On July 29, Franco-Belgian painter-engraver Karel Vereycken was informed by the Visual Artists Association (VAA, based in London, UK) :

Dear Karel,

Thank you for applying to the Artist of the Year Awards 2026. We are delighted to inform you that you have been longlisted and will now progress to the second stage of the art prize – a massive congratulations!

With such a strong range of entries received this year, reaching the longlist is a fantastic achievement and reflects the strength of your submission. The judging process will now continue, with shortlist results expected to be announced in September 2026.