Art. 1 - AIM
The Cultural Association Blob ART ETS has announced a prize competition for artists, with the aim of promoting and enhancing Contemporary Art. The competition envisages the selection of 80 works, divided into five sections: Painting, Graphics, Photography, Video-Performance, Sculpture and Installation; the realisation of an exhibition event; the publication of a catalogue; the awarding of cash prizes; six special prizes offered by Italian and international art galleries and a prize offered by the Poliart company. The exhibition of the finalist works, the voting and the awarding of prizes will take place in Livorno at the "Museo Civico G. Fattori ex Granai di Villa Mimbelli" from 21 September to 5 October 2024.
Art. 2 - ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
This competition is open to all contemporary artists worldwide. There are no age restrictions or thematic constraints. The five categories are:
PAINTING CATEGORY
Basic selection criteria will be the quality, research, originality and contemporaneity of the work. There will be no restrictions on subject, technique or style, as long as the work is pictorial. By pictorial work is meant any use or manual intervention in oil, tempera, acrylic, industrial paint, ink, engraving, graphite, watercolour, vinyl, on any type of support, even pre-printed; techniques such as collage and multi- material applications are permitted. The maximum size allowed for each side of the work is 200 cm.
GRAPHICS ARTS CATEGORY – ON PAPER
The graphic arts category will accept two-dimensional, traditional, or digital media works. The selection will be based on the key criteria of quality, planning, research, originality, and the work's contemporaneity. Artistic techniques accepted in the graphic arts category are: drawing, watercolour, gouache, collage, digital drawing, works executed with various graphic techniques, and the multiple types of flat, digital, relief, and cable printing (Giclée, offset, xylography, engraving, lithography, screen printing, etc.). Finalist works will be set up on monitors or traditional two-dimensional media (artworks must not exceed 150 cm on each side.)
PHOTOGRAPHY CATEGORY
The selection will be based on the key criteria of formal quality and conceptual originality of the artwork. There are no thematic restrictions. Media accepted for the competition are digital and analogue photos, colour and b/w photos, and all the expressive means of photographic art. Artworks must not exceed 200 cm on each side.
SCULPTURE and INSTALLATION CATEGORY
The selection of the artworks will be based on the criteria of quality, research, originality, and contemporaneity. In the Sculpture and Installation category, the use of raw or manipulated materials, media, objects, and expressive means, both traditional and innovative (sound art, kinetic art, video and sound installation, etc.) is allowed. The artworks may include interactive elements such as moving electrical or mechanical parts, sounds, lights, and videos, used separately or in combination. Artworks should be registered by sending photos, videos, or audio files. Artworks must not exceed 4 x 3m with a maximum allowed height of 3m.
VIDEO ARTS - PERFORMANCE
The Video Arts – Performance category is open to video artworks and performance art, experimental animations, video research, abstract videos, and video portraits, excluding fiction. Videos shall run for a minimum of 1 minute to a maximum of 30 minutes.
Art. 3 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR REGISTRATION
Interested artists may register by April 30 May 31, 2024 using one of the following methods:
a) ONLINE At: https://www.premiocombat.it/register you can access the entry form: within the form you can choose your section and upload your desired works.
b) SHIPMENT BY POST, COURIER OR HAND DELIVERY The envelope, addressed to the head
office of the Prize at Associazione Culturale Blob ART, Via Luigi Boccherini, 22 - 57124 LIVORNO – ITALIA must
contain:
- the Application form
- a short biographical statement
- a picture of each artwork (maximum
size: 20x30cm), specifying on the back: name and surname of the artist, title, size, technique,
dimensions
- the copy of proof of payment of the registration fee payment
Art. 4 - REGISTRATION FEE
The registration fee, which covers part of the organizing costs, is Euros 55 (fifty-five) for the first artwork submitted and Euros 35 (thirty-five) for each additional artwork. It is possible to enter more than one artwork in one or more categories. Where more than one artwork is submitted, a cumulative payment should be made. The registration fee should be paid in Euros, and applicants are responsible for paying any bank fees or commissions. Fees are not refundable.
The acceptable payment methods are:
- Online by credit card via PayPal on https://www.premiocombat.it/register (if the card is not registered in the artist's name, please write both the name of the holder and the name of the artist at info@premiocombat.it)
- Bank transfer to: Blob ART ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE with the reference 'PREMIO COMBAT PRIZE and artist’s name and surname. Bank details: Banco Posta, filiale di LIVORNO, ITALY - IBAN IT67 A076 0113 9000 0009 7568 935 - Bic/Swift BPPIITRRXXX
- Western Union: to: Name: Paolo - Surname: Batoni - Address: Via Luigi Boccherini, 22 - City:
Livorno - Country: Italy.
The transaction code must be stated on the application form.
Art. 5 - BENEFIT
The registration to Combat Prize gives the right to the free activation of a BASIC account on the platform of promotion and sale of artworks T.O.E. Art Market. To activate the account on the platform is necessary to click on the link https://www.toeartmarket.com/register, subsequently select the BASIC account, and insert the promo code that will be sent via email after the registration.
Art. 6 - PUBLICATION OF ARTWORKS
Works of art entered in the Painting, Photography, Graphic Arts, Video Arts - Performance, Sculpture, and Installation categories will be published online on the Combat Prize website. At no additional cost, each artist will have a personal page featuring the artwork in the contest and up to three other artworks that complement it along with descriptions. The complementary artworks can be added, at no charge, after registering the competition piece/s but will not be considered in the final selection. Artists who do not wish to appear on the site can choose the option "I do not agree" when registering: the artworks will not be visible to the public and will only be accessible to the judges.
Art. 7 - JUDGING PANEL AND SELECTION
A seven-member artistic judging panel will select the finalist works. After the initial shortlisting of the submissions, selected artists will be asked to send their original artworks to be included in the group exhibition. The selected shortlist will consist of 30 works from the Painting category, 10 from the Graphic Arts category, 20 from the Photography category, 10 from the Video Arts - Performance category, and 10 from the Sculpture and Installation category. All transportation costs (delivery of the artwork to the Organization premises and its return to the artist) shall be covered by the participants. Judges will select the winners in the five different categories, the winner of Combat Prize and the winner of Special Prize Poliart. Concerning special prizes, each gallery, independently from the judging panel, will select an artist among the eighty finalists for the assignation of GALLERY prizes. Judges’ decisions shall be final.
Art. 8 - PRIZES
Prizes will be distributed as shown below:
€ 10.000 (ten thousand) to the winner of Premio Combat
Section Prizes:
€ 1.500 (one thousand five hundred) to the winner of the Painting section *
€ 1.500 (one thousand five hundred) to the winner of the Sculpture/Installation section *
€ 1.500 (one thousand five hundred) to the winner of the Photography section *
€ 1.500 (one thousand five hundred) to the winner of the Graphic Art section *
€ 1.500 (one thousand five hundred) to the winner of the Video–Performance section *
* (the winning artwork will remain property of the artist)
SPECIAL PRIZES
Gallery Prize - Realisation of a solo or group exhibition or site-specific project, in the 2024-2025 exhibition season. The Special Prizes will be realised in cooperation with galleries and independent spaces, which will be published on the website on the 'Special Prizes' page https://www.premiocombat.it/en/special-prize.
Special Prize Poliart * - The leading makers of polystyrene foam will reward an artist selected among the finalists by supporting the production of a new artwork.
* As required by the law, a tax of 25% will be withheld from all prize money. The winning artworks of the Combat Prize will become property of Blob ART Cultural Association. The winning artworks of the Painting, Graphic Art, Sculpture and Installation, Photography and Video - Performance will and Special Prize Poliart remain property of the artists.
Art. 9 - SPECIAL PRIZE - GALLERIES
Each gallery, independently from the judging panel, will select an artist among the eighty finalists for the award of GALLERY prizes to start a new collaboration with a site-specific project or a solo show. All the exhibitions and events will take place in the exhibition season 2024 – 2025. Blob ART Cultural Association will participate in the realization of the project as an integrated press office and will grant a partial reimbursement of expenses to the gallery for the management of the event. Blob ART Cultural Association will not be responsible in any way for economic arrangements and the type of the event. Shipping, insurance, and anything else necessary to the realisation of the event will be agreed upon exclusively between the gallery and the winning artist. Awarded artists can renounce the prize, but the renunciation excludes any other form of compensation or indemnity from the gallery and Blob ART Cultural Association.
Art. 10 - SPECIAL PRIZE - POLIART
Poliart, leading makers of polystyrene foam, will reward an artist selected among the finalists by supporting the production of a new work. The technical specifications of realization are visible on the special prizes page. The artwork will remain the property of the artist.
Art. 11 - STAGES AND DEADLINES
Registration Deadline April 30 May 31, 2024
Announcing of the selected 80 finalists May 25 June 28, 2024
Finalists Exhibition from 21 September to 5 October 2024, at "Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori ex Granai di Villa Mimbelli" Livorno, Italy
Award announcement and Ceremony Saturday, October 5, 2024
Art. 12 - CATALOGUE
The catalogue will contain critical texts written by the judges in Italian and English. Copies of the catalogue can be purchased at the final exhibition, or online from the publisher’s website. Each finalist will receive a free copy while participating artists will enjoy a discount.
Art. 13 - LIABILITY
The organization, Blob ART Cultural Association, will ensure the greatest care of the artworks in its custody. However, it will not be liable for theft, fire, or any damages to artworks or people that might occur during the organization of the event. Any insurance request should be submitted directly by the participants.
Art. 14 - AGREEMENT
Competition participants authorize the Cultural Association Blob ART and its legal representative to use their personal data according to the Italian privacy law (Legislative Decree 675/96 et seq. 196/2003), including the entry into databanks managed by the organization. Participants shall grant all reproduction rights to the submitted artworks and texts, free of charge, to the Cultural Association Blob ART and its legal representative, for the publication of the catalogue, publication on the Prize website, and any other forms of communication, promotion, and activities of the Organization. Submitted materials will not be returned. The Prize organizers have the right to make a final decision on any matter that is not specified in these competition rules. The Organization reserves the right to amend these competition rules when necessary. Registering and participating in the competition implies the knowledge and total acceptance of these rules.
