Cash prize to boost new art talent in Jack Vettriano's memory

Jack Vettriano beside his best-known painting The Singing Butler

A new award in memory of the late artist Jack Vettriano has been announced to boost the career of new talent following in his footsteps.

The £7,500 prize will be given to an artist without any formal training through the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), which has opened submissions for its 200th anniversary summer show next year.

Fife-born Vettriano died in March at the age of 73.

A former miner, he came to the art world later in life after submitting his work to the annual RSA show in the late 1980s.

The Academy was pivotal in kick-starting Vettriano's creative career.

He submitted two works to the academy in 1988 - both of which sold and launched his full-time career as an artist.

Vettriano was self-taught. His most famous work, The Singing Butler, became the UK's best-selling art print and set a Scottish record when it was auctioned in 2004.

He was born Jack Hoggan on 17 November 1951 in Methil, Fife, and left school at 15 to become a mining engineer. He later moved into personnel management.

For his 21st birthday, he was given a set of watercolour paints and then spent much of his spare time teaching himself to paint.

He drew inspiration from works at Kirkcaldy Galleries, studying paintings from artists such as Samuel Peploe and William McTaggart.

The White Slip was one of the first paintings Vettriano submitted to the RSA summer show

His works garnered international acclaim, leading to exhibitions in cities including London, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and New York.

He was appointed an OBE for services to visual arts in 2003.

The RSA's annual exhibition has been running since 1826, providing a vital platform for artists and architects at every stage of their careers.

In its 200th year, the RSA is inviting artists and architects from across Scotland and beyond to contribute to a landmark showcase.

It will run from 9 May to 14 June 2026 and offer a series of cash prizes alongside the Vettriano award.