Our Summer Exhibition for 2020 has been cancelled. Find out more on our Covid-19 page.
Our Craft, Fine Art and Photography exhibitions are open to everyone resident in Dorset. Anyone living outside Dorset can enter work providing they are Members of the Association.
All of the instructions for entering work can be found below and by following the links to relevant pages. If you’d prefer to download the instructions for all disciplines the complete set are contained in this document – How to Enter your Work 2020
Entries must be the unaided work of the exhibitor(s) and not previously shown at a Dorset Arts and Crafts Exhibition.
The Association reserves the right to refuse to accept exhibits.
The Association will take all reasonable care of exhibits, but accepts no responsibility for loss or damage. The Association recommends that entrants insure their entries.
Complete the Entry Forms in accordance with the rules for the discipline (Craft, Fine Art , Photography) in which the work is being entered.
The entry forms need to be received by the Entries Secretary by the date shown on the form.
Entry forms can be submitted by post or on line. Your labels will be returned to you by post.
Members whose subscriptions are current on 1st July 2020 will receive the fourth and fifth entries free, but must pay for the first three entries and for entries six and onwards, even if these are in a different discipline.
Non-members must pay for all work entered.
The entry fees payable are
| Adults | £2 per exhibit |
| Unframed Portfolio Pictures | £1 per exhibit |
| Young DACA | 50p per exhibit |
| People with Disabilities | 50p per exhibit |
| Groups | £5 per exhibit |
| Schools | £3 per exhibit |
| Members' Challenge - for DACA members only, one entry per member | Free |
You must add £1 to your total entry fee to cover postage and administration costs. Alternatively, send a stamped self addressed envelope with your entry.
Cheques for payment of entry fees should be made payable to “DACA”,
BACS payment may be made to Sort Code 55-61-09 Account 07378548. Please mark payments ‘ENT followed by your surname’.
Adults can enter any number of the three disciplines, use the specific form for each of the disciplines, Craft, Fine Art or Photography. The forms can be found at the bottom of the relevant pages.
Use the Fine Art entry form to enter Unframed Portfolio Pictures.
Young DACA entrants are up to and including 18 years of age. Use the appropriate discipline forms to enter your work.
People with disabilities use the specific form for each of the three disciplines, Craft, Fine Art or Photography.
Group entries may be made for exhibits in all sections. See Group Work below for details and entry forms.
School entries are by groups of students. See School Entries below for details and entry forms.
Organisations may enter many pieces of work under the name of the organisation. See Multiple Individual Entries below for details and entry forms.
Entries must be brought to Purbeck School on Handing-In Day (Monday 27th July) together with form 2 which was returned to you with your labels.
Please ensure that the labels provided are firmly attached to the entry.
We are unable to store wrappings, boxes or other packing materials.
If you have difficulty delivering your exhibits, please contact the Entries Secretary as it may be possible to make arrangements for them to be collected and delivered to the School.
Work must be collected at the end of the final day of the exhibition, Tuesday 4th August 2020.
Remember to bring form 2 with you. Your work will only be released to you on production of this form. This is to ensure that work is collected by its rightful owner. If someone is collecting your work on your behalf, please give them your form 2.
The Association has no facilities to store any unclaimed work. If you have any difficulty in collecting your work, you must discuss any alternative arrangements with the Entries Secretary before the end of the exhibition.
Work entered in the Exhibition may be offered for sale. The Association will deduct 20% commission on all sales. Payment will be taken by the Association through the Exhibition Sales and Information desk, and payment will be made to the exhibitor by cheque, or direct to a bank account if requested, within 28 days of the end of the Exhibition.
Items sold during the Exhibition remain on display until the Exhibition closes, subject to the Chairman’s discretion.
All craft entries will be considered for awards, unless the exhibitor indicates on the entry form that the work is not to be judged. The craft judges will complete comment sheets for each craft entry. The comment sheets will be available for collection during the exhibition. Please note, the judges’ comment sheets are NOT displayed with the exhibits in the exhibition.
All photography entries will be considered for awards, within the appropriate category, unless the exhibitor indicates on the entry form that the work is not to be judged. Due to the high number of photographic entries, individual comment sheets will not be completed.
Fine Art entries entered in the “Botanical Illustration”, “Dorset Life, Land or Seascape” and “Novice” categories will be judged. Fine Art entries which are not entered in one of the specific categories will be class as open entries and therefore not judged. The judges will complete comment sheets where appropriate.
Certificates can be awarded in any of the three main disciplines
| Gold | Work of Outstanding Merit |
| Silver | Work of Special Merit |
| Blue | Highly Commended |
| Green | Commended |
Certificates and trophies will be awarded at the judges’ discretion. Only in exceptional circumstances will a trophy be awarded to an entry which does not merit a Gold certificate.
Certificates will be available for collection throughout the Exhibition. Trophies will be presented on Sunday 2nd August. Trophy winners will be contacted by the Entries Secretary and invited to attend the presentation.
Trophies remain the property of the Association. Trophies awarded at the 2019 Exhibition must be returned to the Entries Secretary on or before Handing-In Day Monday 27th July 2020.
The Association reserves the right to cancel judging of a section.
A full list of the trophies and awards for all disciplines can be found on Trophies & Awards.
Photography of exhibits in the exhibition is permitted for private/ personal purposes only. Please note, your work may be photographed by visitors to the exhibition and by Dorset Arts & Crafts Association for publicity purposes. Commercial photography is not permitted without the express permission of the committee.
The Association would not be able to hold the annual exhibition of work without the work of volunteers. If you would like to be part of the team you would be very welcome.
Exhibition stewards are essential, both to help visitors enjoy the exhibition and to keep your work safe.
If you are entering work, please try to volunteer for at least one session if possible. Simply complete the volunteer or stewarding form with your details and preferred slot, and returned by post or e-mail to the address on the form.
Every effort will be made to display all entries, but if space should prove to be insufficient, the Committee reserves the right to select for display.
| Disabled Physical | A physical disability is a limitation on a person’s physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina to carry out their chosen discipline. |
| Disabled Visual | Visual impairment or vision loss, is a decreased ability to see to a degree that causes problems carrying out their chosen discipline. |
| Discipline | Areas of work that can be entered into the exhibition. Craft, Fine Art, and Photography. |
| Section | Disciplines are subdivided into sections Eg. Craft is a discipline, beadwork (BW) is the section. |
Guidance
The Association welcomes entries from young people up to and including 18 years.
Work may be entered in any of the Craft, Fine Art or Photography disciplines.
Refer to the Craft, Fine Art, or Photography pages for the relevant entry specifications for the work being entered.
How to complete the entry form
For craft items use the CRAFT entry form. Follow the Craft Instructions.
For fine art use the FINE ART entry form. Follow the Fine Art Instructions.
For photographs use the PHOTOGRAPHY entry form. Follow the Photography Instructions.
Guidance
The Association welcomes entries from those with any form of disability. The disability must influence the Exhibitor’s ability to create his/her craft.
Work may be entered in any of the Craft, Fine Art or Photography Disciplines. Paintings will be exhibited but not judged. Refer to the Fine Art, Photography or Craft pages for the relevant entry specifications for the work being entered.
Judging
The Association encourages entrants to provide details of their disability. This information is very useful to the judges but will not be displayed to the public unless the entrant asks for this to be done.
How to complete the entry form for an individual
For craft items use the CRAFT entry form. Follow the Craft Instructions.
For fine art use the FINE ART entry form. Follow the Fine Art Instructions.
For photographs use the PHOTOGRAPHY entry form. Follow the Photography Instructions.
How to complete the entry form for a group
Please complete the Group Work Entry Form (see below)
Guidance
The Association welcomes entries from groups who have 6 or more members involved in and jointly produce a single piece of work.
Judging and Trophies
Group craft items are eligible for any of the trophies in the craft section .
Entry Forms
Use the Group Entry Form.
Entry fee for each group entry is £5.00
Entry forms for our 2021 exhibition will be available early next year.
Guidance
The Association welcomes entries from all schools. The work may be produced as part of the curriculum, a school club or special project. The work may be of any discipline but must be displayed together.
Judging and Trophies
Entries are eligible for any of the trophies in the Young DACA section.
Entry Forms
Use the School Entry Form. Information on the entry forms will be taken into consideration by the judges.
Entry fee for each school entry is £3.00
Entry forms for our 2021 exhibition will be available early next year.
Guidance
The Association welcomes entries from people who belong to a group or organization who produce individual exhibits. Using the group name one person is responsible for entering all the individuals work.
Judging and Trophies
Items are eligible for any of the trophies in any of the disciplines.
Entry Forms
Use the Multiple Individual Entries Form and the continuation sheet if necessary.
Entry forms for our 2021 exhibition will be available early next year.
Guidance
How to complete the entry form
See instructions for each discipline on how to complete the form.
ALSO indicate on your entry form that it is for the DACA Members’ Challenge by using the code MC in column 1 for craft, column 2 for fine art and column 2 for photography.