This year, you'll need to create a free account with Zealous) via the purple 'Sign Up' button at the top of the page.

Once you have registered on their platform you can enter the challenge via the purple 'submit' button on the page, beneath the header and logo.

Once you've clicked this you'll be guided through making your submission to the challenge: the first page contains the guidelines, there's a tick box at the bottom to confirm you have read and understood them before continuing, the second page is where you'd upload your image and enter some basic, pertinent details about your artwork, and the third page is for some further information.

Remember, you can save your progress at any time and come back to it in order to complete it if you need to.

Log in to your SAA account on our website.

Once you have logged in, click 'My Account' which can be found across the top of your browser window on the desktop, or under the little 'person' icon along the top on mobile. Click 'My Account' once again from the drop-down list.

Once in your account dashboard click 'My membership', which is the rightmost button beneath the title heading 'My Account' desktop. On mobile, it is the bottom button in the list beneath the title heading.

Your 5 or 6-digit membership number will be shown at the top of the off-white box beneath the heading 'My Membership'.

If you're struggling with an aspect of the Zealous platform, there's help on hand - on the bottom righthand side of the page there's a white and purple round button. Clicking this will allow you access to the help page and the live chat function they have on their website.

Alternatively you can go to the Help Area on the Zealous website for their comprehensive list of help guides and FAQs.

At the bottom of this page is a purple strip which says "Couldn't find an answer?" - clicking this within working hours will allow you speak to a member of their staff by typing through a chat box.

You can submit up to 3 paintings to the competition.

It's up to you if you want to just enter one, or use all three of your allocated submissions. 

During submission you will be asked which categories you wish to submit to, clicking more than one of these options, will enter the same painting multiple times in different categories - using up your 3 allotted entries.

Writing an artist's statement is like painting a picture with words, capturing the essence of your creativity and what drives your passion for art. Here's a friendly guide on what to include:

• What's your inspiration?
  Think of this as the heart of your statement, share what ignites your creativity. Whether it's the beauty of nature, the complexities of human emotions or the chaos of city life. Let the readers understand what drives you to pick up that paintbrush or pencil.
• Your creative journey
  Describe how you got started in art, the twists and turns of your artistic path and the milestones that have shaped your style and technique.
• Your favoured medium
  Tell us about your chosen medium, whether oil paints, charcoal or watercolour - share what draws you to it, the challenges you face and how you've mastered its quirks to express your artistic vision.
• Themes
  Every artist has a theme or subject which continues to draw them in - recurring elements which crop up in every painting you create. Let us know what themes make your paintbrush dance.
• What is your message?
  Share the messages and emotions you hope to convey through your artwork, whether it's sparking joy, provoking thought or simply bringing a smile to someone's face.

We have two brilliant articles on this subject. The first is an article (click here) written by SAA Professional Partner, Artist, Teacher and Artists of the Year judge - Alison C. Board. 

The next is an article (click here) written by SAA Professional Artist, Teacher and demonstrator, Becky Gouverneur.

Apply as many of these techniques to your photography as you are able to, whether or not you have access to a DSLR camera, many tips are universal.

Those who have been shortlisted will be notified by 27th May 2024. You will be contacted via the same email address you submitted through Zealous from aoy@saa.co.uk

Winners will be notified by Monday 17th June via the same email they submitted their work through on Zealous. The email will come from aoy@saa.co.uk.

We do however ask that winners do not announce their exciting news until 1st July when it will be announced online and in our summer edition of Paint & Create.

For full details about The Cass Art Prize, including rules of entry and associated fees, go to: https://www.cassart.co.uk/thecassartprize/

Additionally, all 1st place category winners of SAA's Artists of the Year competition will be automatically entered into The Cass Art Prize.

SAA is owned by The Cass Group, alongside Artcoe, Artifolk and, of course, Cass Art.

No - if you already have an account with Zealous from last year's AOY then you just need to log in with those credentials and enter the competition as you did last year.

No - we're unable to include these entries into the judging process for you. If you need help uploading your entries, you can find the help pages for using Zealous here: https://zealous.co/help/.

During office hours you will also be able to send live chat messages to a colleague at Zealous and they'll get back to you in real time with help.

Yes! Our Affiliated Art Club members are welcome to enter SAA's Artists of the Year 2024 - just include your Art Club's membership number in the relevant box during the submission process.