Rules and Regulations
Qualification of entry : Persons aged 5 to 18 years are eligible to enter the Youth Section of the National Art and Craft Exhibition. Those over 18 years should enter the adult section.
Theme and Media
There is no specific theme for this year’s exhibition. Artists and craft persons are free to choose any visual arts media to convey their ideas. Works entered should have imagery which reflect the Bahamian cultural heritage (such as religion, social and economic aspects, the creative arts music, dance and drama) Junkanoo, sports and our natural and man-made environments. Imaginary themes of high standard relevant to the Bahamas will also be accepted.
Entry Categories
I. Youth Section - This includes:-
a. Three school – age categories: Group A – Primary (5-11 Years)
Group B – Junior High (11 to 14 years)
Group C – Senior High (14 to 18 years) b. Non-School youth organizations. These should submit art and craft works within the age categories stipulated above for schools. II. Community Section This caters primarily to adult artists/craft persons College of The Bahamas students and members of community cultural organizations.
Participants Status:
Those entering will be classified as professional or amateur. A professional artist is defined as someone involved career-wise in a field related to the visual and plastic arts (such as an art educator, art historian, architect or architectural draughtsman, curator….), or any recognized gifted artist engaged in studio practice and earning a living substantially or wholly by that means.
An amateur is defined as someone who does not substantially earn a living from the profession or practice of any field of art and craft.
Entry Conditions
1. All art and craft works must be original and created within the twelve months prior to the May, 2001 commencement of the Exhibition. Where the authorship of any craft work is open to question, the National Art and Craft Exhibition Committee reserves the right to reject such a work. 2. All two-dimensional pieces, such as drawings, paintings, prints, collages, photographs, computer art, etc., should be submitted matted and/or framed . They should also have self-contained hanging devices (picture hangers, cup-hooks, screw eyes, wires, strings) attached. 3. Sculpture in metal, clay and wood should have a firm base and be capable of self-support. 4. Where required, certain items of Bahamian handicrafts, such as Jewelry from coconut shell, conchshell, black coral, fish scales, etc., should be in protective cases.
Awards
Prize – Certificates will be awarded in forty (40) categories to signify levels of attainment: First, Second, Third and Honourable Mention.
Trophies for meritorious art and craft works will be awarded to the following:
The Primary, Junior High and Senior High Schools which amass the greatest number of certificates will receive the “Horace Kenton Wright Memorial Plaque for Excellence in Art and Craft”;
Adult artists and crafts persons will be given the opportunity to sell their works.
Schools and youth and cultural organizations will receive Certificates of Participation.
Criteria for Judging
Leaders of youth organizations, coordinators of community centers and culture clubs, etc., and heads of Art Departments, or Art and Craft instructors in government and private schools, may submit works which they consider their best.
Selection of Work, Family Island Participants
Principles of schools, youth leaders, cultural organizations, and individual artists in the Family Islands who need assistance in selecting art and craft pieces for entry in this year’s display may invite the officer responsible for art and craft at the Ministry of Public Service and cultural Affairs to assist them. This assistance will occur during the National Arts Festival adjudications in the Family Islands. Works to be selected should be shown in a central location on each Family Island. These showings would be held in sufficient time prior to the May deadline, in order for works to be submitted to the general art and craft display in New Providence. The National Art and Craft Exhibition Committee will exhibit only works of a high standard.
Bahamian artists living overseas, who wish to enter this year’s display, may send their works to New Providence to arrive no later than May. Works from the Family Islands and overseas should be addressed as follows:
Mr. James O. Rolle Assistant Director of Culture (Art & Craft) Ministry of Public Service & Cultural Affairs P.O. Box N-4891 Nassau, Bahamas
Cost of packing and shipping art and craft objects for the general display must be borne by the artists and crafts persons. The Ministry of Public Service and Cultural Affairs will be responsible for returning the art and crafts item to the Family after the exhibition has been concluded.