Painting competition

To celebrate our anniversary year, we are holding our first painting competition and are calling all amateur artists to capture the spirit of this beautiful property. There are two categories 7 – 17 years old and 18 years old and over. The winner of each category will have their artwork displayed in the Garden Room for the 2027 Season.

Painting Competition eligibility.

· Amateur artists over the age of 7 years old

· Paintings must not be larger than 28 x 36 inches

· The artist must allow the National Trust Alfriston Clergy house to display their painting

· Those shortlisted will be responsible for delivering and collecting their artwork.

· The subject matter must be inspired by Alfriston Clergy House (no painting is allowed inside the building)

Alfriston Clergy House Painting Competition Terms and conditions

1. This competition is promoted by the National Trust (Registered Charity Number 205846) and is open to all amateur artists aged 7 and above (child entrants must be aged 7 or older on1st September 2026), except those employed by the National Trust, their families or anyone else directly associated with the organisation and judging of this competition.

2. All information made available to participants as part of the process of entering the competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all terms and conditions are adhered to. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.

3. The competition has two stages: online/postal entries and the final competition judging day. a) All online/postal entries will be anonymised and reviewed by the submission panel made up of staff from Alfriston Clergy House and local artist J Hurwood. Submissions will be shortlisted and those selected invited to take part in the competition judging day, delivering their painting to Alfriston Clergy House for judging. Shortlisting will be guided by the following: • The artist will allow the National Trust to display the artwork from the period 7th September 2026 to 31st Ocotber 2026.. • The artist will be responsible for delivering their artwork to Alfriston Clergy House and collecting it after the display period. Alfriston Clergy House will not arrange transport or storage outside the exhibition dates. • The subject matter should be inspired by the house, gardens and landscape at Alfriston Clergy House. • The size of the painting should be no larger than 28 by 36 inches. Paintings should be on canvas or paper. • The artists’ response to Alfriston Clergy House the place. b) The competition judging day panel to be made up of 2 members Alfriston Clergy House Team and independent judge, local artist J Hurwood. The panel will agree on a winner and a runner up in each category - 7years - 17 years and 18years and upwards, guided by the following: • The selection of a range of different creative responses in terms of style and technique • The age and experience of the artist, with the aim of representing a range of artists with differing levels of experience • The panel’s emotional response to the artwork, and its effectiveness in capturing a unique aspect of Alfriston Clergy House as a place. c) Online/postal entries for the competition opens on 1st April 2026 and closes at 5pm on Sunday 6th September 2026. Judging will take place in September 2026. Late, incomplete or corrupt entries will not be accepted. d) Entrants under the age of 16 must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian prior to entering.

4. Shortlisted entrants will be notified by National Trust Alfriston Clergy House as soon as possible after shortlisting but before Friday 7th September 2026. Those shortlisted (through their parent/guardian if under 16 years) must reply to confirm their entry to the final judging day by Friday 18th September 2026. If the shortlisted entrant cannot be contacted or does not reply in time, the shortlisting panel may select another from the eligible entries which were received before the closing date. Shortlisted artwork to be delivered to Alfriston Clergy House by 25th September 2026 with the final judging results notified to the shortlisted entrants by 2nd October 2026.

5. There will be one winner and one runner up from each of the two categories -7-17 and 18 and over. Winners and runners up will be notified shortly after the judging panel have met. The prize will be for their painting to be on display in Alfriston Clergy House for the whole of the Clergy House 2027 season. (March to end October 2027). The prizes as described are available on the date of publication. All prizes are non transferable and there are no cash alternatives.

6. The winners may be asked to take part in publicity. Their name may be published on the National Trust website and social media.

7. Events may occur that render the competition itself or the awarding of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the National Trust and accordingly the National Trust may vary or amend the promotion. The National Trust will do everything it reasonably can to ensure that participants receive prizes of at least equal value.

8. English law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts shall prevail.

9. Entrants, or their parent/guardian if they are under 16, must ensure that what they are submitting is their own work, that they own the copyright and that they do not infringe the copyright or other rights of any third party or any laws. This includes not copying in whole or in part the artistic work of others.

10. Entrants will retain copyright and moral rights in their submitted entry. However, by entering, all entrants: (a) grant the National Trust non-exclusive rights to use images of their submission to promote the competition that was entered or for similar future competitions within a five-year period of the winners of the competition being announced; (b) agree that the use referred to at Clause 12(a) above may include publishing, displaying or otherwise reproducing the images (whether on the internet, in the National Trust Magazine, in exhibitions or otherwise) provided such use is for the purposes of promoting the competition or similar future competitions only; and (c) agree that the National Trust may contact them using the contact details they provide to discuss potential use of the images beyond promotion of the competition. Such discussion and negotiation will be independent from the competition and will not affect entrants’ chances of winning.

11. The National Trust will ensure the entrant will always be credited whenever their design is used and published by the National Trust.