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The Berger Prize is
the leading book prize for art history.

ENTER THE 2025 BERGER PRIZE

To enter, and for any enquiries, please email admin@walpolesociety.org.uk.

ELIGIBILITY

A book is eligible where it meets these criteria:

  1. It is on the subject of British art history, conceived broadly to include fine arts, decorative arts, architecture, collecting and patronage, in Britain or by a British artist.

  2. It was published in hard copy by any publisher during the preceding calendar year (1 January to 31 December).

SELECTION

  1. Eligible books are judged by a panel of six assessors which includes two Trustees of the Walpole Society. Biographies of the jury are published here.

  2. A Long List of 15 titles is established by assessment of all nominated works.

  3. A Short List of 6 works is chosen from the Long List.

  4. An overall winner is chosen from the Short List.

  5. At the Prizegiving, the overall winner receives £5000 and the five other shortlisted books receive £500 each.

GOVERNANCE

For rules and governance of the Berger Prize, see our policy below, and for further information please email admin@walpolesociety.org.uk

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BERGER PRIZE

POLICY

Nominations close
28 March 2025

Longlist announced

2 July 2025

Shortlist announced

16 September 2025

Winner & prize ceremony

12 November 2025

HOW TO ENTER THE PRIZE

  1. Titles may be nominated for the prize by their author(s), publisher or any associated organisation.

  2. Nominations should be sent to admin@walpolesociety.org.uk with the subject heading '2025 Berger Prize Nomination', to arrive by midnight on 28 March 2025.

  3. In the first instance, nominations must include a pdf containing (i) an abstract of the book; (ii) the contents page; (iii) any relevant press release and author information; (iv) contact details for the publisher's press office.

  4. At the nomination stage, publishers also undertake to supply judges with a complete pdf or hard copy of their nominated book, if so requested.

  5. Publishers of Long Listed titles undertake to provide a hard copy of their book to each of the six judges and to the Berger Collection Educational Trust (8 copies in total) on request.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

  1. The Long List will be published at an event in London on 2 July 2025. Publishers of titles on the Long List will be informed in advance.

  2. The Short List will be announced on 16 September 2025 online. Publishers of titles on the Short List will be informed in advance.

  3. The Berger Prize will be awarded at an event in London on 12 November 2025. All shortlisted authors, a publisher's representative and the prize's judges are expected to attend.

  4. In the year following their receipt of the prize, the prize-winning author will be invited to give a guest lecture in Denver, Colorado, at the invitation of the Denver Art Museum.

  5. The authors of all Short Listed works will be interviewed for the Walpole Society's podcast series.

  6. Authors and publishers of Short Listed and Prize-winning books are expected to co-operate in marketing and promotion of the Berger Prize.

IMAGE (TOP)

Thomas Jones (1742-1803)

View on the River Wye, circa 1776 [detail]

Oil on board, 45.7 x 60.1 cm

Denver Art Museum (2019.14), gift of the Berger Collection Educational Trust

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