Love art? Enter our Reinvention competition and show us your vision for the future
We're celebrating this year's Turner Prize, hosted by the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA), by running a UK-wide art competition on the theme of 'Reinvention'.
Think you're a budding artist? Know someone who is? We're inviting young people aged 5 to 25 across Great Britain to submit designs that imagine an inspiring future.
Climate change isn't going anywhere. We must take urgent action to transform the systems we've come to rely on. But big change doesn’t happen on its own – it takes energy, creativity, and hope. We believe art can spark the imagination, bring people together and drive us toward a brighter, greener future.
What's up for grabs...
£100 for 100 artists!
£500 cash for 10 schools
Internships at Octopus Energy for 3 job-seekers
Your artwork being displayed on ad spaces across the UK
The Brief
The theme of this competition is 'Reinvention' - whatever this means to you. Environmental themes are a big part of this year's Turner Prize exhibition at MIMA, so we're looking for art that inspires us to reinvent ourselves and our systems for the good of the planet. Harness your creativity and imagination to come up with a renewed vision for a greener, cleaner world.
How it works
Step 1: Get creative! Paint, sculpt, stitch or otherwise conjure a piece of art on the theme of Reinvention. Your artwork can be made using any media and materials EXCEPT Artificial Intelligence.
Step 2: Send us an image of your original artwork, along with the title, a description, and your details. You can submit your artwork as an individual, or as part of a school group.
Step 3: Take a look at other submissions in the Gallery.
Step 4: Keep an eye out for the winners' announcement on the 9th of December!
Deadline for submissions is 31 October 2026
The Rules
What's a competition without rules?
You'll need to be a resident of Great Britain between 5 - 25 years of age to take part in the Competition.
Under 18? You'll need to show proof of age if you're shortlisted to win (such as a valid passport, driver’s licence or birth certificate). You'll also need to get consent from your parent or legal guardian to enter the competition.
Human-made art only. No AI!
Meet the Judges
Diane Watson was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1968, developing an early fascination with pattern and colour inspired by the wallpaper sample books brought home by her painter and decorator father. Diane went on to study Ceramics at Loughborough and later a degree in Textiles.
Diane’s current work focuses on plastic items washed up by surge tides along the North East coast. Her collection of thousands of plastic tops, toys, bottles, lighters and other discarded items are used to create kaleidoscopic patterns reminiscent of the 1970s wallpapers of her childhood.
Micro plastics have been found in beer, honey and 90% of sea salt, one in three fish contain plastic, we are eating it! Diane's response is to raise awareness of plastic pollution. By using photography, print, and installation her work challenges the viewer to inspect these objects in an unfamiliar context. She attracts the viewer with abstract shapes and patterns, once she has captured their attention the images unravel, and you start to recognise the strange array of objects. Diane's aim is to provoke a reaction to ongoing environmental issues.
Laura Sillars is the Director of MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art) and Dean of Culture & Creativity at Teesside University.
Over the past two decades she has worked with leading galleries, museums and cultural organisations in the UK and internationally, including Tate Liverpool, FACT, Site Gallery Sheffield, MOCAD Detroit and the New Museum in New York.
Laura's work is driven by a belief in the power of art and creativity to shape places, connect communities and inspire social change. She is particularly interested in the relationship between contemporary art and civic life, supporting artists and projects that encourage participation, dialogue and new ways of thinking about the world around us.
Through her leadership at MIMA, Laura champions culture as a creator of opportunity, innovation and inclusion, helping to create meaningful connections between artists, audiences and communities across Teesside and beyond.
Greg Jackson is the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group. Octopus helps bring clean, green energy (like solar and wind power) to people all around the world, and tries to keep it affordable for everyone.
Before Octopus Energy, Greg started several other companies and helped them grow into successes. He also invests in many new businesses to help them get started.
Today, he's known as one of the UK's leading voices on how we can use cleaner energy and make it cheaper for everyone.
FAQs
You'll need to enter via the entry form. This is important to make sure we collect all necessary information from you. Please don't email us your entries!
You'll need to be a resident of Great Britain, and aged between 5 - 25. If you're under 18, you'll need to get your parent's or legal guardian's permission to enter.
All art forms are welcome - painting, graphics, photo montage, sculpture - anything except AI!
Yes! You can enter as many times as you like, but you'll only be eligible to win one prize.
Entries will be open from September 14 (TBC) to 23:59 on October 31.
We'll ask participants aged 18 and over during the application process whether you want to be considered for an Octopus Internship.
Internships at Octopus are usually between 8-10 weeks' long, and are held in one of the Octopus offices. We have offices all over the country, so if you're a lucky winner, we'll arrange for your placement to be at the closest office to you.
You can read more about our internships and early career opportunities on our Early Careers webpage.
Winners will receive £100 in the form of a digital gift card that can be used at over 100 UK retailers. No bank details required!