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Bill Chalmers was awarded First Prize by the judging panel.
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Samuel Reeves was named ‘The People’s Choice’ winner.
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Trinity Letts & Emmanuel Obigba were named joint winners of ‘The One to Watch’ Award.
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Jina Lee was chosen as the winner of this year’s ‘Guinness Open Gate Brewery London Prize.
On Tuesday 8th September 2026, the London Graphic Centre (LGC) celebrated the UK’s top artistic talent during an exclusive evening event.
Following careful deliberation by an expert panel of five judges, Theo Paphitis announced the LGC Art Prize finalists at an awards ceremony hosted in The Vault at Covent Garden’s new Guinness Open Gate Brewery.
The LGC Art Prize garnered widespread interest and engagement from across the artistic and creative community, receiving over 1500 artist submissions and more than 8000 votes from members of the public in the People’s Choice Award – the prize’s most engaged year to date.
Head Judge Theo Paphitis was joined by Tom Croft, Sarah Monk, Frances Featherstone and Laxmi Hussain – all of whom brought with them a diverse breadth and depth of experience to this year’s esteemed judging panel.
Michael Want, COO at London Graphic Centre, commented: “Celebrating the fifth year of the LGC x Theo Paphitis Art Prize is a significant milestone for us. We created the prize to support artists and give them a meaningful platform to showcase their work, and it has been fantastic to see it grow year after year. It’s always been important to us that the competition remains free to enter, removing barriers and making it accessible for as many artists as possible. Supporting the creative community is at the heart of London Graphic Centre, and the Art Prize is something we are incredibly proud of”
On supporting creatives, TV Dragon and Owner of LGC, Theo Paphitis, said: “The calibre of work in our fifth year was exceptionally high and I am incredibly proud that we continue to provide a platform to recognise the phenomenal talent that makes these evenings possible. You simply cannot underestimate how vital it is to back and encourage artists at every stage of their careers through competitions like this; they are the lifeblood of the UK’s creative industry. A massive well done to our winners and to everybody involved!”
The LGC Art Prize, People’s Choice Award, The One to Watch Award, and the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London Prize were the four coveted prizes up for grabs – a combined cash and prize value of £14,500.
Twelve artworks were shortlisted for the LGC x Theo Paphitis Art Prize final. In what proved to be an exceptionally competitive judging process amidst such high-quality entries, the judges felt that two artists were equally deserving of recognition, resulting in a joint award for the “One to Watch” category.
Bill Chalmers was crowned winner of the LGC Art Prize, winning £5,000 cash and £3,000 worth of materials from the leading brands Winsor & Newton, Pébéo and Derwent
On winning the judge’s prize, Bill Chalmers said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded the judges’ prize at this year’s LGC X Theo Paphitis Art Prize. Having been shortlisted last year, it feels totally unbelievable to have won this year, especially alongside such an amazing group of artists. I am so grateful to the London Graphic Centre and Theo Paphitis for investing in artists, and especially for making this prize free to enter. It’s a real confidence boost and a significant step forward for me as I continue to develop my practice and embark on ambitious future projects.”
Samuel Reeves was voted online by the public as this year’s winner of the People’s Choice Award, receiving £2,000, as well as £2,000 worth of materials from the leading brands Caran d’Ache, Faber Castell, Daler Rowney, and Golden
On winning the People’s Choice Award, Samuel Reeves said: “I am honoured to receive the People’s Choice Award for the LGC Art Prize 2026. Knowing that Every Piece of You resonated with so many people makes this recognition particularly meaningful, as I invested a great deal of time and emotion into the painting. I’m extremely proud to have been part of the exhibition and very thankful to everyone who took the time to vote for my work”.
Trinity Letts and Emmanuel Obigba were named The One’s to Watch, winning £500 and £1,000 worth of materials from the leading brands Sennelier, Liquitex, Clairefontaine and Ecoline.
On winning the One to Watch Award, Trinity Letts said: “Winning the One to Watch Award has given me such a boost and renewed sense of excitement, while also bringing valuable exposure to my work. It reminded me why I love creating, and I’m excited to keep making work and see where it takes me next. I’m grateful to everyone involved for the recognition.”
Emmanuel Obigba said : “Receiving the One to Watch Award is an incredible honour and a deeply validating moment in my career. As an artist, I spend so many hours creating pieces with the visual language that evoke emotion and tell stories that resonate deeply with viewers. To have my Artwork recognized by the judges in this way is profoundly moving, and it gives me immense momentum for my upcoming projects”.
Jina Lee was crowned winner of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London, winning £1,000 commission to design coasters to be used by customers at Guinness Open Gate Brewery London.
On winning the GOGBL Prize, Jina Lee said: “I’m delighted and honoured to receive the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London Prize. It has been such a rewarding experience to be part of the LGC Art Prize, alongside talented shortlisted artists and their diverse practices. I’m very grateful to the LGC team, who have been incredibly welcoming, supportive and helpful throughout the process. It has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with other artists, share our work, and be part of such a supportive creative community.”
This year’s art prize was sponsored by Winsor & Newton, Pébéo, Derwent , Caran d’Ache, Faber Castell, Daler Rowney, Golden, Sennelier, Liquitex, Clairefontaine and Ecoline.
