2008 Alice Springs Beanie Festival Competition

Deadline: 6 JUNE 2008 (RECEIVE)

Alice Springs Beanie Festival Competition
Araluen Galleries
Alice Springs
Saturday 28 June to Sunday 31 August 2008


In the vast Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands of Australia's Central Desert the traditional people (Anangu) have been making and wearing beanies for all of time. Traditionally in Pitjantjatjara and Luritja languages beanies were called 'mukata'. They are called 'mukati' in the Warlpiri language. If you venture further south-west, then the language is Yankunytjatjara, where they call them 'muna'. All languages are dynamic and these days lots of people in the centre just call beanies mukata.

This year we celebrate mukata made from emu feathers, seeds and yarns spun in the old way that embody the Central Desert. They remind us you can tell people's address by their head-dress – whether it's a chullo from Peru, a fez from Morocco, a beret from France, or a ushanka from Russia.

What's your head-dress? We invite beanieologists everywhere to join us by making beanies with your own traditional twist.


2008 Competition Categories

1 The Greenie Beanie
Use low impact materials such as natural fibres, dyes and recycled materials

2 The Folk Beanie
A beanie that references cultural traditions and costume.

3 Spirit of the Land
Explores the ranges, the bush, the sea, the desert.

4 Monsters and Magic
Take us to the dark or the light!

5 The Double Take
A fun beanie that doubles as a puppet, toy or musical instrument.

6 Best Animal Beanie
Animals, birds, reptiles, insects and strange invertebrates all welcome.

7 The Eileen Bladon Tea- Cosy Prize
Tea- Cosies are sister objects to the beanie.

8 Best Hand-felted Beanie
Including wet felting, needle felting or knit and felt techniques

9 The Central Australian
Prize for an outstanding local piece of work.

10 Festival Committee Acquisition Prize
For wonderful and unusual work

11 The Robbie Beard Handspun Prize
Prize for a work made with yarn handspun by the artist.

12 New Wave Beanie Encouragement Prize
For a school-aged beginner beanie maker

13 New Wave Beanie Prize
For a school-aged advanced beanie maker

14 People's Choice: The favourite beanie of 2008
To be awarded after the festival weekend


PRIZES- to be finalised!
The Cleckheaton Dozen! 12 magnificent barrels of yarns
$250 Cleckheaton Cash prize. For the Peoples Choice winner.
The Ashford Felting prize. A beautiful bundle of fleeces.

Prizes will be sent if the winners are unable to organise to collect them.
Judges
To be announced

Visit the website for complete details: http://www.beaniefest.org/