The shows where the best commission painters test themselves — and where you can see, in person, the standard the top of this craft is held to. Dates move and registration windows close early, so treat this as a starting point and confirm on each organiser's own site before you book anything.
2–6 September 2026 · USA
ReaperCon 2026 — MSP Open
Denton Convention Center, Denton, Texas · organised by Reaper Miniatures
Reaper Miniatures' own convention in Denton, Texas is built around the MSP Open, one of North America's best-known open-format contests. Because entries are judged against a standard rather than the painter next to them, the room is more workshop than duel — five days of classes and seminars wrap around the competition.
Categories. The MSP Open uses open medal judging — every entry is measured against a standard, so a category can award many Golds, Silvers and Bronzes; standout work competes for the Sophie Best of Show.
Official site ↗17–18 October 2026 · Netherlands
Scale Model Challenge 2026
NH Conference Centre Koningshof, Veldhoven (Eindhoven), Netherlands · organised by Scale Model Events
Continental Europe's largest scale-modelling and figure-painting gathering fills the Koningshof centre near Eindhoven each autumn, pulling thousands of hobbyists and traders under one roof. Its medal judging puts model kits and painted figures side by side, which makes it a rare place to see the whole craft at once.
Categories. An open medal system — Bronze, Silver, Gold — across traditional scale models and fantasy/sci-fi figures and busts, with separate Best in Show trophies for ordnance, historical figures and fantasy figures.
Official site ↗22–26 October 2026 · Germany
Golden Demon 2026 — SPIEL Essen leg
Messe Essen, Essen, Germany · organised by Games Workshop
Games Workshop's flagship painting competition, running since 1987, now travels as legs hung on major conventions rather than one annual show. After the 2026 US leg at AdeptiCon in March — where David Arroba took the Slayer Sword — the European leg lands at SPIEL in Essen. The Slayer Sword itself, a literal sword awarded to the best entry, is still the trophy everyone is chasing.
Categories. Painting only, with categories across every Warhammer system plus Diorama, Epic Scale, Duel, a Youngbloods bracket (ages 12–15) and Open. Each category's Gold is weighed for the overall Slayer Sword.
Official site ↗13–15 November 2026 · Italy
Monte San Savino Show 2026
Monte San Savino, Tuscany, Italy · organised by G.A.St.Art.
One of Europe's leading figure-painting shows, staged each November in a medieval Tuscan town since 2006. For a weekend the town becomes a hub for historical and fantasy miniature art, and a Best of at Monte San Savino carries real weight in the display-painting world. Confirm the exact registration window on the official site before entering.
Categories. Two sections, Historical and Fantasy, each with graded painting classes and coveted Best of awards, alongside traders and demos.
Official site ↗Dates for 2026 not yet announced — historically in-store entries in late summer with an online ceremony in November · Worldwide
Armies on Parade 2026
Participating Warhammer stores worldwide, plus a global online ceremony · organised by Games Workshop
Games Workshop's army-display contest, run through Warhammer stores and, since 2024, a global online Parade Day. It rewards a whole painted force presented on a themed board rather than a single figure, which makes it the friendliest entry point on this list for a hobbyist who has just finished an army. A 2026 date hadn't been announced at the time of writing; it has run annually, with entries in late summer and a ceremony in November.
Categories. A fully painted force on a themed display board no larger than two feet square, using Citadel and Forge World models; judged for Gold, Silver and Bronze plus Judge's Choice.
Official site ↗Competition names and organisers are referenced for identification only. Always verify dates, categories and entry rules on the official sites linked above.