The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers’ Charitable Trust – Basketry of the Year Competition 2025

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BASKETMAKERS

BASKETRY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
2025

fully funded by the Company’s Charitable Trust

1st Prize Traditional Basketry £2000
1st Prize Contemporary Basketry £2000
2nd Prize £1250
3rd Prize £750

This competition is open to basketmakers from the UK and EU. The closing date for entries is the 7th May 2025.

This full list of competition rules is also published in the November edition of the BA Journal . Initial judging of photographs will take place in May and the eight finalists will then submit their objects for the final judging in July.

Competition entries to be sent to Ann Clark
Trade Liason Officer of the WCOB
[email protected]

COMPETITION RULES
One single object per entrant (groups of objects are not permitted).
Object must have been made in the 12 months preceding the closing date.
Object must not be bigger than 60cm x 60cm.
Send 5 good photos of the object that show the inside base, the outside base, the side of the object, border if appropriate and the whole item to Ann Clark. The first round of judging will be based on these images.
Each entry must include the following information:-
a)   the name of the object.
b)  your own specification as to category; traditional or contemporary.
c)  give your name only on your covering email together with full contact details
d)  you may include in your covering email details of any membership of a basketry organisation or BA or Yeoman member. but this is optional.
e)  information on the date made, technique used and materials used pinned to photos.
f)  dimensions in metric and value for sale or insurance.
g)  a brief statement giving full permission for The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers Charitable Trust and the Basketmakers Association to use these photos for future publicity or projects.

JUDGING
The first round of judging will take place in May 2025. All entrants will be informed of the finalists. Up to eight finalists will then be asked to send their objects to a specified address by a specific date in early July. Courier/postage costs can be reimbursed by presentation of a receipt.

EU entrants can have their shipping costs reimbursed provided a receipt is sent. These entries cannot be returned, however.  It would be helpful to inform the TLO of the date when the object was despatched to allow for customs delays.

The judging of the finalists will take place in July.
The Judges decision is final. All finalists will be informed of the winners and the winning  results published in the BA Journal.

The four prize winners will be invited, with a guest, to the Company’s Banquet at Mansion House (usually early September)  to receive their prizes and certificates. Tickets (and travel costs up to £200) are paid for by the Charitable Trust but not accommodation. Winners from the EU will be offered tickets to the banquet but not travel costs.

All prize winning objects become the property of the Worshipful Company to be displayed at important events and later to be auctioned to raise funds for the Charitable Trust. The remaining objects will be returned to their makers unless they are in the EU.

The two first prize winners are ineligible to enter again for at least three calendar years from the closing date for entries in 2025.

THE NEXT COMPETITION WILL BE HELD IN 2027.

Sasha Keir
Chair of the Trade Committee WCOB