Entries for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize are actively open from 11 February – 17 July, but you may be surprised to learn that our annual Prize keeps our team busy all-year round! It takes a lot of work behind the scenes, and since its inception in 2018, we have worked tirelessly to maintain its growth. Our goal? To source bigger and better prizes and even more recognition for entrants and winners. Why? Because we believe that YOU deserve it!
Starting from a prize pool of only $1,000 USD in 2018, with the support of an array of exemplary sponsors we have built a significant prize pool each year, now reaching over $77,000 USD.
[Sculpture by Forest Rogers, 2025 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Sculpture Award 1st Prize Winner]
To further elevate our Finalists and give the global arts community a meaningful voice, we have introduced the People’s Choice Award. We have also redefined the Traditional Art Award by separating it into distinct Painting and Drawing award categories. In addition, we have expanded the number of Honourable Mentions from three to eight, allowing us to recognise even more outstanding entries.
We are thrilled to announce the introduction of an entirely new award, made possible through the generous patronage of Catherine K. Gyllerstrom: Collector, Art Consultant, and Owner & Art Director of BearWolf Books. We are deeply grateful for her support and vision in bringing this award to life. We cannot thank her enough, and we are excited to see the incredible entries that will shape this inaugural category. Introducing the …
Catherine K. Gyllerstrom Imaginative Realism Award
“Celebrating Imaginative Realism in its traditional art forms is now more important than ever. This genre encapsulates the boundlessness of the human imagination by breathing life into magical beasts, vibrant mythologies, and otherworldly places. In a time when AI has unceremoniously pirated the work of these talented artists, it is now critical to honour, support, and protect their true talent and vision.”
– Catherine K. Gyllerstrom
What is Imaginative Realism?
Imaginative Realism combines classical techniques with fantastical, mythological, and postmodern narrative subjects, focusing on unreal creations from our deepest desires or fears, the unseen, and the impossible. It offers visions of worlds that we wish were real, or delves into humanity’s mythic past, its unexplored future, and in some cases, deeper insights into our present.
The Catherine K. Gyllerstrom Imaginative Realism Award joins the Sculpture Award, INPRNT Digital Art Award, MPB Photography Award, RAYMAR Painting Award, 33PA Drawing Award, and the BearWolf Books Emerging Artist Award. Artists working across mediums are welcome to enter more than one award category.
Imaginative Realism combines classical techniques with fantastical, mythological, and postmodern narrative subjects, focusing on unreal creations from our deepest desires or fears, the unseen, and the impossible.
It offers visions of worlds that we wish were real, or delves into humanity’s mythic past, its unexplored future, and in some cases, deeper insights into our present.
[Painting by Malene Teilgaard Laugesen: “The Mermaid’s Sister”, Finalist in the 2025 RAYMAR Painting Award.]
Prizes
Catherine K. Gyllerstrom Imaginative Realism Award
As well as global exposure and recognition of their practice to the global arts community, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize Winners of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Catherine K. Gyllerstrom Imaginative Realism Award will currently receive:
1st Prize Winner
- $3,000 USD cash, generously donated by Catherine K. Gyllerstrom, Collector, Art Consultant, Owner & Art Director of BearWolf Books, an independent publishing house that specialises in Illustrated Fantasy, Mythology, and Stories for Young Readers.
- A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco, USA, alongside 100+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 2 million+ followers across all social media platforms).
- Winning artwork printed in the December 2026 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites+ shared on social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- A year’s worth of inspiration –a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
2nd Prize Winner
- $1,500 USD cash, generously donated by Black Dragon Press. Black Dragon Press is an independent print publisher based in London, UK.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco, USA, alongside 100+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- A year’s worth of inspiration –a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
3rd Prize Winner
- $500 USD cash, generously donated by Catherine K. Gyllerstrom, Collector, Art Consultant, Owner & Art Director of BearWolf Books, an independent publishing house that specialises in Illustrated Fantasy, Mythology, and Stories for Young Readers.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco, USA, alongside 100+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- A year’s worth of inspiration –a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
2026 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize
Imaginative Realism Artists
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor and donating towards the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2026 prize pool (category of your choice), please email Deputy Editor Natalia Joruk here.
For a full a list of prizes, including cash, products, advertising and services that will help your practice grow, please visit the Prizes page.
With SEVEN different award categories in which to enter – level up your art career: enter today! What are you waiting for?
Entry fee is US$40 to cover administrative costs. If you have any questions about the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, please don’t hesitate to contact us at artprize@beautifulbizarre.net.
The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is administered by Australian based, international contemporary art magazine, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
Entries Open:11 February 2025
Entries Close: Midnight 17 July 2026 [Los Angeles, USA time]