1: Introduction
Please read the entry requirements carefully. Incomplete submission forms will not be accepted.
The Art of Adornment, is a juried competition, fashion show, and exhibition. The Rossland Council for Arts and Culture (RCAC) and VISAC Gallery are excited to partner on this unique and exciting project highlighting wearable art!
Thanks to the generous support of the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA), Columbia Basin Trust, this show is an opportunity for local artisans to work outside their comfort zone and let their imaginations take flight using the human body as their canvas. For this event we encourage all types of design, celebrating all genders.
The call is open to artists currently residing in the Kootenay Region for submissions of original works. All types of wearable art designs are welcome, celebrating all genders.
Terms:
- Designer: also refers to Artists or those submitting entries.
- Wearable Art: In reference to this project, Wearable Art is individually designed pieces of handmade clothing, accessories or jewelry created as fine or expressive art. It is one of a kind original art to be worn on the body. It is using the human body as the canvas, and created with the artistic concept in mind.
- Ensemble: a complete outfit/costume of harmonizing or complementary garments and accessories.
- Accessory: an item often used to contribute, in a secondary manner, to an outfit, often used to complete an outfit and chosen to specifically complement the wearer’s look. (i.e. a hat, a jacket, shoes, bustier, necklace, etc.)
- Gala: The evening event to include, show of work, fashion show, judging, and awards. This will be the evening of May 11, 2024.
2: Entry Requirements
The following provisions set out entry requirements in respect of the Art of Adornment:
- Designers must enter under their own names and not as a collective or a business.
- Design teams can consist of no more than 2 designers.
- Designers must be 12 years of age or over as of January 2024.
- Designers can submit up to 2 entries per category.
- An entry can be submitted into one category only. Either Accessory or Ensemble.
- An entry into the ensemble category must be designed for 1 person to wear.
- No trade marks, logos or brand names can be used in an entry.
- An entry previously entered in an Art of Adornment competition but not selected for award may be entered again in a subsequent year if altered by at least 85%.
- An entry that has been shown in another competition prior to entering Art of Adornment is eligible for entry.
- All entries must be original work created within the last 2 years.
- RCAC and all other project collaborators and sponsors are not liable for damages, Designers must carry their own insurance.
- It is preferred that all work accepted is available throughout the entire showing and dropped off at the indicated time in submission/entry form. Artwork may be for sale, but it is not required.
3: Awards
- Any such decision of the judges will be final and not be open to challenge by the designers.
- Entries will be submitted to 1 of 2 categories: Ensemble or Accessory.
- Each Category section has a 1st and 2nd place Award. 1st place $100 / 2nd $50.
- Each entry is then also eligible to qualify for the Specialty Awards
- Eco Award : 1st place $100 / 2nd place $50
- Youth Award: 1st place $100 / 2nd place $50.
- Eco Award conditions: To be eligible for the Eco Award, the garment must meet the following criteria:
- Upcycled: garment designed to maximize the use of discarded materials. Made from at least 85% post-consumer and/or post-industrial repurposed materials;
- In addition, at the allocated place in the online entry/submission form, the designer must provide a written explanation of how and to what extent they have upcycled materials used in their entry.
- Eco Award more notes:
- To be eligible for the Eco Award all materials used must be 85% or more of the upcycled material(s). Materials like thread, zippers, buttons, claps are things that are examples of what would not be counted against you in the 15% (non-upcycled), also things like hats or shoes can be used as a base for you to add to, as long as they look that much altered (85%) as stated above. Undergarments, if not part of the ensemble and not seen, do not need to be made by the artist.
- You may use as many different upcycled materials needed in 1 piece.
- Youth Award: All Designers involved in entry are aged 12-18 as of January 2024.
- Awards will be announced at the 2nd half of the Gala night at the Miners’ Hall in Rossland, BC.
- Designers are not required to be present for the Awards ceremony to win, however, if not please let us know if there is someone in attendance that will be accepting on your behalf. Otherwise, cheques will be mailed to the address provided in the submission form.
- Designers may opt out of awards if they would like their entries to be solely for presentation and participation in the exhibit.
4: Entry Process
This sets out the requirements that each designer must comply with when submitting an entry for the Art of Adornment Awards:
- The official language of the competition is English, and all entries must be submitted in this language.
- Entries must be made through the online submission form and required photos completed by the deadline of Sunday, March 3, 2024. Required photos are to be sent to visualarts.rcac@gmail.com only after the submission form has been completed with the artists name and title of entry in the subject line.
- Three photos are required: Front, Back and Side profile.
- Entries will be judged for acceptance and Designers will be notified by March 31, 2024 of acceptance and given instructions for art drop off.
- The physical entries submitted to Art of Adornment must be the same as the photographic images that have been supplied as part of the online entry process.
- All steps in the online submission process must be completed as instructed for an entry to be valid.
Upon drop off date, Designers must supply Art of Adornment with:
- Works that are display ready.
- A hard copy of these terms and conditions (to be enclosed when accepted entry is dropped off) signed by all members of the design team
- Title of garment and a list of all garment components;
- Dressing instructions explaining how the garment should be worn and how to put it on; Where possible, please include clear photographic images of the front, back and both sides of the finished garment worn on a model or mannequin.
5: Entries and Entry Presentation
This sets out some particulars on entry criteria, how your work will be presented, and what happens to your work once submitted.
- Entries to the Accessory Category will be presented in the Lily May Room in the top floor of the Miner’s Hall during the Gala. Please ensure you have included all items needed to present your work. We will have some mannequin heads, and glass boxes and plinths.
- Entries to the Ensembles Category will be presented during a fashion show catwalk during the Gala on a model. The title and artist statement will be read by an MC during the entry’s time on stage.
- Modeling: A designer is allowed to model their own outfit. Models will be available as well for those that need them. You/models will need to be available Friday, May 13 for rehearsal and Saturday, May 14 for the Gala. There will be a follow up email to the models after submissions are accepted explaining what modeling entails and expectations of model for the show.
- Models are not to wear makeup or anything other than what the Designer has created, ( i.e no store bought jewelry, body paint, ect.)
- A hair stylist will be present to ensure that all models’ hair are the same, so a uniform presentation is represented by models and only the creations are part of judging).
- Shoes: we ask that plain black flats be worn by the models
- Do not include nail polish, make up, or earrings for pierced ears for Emembles.
- Entries must be safe for the model to wear. Model must be able to see, breathe and walk safely up and down stairs, headdresses/hats must be well balanced, etc).
- Nothing that deteriorates or gets smelly after 1 month of exhibiting (food, plant matter, etc).
- Must be transportable/fit in a suv from miners hall to VISAC Gallery post event.
- Entries will be transported and exhibited at the VISAC Gallery post Gala on May 15th until the end of June.
- Designers are responsible for the transportation of the entries to the Miners’ Hall and then from the VISAC Gallery post exhibit. All items included in entries will be given back at this time.
- The following components submitted with an entry will not be used:
- Stilts;
- roller skates or roller blades; or
- any hard materials with raw edges e.g. glass, ceramics, plastic, metal.
- There must be a concealed label with the entry name on the inside of each Ensemble component.
- When worn by a model, the garment must be easily able to enter and exit the stage via stairway and be no more than 7ft in height or length.
6: Pictures & Imagery Rights & Usage
- The designer grants the organizations of Art of Adornment; RCAC, City of/Tourism Rossland, and VISAC Gallery a perpetual, irrevocable right to photograph, film or take other footage of their garment for the purpose of featuring or including the garment, anywhere in the world, in:
- advertising, promotional and marketing material of any format including but not limited to print, film and digital;
- and merchandise of any type including but not limited to programmes, posters, images, films and other broadcast and media formats.
- Wherever possible, said organizations will acknowledge the designer in any publication, merchandising and/or promotional material which contains images and/or footage of a designer’s garment.
- Art of Adornment will photograph all Awarded Entries for promotion of future events. The designer grants to said organization a worldwide, royalty free, perpetual, transferable license to use any images or media sent to the Art of Adornment (including images, inspirations and stories) for promotional, exhibition and/or media purposes, at no cost.
7: Terms and Conditions
*IMPORTANT: This is not a submission form. Please use the online submission form.
Entries that are accepted will be instructed to print off this document and sign it and turn it in with your submission on art drop of date, so we know you understand and agree to all these conditions.
Designer(s) Name:
Date:
Signature: