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Clintavo’s Curated Corner
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The following article was written by Debra Keirce, a regular contributing author to The BoldBrush Letter.
Rubric For Choosing the Art Contests & Signature Memberships Best For You
Deciding which exhibitions and societies to devote resources to is a strategic decision that can shape both your career path and your visibility as an artist. I’ve always felt like if I had a good rubric to follow, I could filter opportunities to yield the best results. My personal rubric has changed so much over the years. But my process for creating it has stayed pretty consistent.
This month I thought to share what I do, in hopes that it might inspire some of you to create your own rubrics. Of course, I will never know how this actually is working for me. In an alternate universe, where I do something better, I might be a legend. But in this moment, I have no regrets, and I’m thinking it has served me well. If you have a better idea, I would love to hear about it in the comments!
Warning: I do some math. I rate each of the following categories with a score from 1 to 5. 1 is low importance and 5 is most important. I also give each category a weight, for how much influence I want it to have in my decision.
1. Reputation & Prestige ( weight = 30%)
This category is about how well known the juried show or society is. How much national and international recognition does it have? Are a lot of the artists I admire participating?
If it is a local show, it may have a medium score, since it doesn’t get talked about outside the DC, Maryland, Virginia area. If it’s a new or obscure show, I may still want to participate, but I will score it low.
2. Quality of Jurying ( weight = 20%)
Who are the jurors? Who are the judges? If they are established artists or curators I admire, I may want to see how they judge my work. Is the judging based on skill and merit? Or is it likely to favor people in the social orbits of the venue or society? Who are the past winners, and would I want to hang my work next to theirs? Is the work chosen so good it inspires me to work harder in order to be accepted?
3. Career Impact ( weight = 20%)
Will winning or being juried in lead to opportunities? Does signature membership confer any credibility? Does participating connect me to a new professional network?
4. Reality Check ( weight = 15%)
I used to weight this one much higher in the beginning of my career. Now, I am at a point where I kind of don’t care as much what people think, and just do what I love. But I think it’s still important to look at whether my work is a good fit for the show, and whether my chances are realistic. For example, I’m rarely going to enter shows with photography and digital art, because what I create are very traditional oil paintings and charcoal drawings that I don’t see as a good fit for those competitions.
5. Cost vs. Benefit ( weight = 10%)
Entry fees, shipping, framing, travel costs and time spent away from my studio all add up. I look at the benefits as an experience, and I weigh whether the experience might justify the cost. Are sales likely? If not, can I turn this into a teaching gig? Will I get some great insight for future entries I make in the exhibition, if I go to the opening? Or, do I just want to eat the cost, and go because I know the networking will be fun? These are my considerations.
6. Fun ( weight = 5%)
Do I feel proud and motivated to be a part of the society or art show? Do I enjoy interacting with the community? Do the people I meet share ideas that inspire me?
From the start, I have been creating art because I have fun doing it. There are much easier ways to make money, in my opinion. So this is my way of remembering that I’m doing it all for the joy it brings me.
Now For an Example
So, what does this look like in practice? Let me show you an example. The last exhibition I got an acceptance from was a venue and society I am fond of entering. It’s the Southwest Artists, which I am a signature member of, at the Mena Art Gallery in Mena, Arkansas. They have an annual show, the Art of the Heartland Competition, open to members and nonmembers. Here is what my rubric looks like when I decide whether or not to enter it.
Reputation & Prestige
Pretty much every best in show winner is someone I am friends with, or have been following for many years. For a small town gallery, this show has garnered enough attention that I see artists I admire entering consistently each year, and even painting or drawing works especially for this competition. Of course, there are other, more prestigious shows. But in my social circles this one rates high.
I give it a score of 5. Weighted at 30%, 5 x 0.3 = 1.5
Quality of Jurying
I very much feel like the jurors chosen have an aesthetic similar to mine. I also see where award winners prioritize realism, technical mastery, and problem solving. These are the things I want to have my work judged on.
I give it a score of 4. Weighted at 20%, 4 x 0.2 = 0.8
Career Impact
Do I think a best in show for the Art of the Heartland Competition will propel me into stardom? No. BUT, I do believe that many eyes are on this show, and in particular, big wins here could open doors for me in other southwest art circles.
I give it a score of 3. Weighted at 20%, 3 x 0.2 = 0.6
Reality Check
Is my art a good fit for this show? Yes. Am I likely to get in? Competition is stiff, but I have had work accepted more times than not. I believe this is 100% where my art belongs.
I give this a score of 5. Weighted at 15%, 5 x 0.15 = 0.75
Cost vs. Benefit
Of course, traveling to the opening is the most costly thing to do. If I won a top award, I would probably go just because I have come to love interacting with the artists who organize this show. But in truth, the cost vs. benefit scores high if I stay home and lower if I attend the reception. So, I will assume for now that I am not going to win best in show (although I can still hope) and I will score this category for the benefits I see of having 2 works hanging with some of the most gifted artists I know.
I give it a score of 4. Weighted at 10%, 6 x 0.1 = 0.6
Fun
This is a show I feel proud to be part of, and I am always inspired by the work it brings to the gallery.
I give it a score of 5. Weighted at 5%, 5 x 0.05 = 0.25
Here then, are the results of my rubric:
1.5 + 0.8 + 0.6 + 0.75 + 0.6 + 0.25 = 4.5
That’s a pretty strong rubric result! 4.5 out of 5 is definitely a yes, as to whether I participate.
Where it gets complicated is where there is no clear answer. If I score a 2.5 or even a 3, I am likely to try it out once or twice and see if my scoring changes over time. It’s rare that the things with a score of 3 or lower become a priority, though.
Well, there you have it - a very nerdy way to decide whether something is worth your time and effort. I hope sharing this helps you to make excellent decisions, and as always, thank you for reading.
PS — Editor’s Note: Please support artists and help us get more exposure for the artists featured in this newsletter by clicking the “Like” icon ❤️, by clicking the “Restack” icon 🔁, or by leaving a comment. The more engagement we get, the more widely these images get shown. Help us support human artists and push back against the encroachment of AI!
Debra Keirce
www.DebKArt.com
Join me each month for free updates on this art adventure at
https://debkart.com/email-newsletter
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Clintavo’s Curated Corner
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If you know of a great piece of real visual art (no AI art) that we should consider for future illustration of our articles or to feature in Clintavo’s Curated Corner, please click the button below and leave a sentence or two explaining what you like about a piece with a link to it on the web. It may be your own art or someone else’s (please do not send via email as we are much less likely to see or respond to those, thank you):
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Inspiration for the week:
At BoldBrush, we celebrate HUMAN creativity and push back against the encroaching soullessness of AI. Here’s a beautiful moment that can only be achieved by human soul-to-soul connection. Pay attention to the guitar player and prepare to have your mind blown when you realize that he’s only eleven.
No AI Zone: Everything written in this post (and all our posts) is written 100% by flesh and blood humans
We do not use AI images with our writing. We prefer to feature and provide more exposure for human artists. If you know of a great piece of art we should consider, please leave a comment with a link to it. All featured images are properly attributed with backlinks to the artist’s website. You can help support human artists and push back against AI by liking or restacking this piece by clicking the “Like” icon ❤️, by clicking the “Restack” icon 🔁 (or by leaving a comment).