Who can enter?
Forming part of the RDA National Championships, the annual Arts & Crafts competition is always an incredibly popular event. Not only does the competition provide a brilliant opportunity for riders, vaulters and carriage drivers to express themselves through art, but also, as it is open to all participants of all ages in RDA, it gives everyone a chance to take part in the RDA National Championships in some way, and to achieve recognition.
We’re always amazed by entrants’ creativity and imagination! As in previous years, we’ll be offering entry classes for both individual and group artwork, and these can be drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, textile creations and photography.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to involve families, schools, colleges or care centres, too, as participants are welcome to create their artwork at any time – in RDA sessions, in the classroom or at home.
How do groups take part?
We recommend that groups speak with their Regional Chairman as soon as possible for specific dates and deadlines for the regional round of judging, as it will vary from region to region. Please contact RDA National Office on 01926 492915 if you are unsure of who your Regional Chairman is, or how to contact them.
The winners from all classes in the regional rounds will qualify for the finals, which will be judged on Saturday 11th July 2020, at the RDA National Championships at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire. The winners for all Arts & Crafts classes, in places 1st – 6th , for both Junior and Senior sections, will be announced on the same day.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ARTWORK NOW DOES NOT NEED TO BE RELEVANT TO RDA/ RDA ACTIVITIES. Entries in all classes should have an overall equestrian theme, but will not lose marks if they do not clearly feature RDA specifically.
Definition of Artwork Types
Artwork entered in the wrong class will not be judged – so please avoid any disappointment by carefully
reading the following definitions of ‘Pictures/ Painting and Drawing’, ‘Collage’, ‘Sculpture’ and ‘Photograph’ for the purposes of this competition:
Paintings/Drawings: Artwork must be produced using pens, inks, crayons, pencils or similar, with no details stuck on, or extra embellishments added.
Photography: Entries in this class must be photographs taken by the entrant themselves, to show off their photography skills. Still digital or analogue camera (film) prints acceptable. Please ensure that written permission has been obtained from any people featured (if applicable) before sharing any images. Please do not frame pictures with glass, or use heavy or fragile frames.
Collages: Artwork must be created by sticking different materials such as photographs, pictures, coloured paper, fabric etc. onto paper or card, canvas, a sheet of fabric etc. Collage classes will also encompass embroidery pieces, on a flat canvas or cloth. Work must be one-sided and be wall-mountable. Please do not frame pictures with glass, or use heavy or fragile frames
Sculptures: Artwork can be in any material. Sculpture classes will also include any textile work that is multi-dimensional and not flat. Please note the size restrictions for these classes, and the portability of the artwork.
Please speak to Fiona Harris at RDA National Office if you have any queries about artwork design or sizing: fharris@rda.org.uk / 01926 492915
