Fish, football, refugees and Fleet Street don’t – at first glance – have a ton in common. But, what they do share is that they are all the subjects of artworks entered into the annual World Art Vote competition.

Run by the National Open Art (NOA) charity and sponsored by international insurance provider MS Amlin, the World Art Vote received entries from across the UK. The entrants garnered 28,000 online votes from 60 countries before the top 10 was announced today. The World Art Vote prize is part of the wider NOA Competition Awards which sees prizes given in a number of categories.

“We believe art and culture are essential for vibrant societies and communities and the MS Amlin World Art Vote provides a way for a wide range of people to express their opinions and share their views on contemporary works of art,” says Adrian Britten, global director communications at MS Amlin. “With more than 600 submissions from across the UK and Ireland we can see there is a strong desire for artists themselves to engage with a wider public, with established artists willing to pitch their work against amateurs in a public vote.”

The contest, judged anonymously, allows for neutral judging based on the works’ merits. For the second year, MS Amlin has gotten involved to help democratise art. Within the competition, MS Amlin is also supporting a category with the theme ‘Continuity in an uncertain world.’ Britten says, “For MS Amlin, ‘continuity’ means helping people, businesses and communities carry on in the face of adverse events. As part of one of the world’s largest insurance companies, every day MS Amlin helps clients overcome challenges, providing continuity to people, businesses and communities when they need it most. The competition celebrates artistic excellence and being open and inclusive gives MS Amlin a significant and meaningful way of supporting an important part of the cultural life of the UK.”

The theme of continuity carries through MS Amlin’s corporate partnerships in the UK. The company co-sponsors a Formula E racing team with Andretti racing as a means of promoting technological development in electric car manufacture thereby creating a more sustainable future of transport.

The shortlist of 10 will give way to an overall winner in the category, whose artwork will be exhibited at the Oxo Tower from 17-26 November.