Entries for a matter of time, my next travelling exhibition, closed at midnight on 15 January 2016. Putting out a call for entries is always an act of faith. Add a challenging theme and many questions hang in the air. Will enough artists respond? Will the quality of entries be high enough to present an engaging exhibition that merits curatorial time and energy? I never assume anything. However, following my initial review of the entries, I now know that the answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes!
THANK YOU to everyone who helped to promote the call for entries including key supporters Brother International Australia and Expertise Events. And THANK YOU to the 99 artists who, together, submitted 104 artworks for consideration. I understand that artists have many demands on their creative time and I appreciate your support of my curatorial endeavours. It’s going to be a fabulous exhibition!
I will present a more detailed statistical analysis after I have completed my review of the entries and selected the exhibition works. In the meantime, here are some preliminary statistics. The first set of infographics is a timeline analysis. It compares the volume of entries for this exhibition with the volume received for Living Colour and Beneath the Southern Sky. The second set of infographics shows a breakdown by country and region.
Now I am going to climb into my tardis and disappear into a black hole for a few days. It’s going to be a fun ride!
Timeline Analysis
- The first entry was submitted on 21 September 2015.
- The last entry was submitted at 11.07pm on 15 January 2016. Amazingly, no one left it to the last minute!
- The 15 January closing date was much earlier than the other two exhibitions and was very close to the Australian summer holidays. (By contrast, BTSS closed on 25 January and Living Colour closed on 31 January.) Some entrants were organised. 27 entries (26%) were submitted by 31 December 2015.
- 58 entries (56%) came in the final week with 25 (24%) submitted on the last day.
- Overall entry numbers for a matter of time exceed participation in Beneath the Southern Sky but are less than the exceptional participation in Living Colour. Reasons for this shortfall may include the earlier closing date; the comparatively more challenging theme; and entrant fear of competition from a large number of entrants.
Country by Country Comparison
Entries were drawn from all over the world but mostly from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
- Argentina: 1 entry (1%)
- Asia: (Singapore & Taiwan): 3 entries (3%)
- Australia: 59 entries (57%)
- Canada: 3 entries (3%)
- Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland): 5 entries (5%)
- New Zealand: 7 entries (7%)
- Turkey: 1 entries (1%)
- United Kingdom: 7 entries (7%)
- USA: 18 entries (17%)
(Yes, I know that it adds up to 101%. It’s a rounding thing!)
In percentage terms, there has been increased participation by North American and UK/European artists. New Zealand participation has declined. This shift is entirely understandable. The first exhibition, Beneath the Southern Sky, was targeted at artists in the southern hemisphere. The second two exhibitions have broader appeal. In addition, the exhibition tours and social media have enhanced my reach into the North American and UK/European textile communities.
More key statistics will follow. See you on the other side of the time warp that is the selection process.
