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truncated · 03.27.2006, 12:03 PM

I brought this up last year I think, but the problem still vexes me.

So I'm running a community Art Festival. It's only our second year, but the first one went really well, so I'd like to continue the trend. I'm judge, jury, and executioner, so when it comes to submissions for entry, I'm the sole voice in deciding who's in and who's out. This is good (I'm a control freak) and bad (others' opinions in these instances would be beneficial).

Here's the thing - technically this is sponsored by a city, so to a degree, I have to be 'public-friendly,' and not alienate the general populace. However, I do want to implement some quality control, and not have shit art.

My problem is, how do I do this as objectively as possible? For example, I personally am not a huge fan of watercolor (depending on the subject/style). However, I can't let my own preferences exclude pieces that others might appreciate.

I thought about giving the festival a theme, but I'm afraid that will narrow down submissions too much.

I don't want the festival to be cluttered with landscapes, birds, Renoir-esque portraits, etc. However, I realize that my personal taste can't be used for universal criteria, so how/where do I draw the line? The first few festivals, when you're in your infant stages, are crucial to establishing reputation, so if these send out the wrong message, all subsequent festivals are doomed.

Any suggestions?

03.27.2006, 12:03 PM	#1
truncated invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 3,607	I brought this up last year I think, but the problem still vexes me. So I'm running a community Art Festival. It's only our second year, but the first one went really well, so I'd like to continue the trend. I'm judge, jury, and executioner, so when it comes to submissions for entry, I'm the sole voice in deciding who's in and who's out. This is good (I'm a control freak) and bad (others' opinions in these instances would be beneficial). Here's the thing - technically this is sponsored by a city, so to a degree, I have to be 'public-friendly,' and not alienate the general populace. However, I do want to implement some quality control, and not have shit art. My problem is, how do I do this as objectively as possible? For example, I personally am not a huge fan of watercolor (depending on the subject/style). However, I can't let my own preferences exclude pieces that others might appreciate. I thought about giving the festival a theme, but I'm afraid that will narrow down submissions too much. I don't want the festival to be cluttered with landscapes, birds, Renoir-esque portraits, etc. However, I realize that my personal taste can't be used for universal criteria, so how/where do I draw the line? The first few festivals, when you're in your infant stages, are crucial to establishing reputation, so if these send out the wrong message, all subsequent festivals are doomed. Any suggestions?
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