Image: On the Brink (detail), Ann Goddard.

Entries are now being invited for The Fine Art Textiles Award 2020. Now in its second year, the international juried competition recognises the place of textiles amongst fine art and is open to all amateur and practising textile artists. The first competition attracted 150 entries and UK artist Ann Goddard won the Award for On the Brink, a 3D wall hanging made from bark cloth, sticks, entomology pins and wire, informed by the effects of human activity on nature. Runner up for the Most innovative use of textiles was Marilyn Rathbone for her work, Self-Avoiding Walk.

Image: Recovery Quilt III: Out Of The Dirt, Karina Thompson.

Work presented for The Fine Art Textiles Award 2020 must be considered to be fine art, standing alone as visual art and be rooted within the medium of textiles, with cloth and thread used as the pivotal materials/media. Entries must reflect the artist’s inspiration, source, concept or idea, with a fully resolved composition. Both 2D and 3D works are welcome with the exception of garments, unless those garments present as fine art. All disciplines, processes and media are welcome so long as the key, pivotal materials are textiles. 

Image: Self-Avoiding Walk, 2017 - 2018, Marilyn Rathbone.

Competition judges have included acclaimed textile experts, educators and artists Diana Harrison, Jan Beaney, Jean Littlejohn, June Hill, Alice Kettle and Lesley Millar. Shortlisted entries will be exhibited in a dedicated gallery at The Festival of Quilts at the NEC Birmingham and at the Textile Galleries at The Knitting & Stitching Show in London and Harrogate this autumn. £5,000 in prize money will be awarded to the winner at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony on Thursday 30 July.

Award entry information can be found on The Festival of Quilts website at: www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk.

The deadline for entries is 27 April 2020.