Artists who compete in art competitions wish to be recognized and have their art validated.  How they use that recognition is up to each particular artist (a whole other post topic).

Artists can gain more recognition if they give art judges what they are looking for when they judge and evaluate the entries for a particular competition.  Here are some tips to help artists compete successfully in art competitions and contests:

Apply to Competitions that Truly Fit Your Art.

Artists sometimes miss what an organization is really after in terms of the theme or the parameters of a competition. For instance, an artist who submits their Black and White photography into a competition with a theme about “Bold or Bright Colors” will get rejected.  Simply put, black and white are not in keeping with the spirit of the theme and scope of that particular show.

Many times the artwork received for judging is fantastic but is not what the art organization wants to judge.  The artist has wasted time and money by placing their art in an unsuitable competition.

Submit Art Only Within the Subject or Theme of the Event.

Many artists do not match the art they are entering to the show’s theme or enter their work in the proper categories available for that show. I am not sure why this is, but it is important, to be honest with yourself and if you cannot be objective about this, get some help. Do not enter the competition if your work does not match the theme.  Save your time, effort and money.

Submit Art that is Creative and Original.

The art that the artist is entering should show a complete grasp and mastery of the particular media. As an artist, you may work within several different styles and media. The artist should stay with one media for their entries, however, as this demonstrates to the judge that they have a cohesive body of work. The artist’s entries should relate in terms of media, color, and style, all within the scope or the theme of that particular competition.

Provide the Best Quality Images Possible.

There are many times that art organizations will choose one piece of art over another because the quality of the image/entry was poor compared to the other.

Entries for paintings, which are photographed or scanned for presentation purposes and which are poorly cropped (exposing part of the mat, background or frame), the image may be too dark or too light, or the colors and contrast are out of balance.

The artist’s presentation to the gallery and the jurors should be of the same high quality they would use to sell their art to someone in person. You only get one chance to impress the judge/juror and sloppy art submissions destroy your chance.

Enter the Maximum Amount Entries Allowed.

Try to enter as many pieces of artwork as possible, as this will increase the odds of getting your artwork noticed by the judges. This also helps demonstrate the level of your talent and your overall body of work.

If you are not getting into as many art exhibitions as you would like, it may not be about the quality of your art, but for one of the other reasons stated above. Work on these tips and suggestions, incorporate them into future submissions and your chances will improve dramatically for being accepted into your next juried art competition.

Remember:  Give the judges what they want to see...