FiKVA 2026 — international online realistic painting competition with a prize of up to €5,500 (Netherlands)

Realistic painting remains one of the most enduring trends in contemporary art. From classical academic realism to hyperrealism and surrealistic interpretations, artists continue to explore reality through their own visual language.
This is the focus of the FiKVA 2026 international painting competition, which is open to artists from around the world.
The competition is held entirely online, with a total prize fund of €5,500.

About the competition
FiKVA — Figuratieve Kunst Vandaag — an international art competition from the Netherlands dedicated to realistic and figurative painting.
Works in various styles of realistic painting are accepted, including:
contemporary realism, classical realism, imaginary realism, hyperrealism, photorealism, luminism, surrealism and other forms of figurative painting.
The organisers note that the main criterion is the ability of the work to convey reality through the author’s individual artistic language. Comics, airbrushing, digital works, mechanical or technical images are not accepted for participation.
Works must be created between 2024 and 2026.

Who can participate and prize fund
The competition is open to artists over the age of 18 from any country in the world.
Both professional artists and independent creators can apply, provided their practice is related to realistic painting.
The grand prize is up to €5,500 in cash and other awards.
In addition, the 35 best works will be selected for an online exhibition, and finalists and winners will be notified by email. The works will be presented on the competition’s international digital platform.

How to apply
To apply, you must register using the form on the competition website, upload an image of your work and provide basic information about it: title, year of creation, technique, dimensions, price and a brief description of the work (up to 100 words).
The application fee is $5 per work. As the competition is heldentirely online, it is not necessary to send the original works.
As FiKVA is an international art initiativefrom the Netherlands aimed at supporting contemporary figurative and realistic painting, applications must be submitted in English.

Why this is an exciting opportunity
For artists working in the field of realistic painting, FiKVA offers an opportunity to showcase their work to an international audience. The online format of the competition makes participation accessible from any country, and the selected works will be presented at an international online exhibition, where viewers will be able to discover contemporary figurative painting by different artists.

The deadline for submitting applications is 22 April 2026.