19 April

Competitions closing in May 2013 are rated out of 5 stars

Arts Law has checked the terms and conditions of 18 competitions closing in May 2013 and rated each of them out of 5 stars.  

As posted earlier, CONGRATULATIONS is in order for NAVA's Windmill Trust Scholarship for NSW Regional Artists competition and to The Churchie National Emerging Art Prize and also to the South Australian Living Artists Festival for each receiving a fantastic 5 / 5 stars for their competition terms and conditions.  WELL DONE!

10 of the competitions checked have received 4 / 5 stars for their fairness to entrants.  Generally, all entrants are only providing the organisers with a non-exclusive licence to reproduce their work for the promotion of that competition.  This means entrants retain all rights in their work and can licence their copyright to third parties (to get 5 / 5 stars, these licences should be limited to finalists only!):

  • Manningham Victorian Ceramics Art Award – deadline 1.5.2013
  • Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize – deadline 3.5.2013
  • Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award – deadline 3.5.2013
  • Eureka Prize for Science Photography – deadline 3.5.2013
  • Heartlands Refugee Art Prize 2013 – deadline 10.5.2013
  • Olive Cotton Award for Photographic Portraiture – deadline 16.5.2013
  • Outback Art Prize – deadline 17.5.2013
  • Kogarah Art Prize – deadline 20.5.2013
  • d'Arcy Doyle Art Awards – deadline 29.5.2013
  • Waverley Art Prize – deadline 31.5.2013

3 of the competitions received 3 / 5 stars for their fairness to artists.  The only reason these competitions didn't get 4 / 5 stars was because the licence each entrant provides extends to use of their work BEYOND promotion of the competition.  Best practice would be to reduce the scope of the licence to uses concering the competition only:

  • Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize – deadline 10.5.2013
  • Little Archies Portrait Prize – deadline 21.5.2013
  • Maroondah Photographic Competition – deadline 31.5.2013

Unfortunately, the final 2 competitions we checked receive 0 / 5 stars.

2 of the competitions we checked appeared to have reasonable terms about everything else, but there was no mention of copyright or moral rights.  This suggests neither competition has thought about the licence they require from entrants to reproduce their work for promotional purposes. They should call Arts Law for some assistance!

  • Coonawarra Sculpture Prize – deadline 10.5 2013
  • John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize – deadline 11.5.2013

 

For more information about what to look for when entering competitions see:

Arts Law's Copyright information sheet

Arts Law's Moral Rights information sheet

Arts Law's Competition conditions information sheet

Arts Law's Film competitions information sheet