LIVERPOOL.- A painted canvas smeared in beeswax and another daubed in coffee beans are among the 2,880 entries bidding to win Britain’s biggest painting competition.

Now in its 53rd year, the John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize is one of the most prestigious events in the British art world.

With a first prize of £25,000, it’s entered anonymously and open to all UK-based artists working with paint.

Previous winners include David Hockney, Peter Doig and Michael Raedecker.

Reyahn King, director of art galleries National Museums Liverpool, said: “This is one of the largest number of entries we’ve had since the John Moores prize started more than half a century ago.

“What’s so special about this painting competition is that anyone can enter. We have the best established artists alongside emerging talent. Today’s prizewinners really are the future stars of the art world.

“The illustrious history and ongoing vigour of the John Moores make this the country's most important contemporary painting prize.

“Paintings submitted can be very different. We receive the strange, striking, unusual, the exciting. But they all have one thing in common – they depict a time and a moment in contemporary British art.”

The John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize was founded in 1957 by Littlewoods founder Sir John Moores, himself a keen painter.

It is now one of the UK’s most established art prizes, with a rich heritage. It continues to be supported in a partnership with the John Moores Liverpool Exhibition Trust.

This is the first year that artists have been able to enter online.

An esteemed panel of judges this year include former Royal Academy Exhibitions Secretary Sir Norman Rosenthal, contemporary artists Goshka Macuga and Gary Hume, Liverpool-born artist Ged Quinn and Scottish artist Alison Watt OBE.

Judging will take place throughout 2010 and will result in an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery from 18 September 2010 to 3 January 2011, forming a central part of the Liverpool Biennial. This year the popular Visitors’ Choice prize will award its winner £2010.