The art world's most controversial prize is no longer the preserve of the young.

The Turner Prize has announced that the criteria of the prize have been modified and artists of any age can be considered.

Artists of any age will be now eligible to be shortlisted and the Turner Prize exhibition will now be "taken into consideration" by the jury as part of the terms of the prize, alongside the projects for which the artists are nominated.

The Turner Prize, in which Scottish trained or based artists have had great success in the last 20 years, will continue to be awarded annually to an artist, born, living or working in Britain, "for an outstanding exhibition or public presentation of their work anywhere in the world in the previous year."

The term which stipulated that shortlisted artists must be under 50 was introduced in 1991 to distinguish the Turner Prize from a lifetime achievement award.

Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain and chair of the Turner Prize jury said: “I am delighted to announce our esteemed jury for Turner Prize 2018 as well as the modified terms of the award.

"We have always kept these terms under review and we feel that now is the right moment to make this change."

The jury for the 2017 prize will now be able to consider artists over 50 for their shortlist.

The four shortlisted artists will be announced in early May, and the exhibition of their work will open at Ferens Art Gallery in Hull on 26 September.