I guess everyone has those times when things just don’t go according to plan. Well, it’s been happening to us too, and the result is that the eagerly awaited EAC Over 60s Art Awards 2010 have just become the EAC Over 60s Art Awards 2010-2011.
Why?
It all started with a discussion in May, about how we might develop the Art Awards; about how we might do things differently in order to improve them and also make them attractive to a wider range of people.
We considered:
- Entry Fees – could we reduce them, at the same time weighing up the likelihood that sponsorship is likely to be very difficult to come by this year?
- Website Development – last year, 28% of entries came in online, and during the voting for The EAC People’s Choice Award, over 100,000 web pages were viewed from 50 countries. How could we encourage more artists to participate in the competition online?
- EAC Creative Awards? Why does EAC restrict itself to ‘Art Awards’? Why not broaden out to celebrate creativity across the Arts?
- Exhibition Venue – transport links make a London exhibition the most convenient for the greatest number, but ought we to be looking at moving the exhibition out of London, both for considerations of cost, as well as of inclusivity?
But it’s the exhibition venue that has caused the rethink and the delay. Over the last 3 months we have looked at, contacted, and/or visited what must be approaching 100 venues up and down the country. We’ve approached community spaces, town halls, public and private galleries, National Trust venues, hotels, temporary exhibition spaces in vacant shops, cathedrals, corporate head-offices….in London, Birmingham, Bath, Leeds etc etc…. you name it, we’ve tried it! But frustratingly, and surprisingly, to us at least, to no avail. Reluctantly, we have admitted defeat in the quest to find the perfect venue, at reasonable rates, in time for a December 2010 exhibition, which had been our preferred option.
But not defeat overall, as we are committed to making the 2010 Art Awards happen…even if they have to overlap into 2011! We are therefore continuing our search for a venue over the next few weeks, and with a longer lead-in time to a Spring Exhibition, we are confident that the perfect place will materialise. This is where you might also be able to help. EAC has a loyal following of thousands of artists who might just know the very place to hold the 17th EAC Art Awards Exhibition. If so, we would delighted to hear from you. (As many of you will know, we need a gallery space for up to 150 exhibits, with good access and reasonable transport links. We have a gallery spec with further details, if you would kindly take the time to contact us.)
So what will happen now?
Whist we have been on the quest for that elusive venue, we have also been updating our website. Rather than delay any further, we will make the www.eacartawards.org.uk website live from 29th July 2010. This will carry all up-to-date info and news over the coming weeks, and is also set up to accept online entries and postal entries immediately, should any intrepid and extremely keen artists feel so inclined. We will also be in touch by post for those without internet access. Hard copy publicity and entry forms will follow later, once venue and dates are clarified.
Meanwhile, making the most of the opportunity of the rescheduled Art Awards 2010, why not enter our first EAC Photography competition?
