Hunting Art Prize(s)

The competition came into being through a chance coming together of interests.

In the late 1970's the former Chairman of Hunting, Clive Hunting, was having his portrait painted by William Narraway, when the subject of support for the arts in general was raised and idustry backing in particular. Narraway, who was a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, told him that the visual arts at that time were the poor relation of theatre and music and deserved their share of the sponsorship cake. Thus one of the UK's most important art competitions was born, with the first exhibition being staged at The Mall Galleries on the approach to Buckingham Palace, in January 1981.

Subsequent years saw the exhibition transfer to a larger space at the Royal College of Art, next to the Albert Hall in Kensington.

A blend of figurative and abstract art continues to feature in the annual exhibition, now based in Houston Texas, while tradition maintains a public showing and private celebration at a venue to view - and purchase - contemporary works of art. The great strength of the prize remains its commitment to the drawn or painted image, abstract or figurative, objective or invented on a plane surface. This means that there are rich pickings to be had by the discriminating collector, for almost all the works are for sale.

"Business sponsorship of the arts adds immeasurably to the benefits gained from a society's involvement in its cultural life and has a vital role to play"

Rt Hon Chris Smith, former UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport