We are delighted to share some wonderful news. A drawing by Neil Helyard has been selected for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ RP Drawing Prize 2026 exhibition, Revealing the Human.
This is a fantastic achievement for Neil. This year’s international competition attracted entries from artists across 71 countries, with just 112 drawings selected for the final exhibition at Hull University Art Gallery.
Organised by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Revealing the Human celebrates contemporary portrait drawing and the many different ways artists observe, interpret and depict people. The competition is open to artists and creatives internationally, embracing a broad range of drawing styles, techniques and approaches to portraiture.
For Neil, whose work has always placed drawing and the human figure at its heart, being selected feels particularly fitting. Throughout his career he has explored portraiture through both classical and contemporary approaches, working across different mediums and developing a distinctive style centred on character, expression and the human form.
It also continues Neil’s long association with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. He has exhibited with the Society on numerous occasions, and in 2009 was awarded The Prince of Wales’ Award for Portrait Drawing, an award created to recognise the importance and skill of drawing from life.
The 2026 exhibition brings together work from the UK and USA alongside artists from across Europe, Canada, South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
The 112 exhibited works were selected by a judging panel comprising Anthony Connolly, President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters; artist and drawing teacher Caragh Savage; and John Bernasconi, Director of the University of Hull Art Gallery.
Having Neil’s work selected from such a broad international field is a tremendous achievement, and one that all his family and friends are incredibly proud to celebrate with him.
Even better, the exhibition is being held here in Hull, giving friends, family and followers of Neil’s work the opportunity to see his selected drawing in person.
The RP Drawing Prize 2026: Revealing the Human
18 September to 18 October 2026
Hull University Art Gallery
Brynmor Jones Library, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX
The exhibition is free to visit and is open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Congratulations Neil, from all your family and friends, on another wonderful achievement and another important chapter in a lifetime devoted to drawing, painting and portraiture.
Find out more about the RP Drawing Prize
Plan your visit to Revealing the Human
Posted on: 22nd Sep 2026 08:23:03 by Admin
