3 secrets to win an art contest
There are many benefits to entering art competitions. They are an excellent opportunity to boost an artist’s career and grow their network. They also allow especially emerging artists to put their work in front of critics and get discovered by the public. Most artists enter a contest in the hope of winning it. But how do you go about it?
Next month at Untitled Factory gallery we are hosting a solo show by Aurore Levasseur, who won our Le Grand Nu competition last year. Thus we would like to share with you 3 top tips that can help you win juried art contest like ours.
1. You win by making good work that stands out
Ask yourself these two questions:
Is your work good enough to win a contest?
Some artists try to hide their lack of skills and expertise behind elaborate techniques and expensive materials. Some simply don’t attempt to paint the things or subjects that are too difficult for them. You might get away with this approach at first, even get pre-selected, but you won’t win a contest with this strategy.
Does your work stand out?
Chances are high that your work will be influenced by your favourite artists and their work, which is fine. However, don’t be tempted into simply imitating their style, always try to be yourself first. Also, a painting is more likely to stand out than an unfinished sketch. A thought provoking artwork that can make an impact on the society around it will be valued over a purely aesthetic experience.
A thought provoking artwork that can make an impact on the society around it will be valued over a purely aesthetic experience.
2. You win by being smart about what the organisers would like to see.
As much as you might fear this statement, the judging process will come down to subjective decisions made by the panel. In simple terms, they need to like your work. Even when judges try to be mostly objective in their choices, they tend to favour certain types of art. The same applies to the contest organisers. They want to be associated with a certain type of art. Research this before submitting your artwork. If the contest organisers and judges promote works that align with what you want to submit, go head. If not, you might still become a finalist but you won’t win their contest.
Also be aware of any statistics that won’t work in your favour. If you are one of five thousand contestants entering a contest, the odds of winning are extremely low. Chances are that you will be competing against at least a handful of famous and well established artists, so, unless you are one of them, it can prove very tricky to win.
There is an incredible blog by Katherine Tyrrell, who researches major UK art contest and shares helpful insides about these contests.
3. You win by showing the jury that you have a coherent, high quality body of work and you know how to present it.
The contest organisers always want to be sure that they are promoting someone who is serious and professional. The reason for this is simple: it makes them look good! So prepare your submission accordingly. Winning a contest has far less to do with an art degree, years of experience or sometimes even talent. An extraordinary talented person that lacks all of the above does not have much chance. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. On the positive side, most artists have a shot at winning, if they just put more effort and thought into preparing their submission, when entering the next contest.
Good luck! And hope to see you at Aurore’s vernissage.
