Treasures of Toho Contest

Treasures of TOHO
An Emerging Artist Bead Competition
Toho Prize: The designer of the prize winning entry, the store owner and 1 companion of each will receive round trip airline tickets, train tickets, 4 night's hotel accommodations and 2 meals a day for a 3 day visit in Hiroshima, Japan. While in Hiroshima you will visit the factory and see how these beautiful beads are made, visit the museums at the factory and also do some sight seeing. Travel will be as a group.
Participant Rules:

1. This is a competition for emerging artists - no previous winners may submit their work.
2. All entries must use 80% TOHO beads in any sizes available.
3. You must register with your local store to participate. Materials must be purchased from the store in which you register.
4. All work entered must be original. Please do not submit items that you have learned in classes, from kits or any other sources. Techniques and stitches leaned from any of these sources may be used but the finished piece must be of your original design.
5. Your entries must be submitted to your local store. Your local store will choose one piece to submit to their Toho distributor. The finalists will be on display at The Bead and Button Show 2009 and the winner will be selected by an independent panel of judges.
6. The winning piece from each store will be submitted to your stores TOHO vendor.
7. A completed entry form must accompany each entry.
8. Collaborative work will not be accepted
9. Entries may not be submitted if they have been entered in any previous shows, contests
   or articles.
10. TOHO Beads retains the right to use the work of prize winners in a promotional way including book publications, publicity or photographs with credit to the contributing artist. Directions to be provided by artist if required.

Judging:
Entries will be judged on originality, use of colors, beads and workmanship

Store Rules:
The purpose of this competition is to promote our local stores by making this a store based event. As a participating store you will be responsible for promoting this competition to your customers and you will hold your own judging to find a winning piece. Our hope in holding this kind of competition is that more people will seek out their local bead store for their bead selections. If your customer's design is selected you will also share in the prize.
Rules:

1. A participating store must register by phone, fax or email with their participatjng vendor. Contact your vendor for further details.
   
2. At least 3 qualified people must be involved in an impartial judging of the submitted entries at each store.
   
3. The store winning entry must be submitted with the designer's registration form and a $25 entry fee which covers the cost of returning the piece entered.
   
4. Winning entry will be submitted to the vendor that you registered with and they will hold their own judging, The piece they choose will then be submitted for the final round and the overall winner will be selected.
   
5. The winning entry must be submitted to your vendor by May 1, 2009
   
6. Travel to Japan will take place in October of 2009. Your roundtrip tickets will be provided and if you would like to add more time to your visit you may do so with the hotel and meals at your own expense for days beyond the 3 provided. We would be happy to help you with any arrangements.
   

   

If you are a bead store owner and would like to participate in the contest please contact me for registration forms. If you are a jewelry designer, please encourage your local bead store to register.

Toho has just posted the rules as well: http://www.tohobeads.net/compe/compe1.html

Bead Stores -- download the official rules and entry forms here.

Categories: Bead and Button, Contest, Designers, Jewelry, Toho