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ABOUT THE
Rome Scholarship
The Marianne Von Werther Memorial Award, also known as the "RBA Rome Scholarship", this is a tremendous opportunity for an artist to stay at Sala Uno, a prestigious gallery in the centre of Rome.
The winner will be staying in a self-contained apartment, situated within a wonderful and extensive walled garden in the grounds of the gallery, with studio space available within the gallery.
Application Criteria:
✅ You must live, work or study in the UK
✅ You must be aged 35 or under
✅ Works include painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture
will be accepted, but must be figurative
Prizes:
Three candidates will be shortlisted for an interview, and the winner will receive:
⭐ £5000 prize money
⭐ Four weeks accommodation in a self-contained apartment, situated within a wonderful and extensive walled garden in the grounds of the gallery
⭐ Studio space which will be available within the gallery
⭐ Two meals per day, provided at a nearby restaurant
⭐ Return flights to Rome
£1000 will be given to the two runners-up, and all three candidates will have one work included in the RBA Annual Exhibition in 2026.
Applications close: January 30th, 2026
Conditions for Entry
The applicant’s work needs to be figurative
The work may be painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture
Three images of recent work to be provided together with a completed application form, see below
An administration fee of £10 is required with the application
Guidelines
Semi-finalists are responsible for the delivery and collection of their own works to Royal Over Seas League in Mayfair
It is suggested that in the application large scale works be accompanied by smaller works as, if the artist is chosen as a semi-finalist or finalist, exhibition space will be limited and this may influence selection
The 3 Selected Finalists are advised to bring with them for interview any sketchbooks or journals which show their exploration of techniques or development of their ideas
Images from the 2025 Rising Stars Exhibition
ABOUT THE
Exhibition
30 applicants to the Rome Scholarship will be shortlisted to have their work will be exhibited in the Rising Stars exhibition at Royal Over-Seas League, Mayfar, London
Three of these will be selected as finalists and invited to an interview at the Mall Galleries in Central London. They will each be able to show one of their works alongside members at the RBA Annual Exhibition.
Applications close: January 30th, 2026
Past Winners
WINNER 2024
Joshua Donkor
"I was incredibly excited to get the news that I’d been selected for the scholarship this year, especially after missing out in 2023. This now gives me the opportunity to spend a month in Rome, staying within the prestigious Sala 1 gallery."
WINNER 2025
Ken Nwadiogbu
"I am a Nigerian-born London-based multidisciplinary artist working across painting, sculpture, installation, and interactive art. My practice draws from my lived experience and those of my friends to reflect on how we navigate everyday life, identity, and displacement.
Central to my work is the dialogue between abstraction and realism. This tension allows me to explore the relationship between control and uncertainty. When these two visual languages meet, there’s a balance that mirrors life’s structured and unpredictable nature. The result is a series of works that sit somewhere between reality and dream.
My practice continues to evolve through cross-disciplinary collaborations, public interventions, and exhibitions that invite participation and empathy."
Special thanks to our sponsors
The Rome Scholarship is supported by Huaicun Zhang, founder of the Pencil Tree Charity, and Dr. Xianyan Chen of Whisky Pound.
Applications close: January 30th, 2026
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