How to enter work into Judged Competitions
Our Craft, Fine Art and Photography competitions 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.
Entries must be the unaided work of the exhibitor(s) and not previously shown at a Dorset Arts and Crafts Event.
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 Form Entry Form for Judged Competitions in accordance with the rules for the discipline (Craft, Fine Art , Photography) in which the work is being entered.
The entry form needs to be received by the Entries Secretary by the date shown on the form.
Ideally, the Entry form should be submitted on line. Your labels will be returned to you by post.
If you wish to submit by post, please contact the Entries Secretary (entries@dorsetartsandcrafts.org), Tel 01305 816530.
There is a charge for each item entered, with a 50% reduction for DACA Members. Full details are shown in the table below.
You must add £1 to your total entry fee to cover postage and administration costs.
BACS payment should be made to Account Name : Dorset County Arts Crafts, Sort Code: 55-61-09, Account No: 07378548. Please use ‘ENT followed by your surname’ as the reference for your payment.
If payment by BACS is not an option, a cheque (payable to “Dorset Arts & Crafts Association”) may be sent to the Entries Secretary at 24 Nottington Lane, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 5DF.
| Adults (non-members) | £2 per exhibit |
| Adults (members) | £1 per exhibit |
| Young DACA | 50p per exhibit |
| People with Disabilities | 50p per exhibit |
| Groups | £5 per exhibit |
| Schools | £3 per exhibit |
The on-line form Form for Judged Competitions can be used to enter into any or all of the three disciplines, Craft, Fine Art and Photography .
Young DACA entrants are up to and including 18 years of age. Please indicate actual age on the form.
People with disabilities should indicate the nature of the disability on the form.
Group entries may be made for exhibits in all sections. See Group Work below for details and how to obtain an entry form.
School entries are by groups of students. See School Entries below for details and how to obtain an entry form.
Organisations may enter many pieces of work under the name of the organisation. See Multiple Individual Entries below for details and how to obtain an entry form.
Entries must be brought to Purbeck School during your preferrred handing-in session, together with the entry form which will have been returned to you with your labels.
Please ensure that the labels provided are firmly attached to each 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.
Entries must be collected from Purbeck School during your preferred collection session on Wednesday 10th August 2022.
Remember to bring the entry form 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.
Certificates and judges comments will be available for collection during the event or upon collection of the items after the event.
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.
Items entered into judged competitions will NOT be for sale. After judging, items will be displayed by DACA personnel in a manner designed to achieve the maximum collective impact and with no changes made for the duration of the event.
If you are a DACA Member and do wish to submit items for display and sale, please follow this link. Submitting Work Form.
The craft judges will complete comment sheets for each craft entry. The comment sheets will be available for collection during the exhibition.
All photography entries will be considered for awards, within the appropriate category. Due to the high number of photographic entries, individual comment sheets will not be completed.
Fine Art entries entered in the “Botanical Art/Illustration”and “Dorset Life, Land or Seascape” competitions will be judged and the judges will complete comment sheets where appropriate.
Certificates can be awarded in any of the three main disciplines of Craft, Fine Art & Photography.
| 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. A trophy presentation will be held at 3pm on Sunday 7th August. All trophy winners will be contacted by the Entries Secretary and invited to attend the presentation (entry is free after 2.30pm for the trophy winner and one family member).
Trophies remain the property of the Association. Trophies awarded at the 2022 Showcase event must be returned to the Entries Secretary on or before hand-in for the 2023 event.
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
Please complete the on-line Entry form Form for Judged Competitions
If you have any queries or require a print and post version of the form, please contact the Entries Secretary (entries@dorsetartsandcrafts.org), Tel 01305 816530.
Entry fee for each entry is £0.50.
Guidance
The Association welcomes entries from those with any form of disability. The disability must influence the Exhibitor’s ability to create his/her work.
Work may be entered in any of the Craft, Fine Art or Photography Disciplines. 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 : Follow the Craft Instructions.
For fine art : Follow the Fine Art Instructions.
For photographs : Follow the Photography Instructions.
How to complete the entry form for a group
Please contact the Entries Secretary (entries@dorsetartsandcrafts.org), Tel 01305 816530 who will discuss your requirements and provide you with the relevant Entry Form for completion.
Entry fee for each entry is £0.50.
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
Please contact the Entries Secretary (entries@dorsetartsandcrafts.org), Tel 01305 816530 who will discuss your requirements and provide you with a Group Work Entry Form for completion.
Entry fee for each group entry is £5.00.
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
Please contact the Entries Secretary (entries@dorsetartsandcrafts.org) Tel 01305 816530, who will discuss your requirements and provide you with a School Entry Form for completion. Information on the entry forms will be taken into consideration by the judges.
Entry fee for each school entry is £3.00.
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
Please contact the Entries Secretary (entries@dorsetartsandcrafts.org), Tel 01305 816530 who will discuss your requirements and provide you with the relevant Entry Form for completion.
Individual entry fees apply.