A UK-wide art competition for young people is being launched to coincide with the arrival of the Turner Prize 2026 at MIMA in Middlesbrough.
The Reinvention competition is inviting artists aged between five and 25 to create work imagining a greener future, taking inspiration from environmental themes explored in this year’s Turner Prize exhibition.
Entrants can paint, sculpt, stitch or work in other media and materials, with one notable exception: artwork created using artificial intelligence will not be accepted.
The brief asks entrants to interpret the idea of “reinvention” however they choose, using creativity to consider how people and the systems they rely on might change in response to climate change.
Entries can be submitted individually or as part of a school group and must include an image of the original artwork, its title and a description.
The competition is being run by Octopus Energy, with 100 artists receiving £100 each and 10 schools awarded £500. Three internships with the energy company are also on offer for job-seekers, while selected artwork will be displayed on advertising spaces around the UK.
Entries close on October 31, with winners due to be announced on December 9. All details here.
The Turner Prize 2026 exhibition opens at MIMA on September 26 and runs until March 29, 2027.