A PAINTED canvas smeared in beeswax and another daubed in coffee beans are among the record number of entries bidding to win Britain’s biggest painting competition.

Artists are becoming more creative in the materials they use for their submitted works, according to the organisers of the John Moores Contemporary Painting Prize.

More than 2,880 people have entered the prestigious competition, which has been based at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery for more than 50 years.

Other materials used include Epsom salts, embroidered doilies, lead primer, grass, jigsaw pieces and iridescent powders.

Reyahn King, National Museums Liverpool’s director of art galleries, said: “To meet the rules, all works have to include an element of paint such as watercolours or oils, so these non-traditional materials are in addition to that.

“It’s interesting that so many entrants have chosen to use such unusual materials in their work and fits in with John Moores’ original vision for the prize, which was that it should embrace the artistic processes of the time it is being judged.”

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

With a first prize of £25,000 and four further prizes of £2,500 for each runner-up, it is entered anonymously and open to all UK-based artists working with paint.

This is the first year it has accepted online entries, which its organisers say is likely to have contributed to the boom is submissions.

Ms King added: “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.

“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 prize was started in 1957 by Littlewoods founder Sir John Moores, himself a keen painter.

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

This year’s judging panel is made up of former Royal Academy exhibitions secretary Sir Norman Rosenthal, contemporary artists Goshka Macuga and Gary Hume, Liverpool-born previous finalist Ged Quinn and Scottish artist Alison Watt. An exhibition of short-listed works will take place at the Walker Art Gallery from September 18 to January 3, forming a central part of the Liverpool Biennial.

In the past 50 years, nearly 2,000 artists have exhibited, while more than 100 people have sat on the jury.

There is also a Visitors’ Choice prize of £2,010.