 prize money and a one night stay for two at the Crescent Hotel.

The Buxton Spa Prize People's Choice 2021 is kindly sponsored by Bill and Sheila Barratt, Jean Rodger and Adrian Brown.

 The Buxton Spa Teen ​Art Prize 2021

• 1st Prize: £75
• 2nd Prize: £50
• 3rd Prize: £25

Please click here for more information

The ​Buxton Spa Children’s ​Art Prize 2021

• Tickets to  a performance at Buxton Opera House
• Tickets to Poole's Cavern & Buxton Country Park
• Art materials

Please click here for more information

The Buxton Spa Sketchbook Prize

Although lockdown should be officially over by the time the exhibition is up and running, we still have to be cautious about Covid.  With this in mind, the decision has been taken to suspend the Sketchbook Prize for 2021.  We hope to reinstate the competition next year.

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Key Dates for 2021

Artwork Submission

Artwork can be submitted from Thursday 15th April.
The last day work can be submitted is Friday 18th June.
More details to follow on this.


Artwork Judged / Preview Evening

Thursday 24th June


Exhibition
​
​Friday 25th June to Sunday 25th July 2021

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​Up on the Broad Walk – Andrea Joseph
​Highly Commended - The Buxton Spa Prize 2019
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​Sponsors & Partners