Prairie Excellence

Deadline: May 3, 2010 [12 noon MST] (RECEIVE) or (EMAIL)

Prairie Excellence
a touring exhibition of the best in Prairie Fine Craft
Saskatoon, SK
Canada
3 TO 4 Year Tour


The Manitoba Crafts Council (MCC), Saskatchewan Craft Council (SCC) and Alberta Craft Council (ACC) are coming together to organize Prairie Excellence – a touring exhibition of the best in Prairie Fine Craft.

A total of 36 pieces will be selected for this exhibition (12 from each province). Prairie Excellence will highlight the today and tomorrow of prairie fine craft through the selection of pieces by craft artists in the following categories:

• Established craft artists
• Mid-Career craft artists
• Emerging craft artists

The exhibition will open at the ACC’s Feature Gallery and will subsequently tour for three years to galleries in the three prairie provinces, across Canada and into the United States. Artist fees at will be paid for each item in the exhibition.

Who can enter Prairie Excellence is open to all residents of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. There will be an entry fee of $50 for every entrant who is not a member of the MCC, SCC or ACC.

What can be entered
• Entries will be new work (within the last two years) of original design and exceptional execution in any craft
medium.
• Each craft artist may enter two pieces. One entry may be a set. A collaborative work counts as one entry for each participant.
• One of a kind, limited edition, and production pieces are equally welcomed.
• There are no specific size restrictions however, since this is a touring exhibition, any piece too large, heavy
or fragile for safe shipping, may be rejected.

Selection Process
A three person Selection Committee will be responsible for selecting Prairie Excellence. The primary criteria for selection will be the creative and technical excellence of the entry. The selection Committee will also be able to consider, as secondary criteria:

• The representation of strengths in craft from each province,
• The mix of media in the exhibition,
• The logistics of travel and display,
• The aesthetic appeal of the exhibition as a whole.

The selection of pieces will be roughly equal between:

1. Emerging craft artists: less than five years of practice,
2. Mid-career craft artists: between five and 15 years of practice, and
3. Established craft artists: over 15 years of practice.

Entrants will “self-declare” their status in their entry. However, the Selection Committee will have the right to change this categorization based on their interpretation of the entrant’s cv.

The selection committee will, on the basis of digital images, cv, and artist statements, select a shortlist of not more than 45 pieces. Shortlisted craft artists will be required to deliver their work to specified locations in Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton.

For more information contact:

Manitoba:
Tammy Sutherland: (204) 927-2787 or mcc@mts.net

Saskatchewan:
Les Potter/Judy Haraldson: (306) 653-3616
ext. 25 or scc.exhibitions@sasktel.net

Alberta:
Tom McFall: (780) 488-6611 or acc@albertacraft.ab.ca

Prairie Excellence Entries
813 Broadway Avenue
Saskatoon, SK S7N 1B5