Contests & The Value of Competition
"Stretching The Artist, Not The Canvas"
I am a strong believer in the value of art contests, exhibits, and anything else that increases creative exposure or generates excitement in an artist. I enter and submit works to both regional and national contests myself and will be encouraging all of my students to do the same. I am currently working on 5 different contest/exhibit entries, three of which have junior divisions. If one or more of these were appropriate for your child, I would bring it to their attention.
Some people believe that contests are a waste of effort and not much better than gambling (with time). However, I am of the opinion that contests are a necessary step and experience in an artist’s career and provide real world feedback prior to actually entering the profession. They also expose an artist to the necessary concept of having to market one’s work.
A Real Life Example
Tom is a trained, professional artist who creates five paintings over a two month period. In order to keep his income consistent, he decides to concentrate on marketing all five pieces before painting any more. After some thought, Tom decides to submit three of the paintings to a new gallery that opened in town and two to a nationally recognized traveling exhibit.
First, Tom checks the internet and writes off for submission guidelines for both the gallery and exhibit. Next he has slides developed for all five pieces and works on updating his resume. The gallery wants a cover letter with specific information and the exhibit application requires a short biography, so he works on those. Finally, he labels his slides, finishes filling out both applications and gets them mailed before their respective due dates. Then he waits.
Two weeks later Tom receives a letter stating that the gallery will accept two of his three paintings and outlines delivery information. Tom delivers his paintings to the gallery and waits to hear from the exhibit.
A month later, Tom gets a letter from the exhibit saying that the judges are accepting one of his two entries and that he is receiving a monetary award for its acceptance. He then has to mail the piece to them and wait again.
A few weeks later Tom is notified that his piece in the exhibit sold and the check is enclosed. A week later one of his paintings in the gallery sells and he gets a check from that one too. The second piece in the gallery doesn't sell and is returned to him six months later where he eventually sells it in a different gallery.
As you can see, even for a professional artist, marketing takes time and there are no guarantees. Some pieces will be accepted, some will be rejected and the subjective opinions of judges and gallery owners play a major role in those decisions. The same I believe, is true of contests - only on a smaller scale.
The Hidden Values of Art Competition
Students experience creating the work, filling out the application, photographing their work, and getting it submitted by the deadline. They also have to wait to hear back. Whether or not they win, they have learned about the process and their own artistic strengths - though winning does do a lot to boost a students confidence level. You may think that not winning diminishes self esteem, however, as the winning entries are often posted, it gives students an opportunity to see the competition and discover where they need to improve. This may excite them to give it another try. Also, a highly subjective decision may help them realize that their work was superior in many ways – just not for the judge on that day!
Entering an art competition is similar to having company over for dinner. When you entertain guests you are tempted to put out the fine China with the pressed tablecloth and silk napkins. Although you may be serving the same recipes you normally cook, you might add a little extra flare – a fluted crust on the pie or more fixings in the salad. You then top it all off with a flower arrangement in the center of the table and fragrant candles at the end.
It’s the same with entering art competitions. Although your work may be the same, those extra special touches you add for the contest may make all the difference. The extra attention to detail (whether it is eliminating crinkles in the paper, blending colors, adding matting or a plastic cover) brings out the best in you and your work. Just like you tend to be more pleased with how the table looks for company, you will also tend to set a higher standard for works you submit for competition. Your excitement is for others to see and experience what you have mastered. It’s a much needed encouragement from the everyday routine of our efforts.
While contests are never mandatory, I do encourage them. Every week I search for new competitions and opportunities. There will be times that these projects can be added into the lesson plan. If a student decides to enter however, in most cases, they will have to do so on their own free time. I only ask that when a student does decide to enter, that they still give priority to their homework(!) so that lessons are completed and not rushed.
Not only are contests a great learning experience, but they often offer financial rewards that go a long way to boosting enthusiasm. Awards come in all shapes and sizes, with the most common being cash, college scholarships, vacations, gift cards, or products. If nothing else, these are often a great motivator for the otherwise uninterested student. While I haven't won as many contests as I would have liked, I have done well and I have learned something from each one. Sometimes I have learned the most from those where I didn't place and I am happy to pass this knowledge on to my students.
In Summary
One of the biggest things I have learned, is to never underestimate your abilities. In the beginning there were contests I didn't enter because I thought, “there’s no way I could compete with those kids”, but then I would see the winning entries and think, “hey I could have done that!” The biggest prize I ever won was the Jorgenson scholarship based off of an art portfolio that was awarded a $20,000 scholarship. I am sure glad I didn't just "assume" I was in the wrong league! There may have even been better student artists who were convinced that they could not compete and never even bothered to submit their work. The fact is though, I entered and they didn't. So the moral of the story is – just go for it!