2026 Convention - Juried Show Requirements
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Entry Form
2026 Convention - Juried Show Requirements
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Entry Form
The IADR Convention Juried Show will be open to all attending the 2026 Convention in Florence, Italy. The submission fee for one doll entry for the jury show is included with a convention registration otherwise a fee of 30 Euro will be charged. Each person is authorized only one entry per category (Sculpted Art or Fiber Art) for the juried show competition. To enter a doll in the competition, it must be delivered to the registration table at the scheduled convention time and picked up after the award presentation on Friday evening, May 8th. The convention theme is "Myths & Legends". The IADR is not responsible for any jury show entries not picked up prior to the end of the convention.
IADR juried events are open to all sculptors and makers of one-of-a-kind handmade sculpted art dolls - no matter the medium. Jury Show Competition consists of two categories - Sculpted Art and Fiber Arts. Sculptured Art are welcome in clay, paper-clay figurative sculpture, porcelain, polymer, or other like mediums. Fiber Arts will include all competition entries of wool/needlefelting and cloth dolls. Each category will have five separate skill levels being Novice, Intermediate, Advance, Professional, and Master. There will be an award opportunity for each level when meeting the competition requirement.
Acceptable Dolls for Competition Are*:
- One-of-a-Kind handmade dolls that are human
- One-of-a-Kind handmade busts
- Ball Jointed Dolls (BJDs)
- Fantasy (fairies, mermaids, fantasy animals, etc.)
- Fantasy animals Anthropomorphic dolls (animals acting as humans with human characteristics). Anthropomorphic dolls would be dolls that are upright, presumed to be talking, dressed as humans, or acting as if human. For example, this could include Dragons, rabbits, bears, etc.
- Any One-Of-A-Kind (OOAK) doll that is made from any material.
Dolls We Do Not Accept*:
Dolls made in cold cast porcelain and other materials will be accepted as long as the work is original and unique to the submitting artist. Consideration will be given on a case by case basis for dolls outside the purview of those listed here.
- Pre-manufactured dolls
- Repaint Dolls
- Fashion dolls
- Standard stand-alone Animal, unless they are FANTASY Anthropomorphic animals
- Inanimate objects
- Jewelry such as necklaces, rings, pins or pendants.
Dolls made in cold cast porcelain and other materials will be accepted as long as the work is original and unique to the submitting artist. Consideration will be given on a case by case basis for dolls outside the purview of those listed here.
Instead of the normal cash prize option for other IADR Juried Shows, the 2026 Convention Juried Show will present special awards for each skill level winners. The competition will include the regular skill levels for each of the two categories.
The IADR has divided the Juried Competition Artist's Skill Levels into 5 separate skill levels. They are:
- Novice: An artist who has not won a major award in any previous competition.
- Intermediate: An artist who has won the Novice level award in an IADR Juried Show or has won any major award in any other competitions.
- Advance: An artist who has won the Intermediate level award in an IADR Juried Show or has won two or more major awards in any other competitions.
- Professional: An artist who has won the Advance level award in an IADR Juried Show or an artist who teaches doll making and/or sells more than 6 dolls per year.
- Master: A Master is an artist who has won the Professional or the Best Artist of the Year level award in an IADR Juried Show or an artist who teaches doll making and/or sells more than 6 dolls per year. Masters are for the level where their skill isn't judged as much as do they meet the theme. As such, MASTERS can enter again even if they have won a previous MASTER award. The MASTER category is created to honor their work and inspire us while still allowing other artists a level of competition.
Competition dolls are judged based on three areas (when meeting the competition requirement of having more than one participant for the category and skill level):
- Technical acuity - evaluating proportions and details.
- Interpretation of the juried show theme. The 2026 IADR Convention theme is "Myths & Legends".
- Overall appearance.
Registration for the competition can be completed with the below electronic form or upon checking into the convention on May 8, 2026, during the hours of 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the convention registration desk.
The requirements are:
- Each artist is authorized only one entry per category (Sculpted Art or Fiber Art) for the juried show competition. If entering both categories, a different doll must be used for each category.
- The doll has to have been created after January 1, 2025 and has not been entered into a previous IADR competition. If submitting your application prior to the convention, one photo of the doll is requested (best view) but not required as a photo will be taken of the doll when it is physically submitted for the competition at the convention. The photo doesn't have to be resized and can be entered in any size, as a jpg, jpeg, or png but the it must be 20 MB or smaller.
- One entry fee for the juried show competition is included to 2026 Convention registered guests - if not a registered convention guest the fee is 30 Euro per doll entered. This fee can be paid by clicking the button below:
When entering the competition - either use the form below
or
the doll entry form can be completed when presenting the doll for judging at the convention. The information required is the artist's full name, artist's studio (if applicable), and a space for your interpretation of the entered art doll (interpretation of the juried theme and a few words of storytelling about your creation).
or
the doll entry form can be completed when presenting the doll for judging at the convention. The information required is the artist's full name, artist's studio (if applicable), and a space for your interpretation of the entered art doll (interpretation of the juried theme and a few words of storytelling about your creation).
Once your application has been submitted, please send an email to [email protected] to confirm receipt. Your submission is not confirmed until you receive an email receipt back. Thanks!
Now is the time to start your planning to attend!
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