Judgement Day- Are Juried Shows Worth It?

Competitions are what you do as a good exercise. (Maya Lin)

  Walking from one display wall to another, notebook in hand, I could feel that each artist had created art unique to their own vision. I had agreed to select the best in each category and the best in show. How does anyone do that well- with sensitivity and fairness, clarity, bravery? I recognized right away that the choices would be filtered through my own taste, and that was all I was doing. That is what all judges do, whether it's picking prizes in a show or jurying for entry into a prestigious group or event. Remember that if you choose to enter any juried event. It's up to you to make what is your personal best, judges are working with their own prejudices.

  Why enter shows, then? Why indeed, you may not want to. That is a valid choice, and I salute you. But, I also think there are many things to gain from entering a juried event, and if you can do that with a healthy detachment you could use the process to gain experience and maybe insight into how you might be perceived. Someone may see your work and take an interest. That can be useful. (Try to keep your detachment if you win the competition.)

Main Street Afternoon. Private collection. Online competition winner.

 1. Feedback. For the show I judged, I decided to take a few minutes with each selection for the awards  and write a couple of sentences explaining what in the art made me choose it for the prize. I felt that if it were me I would like the feedback, as another view on how my work was communicating. It seemed as useful as the prize to me to get an objective comment from the judge. This is one reason to enter juried shows-feedback you might be able to process. I don't think you always get that, but you might.

  2.  Experience. You have to pass a jury to attend a residency, or participate in many of the interesting shows out there. Get some experience by entering shows, especially the free or almost free ones. The best way to hone your presentation skills is to prepare a number of presentations.

  3. Resume building. Shows, residencies, awards, and acceptance into juried arts organizations are all good for the reputation and the C.V. You just have to remember to update your artist materials, that can be more difficult than actually passing the jury!

  Only you can tell if juried shows are for you, but think about it. It's part of the art process these days.