LONDON.- In 2016 the London Original Print Fair takes place at the start of May, a week later than its traditional slot in the London art calendar. As Europe's largest art fair dedicated to original prints enters its fourth decade, the London Original Print Fair (LOPF) welcomes 50 of the world's leading print dealers and publishers to the Royal Academy of Arts from Thursday 5 May until Sunday 8 May 2016.

Ahead of the 2016 Fair, LOPF is delighted to announce the launch of a new £8,000 award sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance. The Ecclesiastical Original Print Award is a new initiative which will enable a museum or gallery in the UK to acquire an original print from the Fair for their collection. Applications will be invited from museums, public galleries and print collections across the UK, to highlight the importance of prints as collectable works in their own right. The winner will be announced in April and invited to visit the Fair in May to spend up to £8,000 on an original print.

Commenting on the launch of this new award, Clare Pardy, Fine Art & Heritage Director at Ecclesiastical Insurance said: “As a specialist insurer of heritage buildings, museums and galleries, we have initiated this award with LOPF to raise the profile of printmaking. We hope that this award will encourage a UK museum or gallery to consider their print collection and find the perfect acquisition at the London Original Print Fair.”

The London Original Print Fair offers works ranging from rare Old Masters to newly published work by contemporary artists. With a dynamic talks and events programme and offering unrivalled access to expertise, the Fair is an unmissable event for print collectors and offers an exceptional opportunity for those looking to start a collection. Since the inaugural Fair in 1985, the London Original Print Fair has been held at the Royal Academy of Arts.

The full list of exhibitors will be released in January 2016.