369-3692341_mq-watercolor-frame-frames-border-borders-border-watercolor_edited_edited.jpg

2025 WSQ Annual Exhibition Entry

Conditions of Entry & Framing Guidelines

Welcome

Welcome to the Watercolour Society of Queensland's (WSQ) 2025 Annual Exhibition! We are thrilled to invite our members to participate and showcase their talent. Please carefully review the following conditions of entry before submitting your artwork. Adherence to these conditions is mandatory for all entrants.

Exhibition Key Dates & Location

Venue: Auditorium, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha
Entry Closing Date: Monday, August 25, 2025
Artwork Delivery: Tuesday, September 9, 2025, between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM
Opening Night: Thursday, September 11, 2025 (RSVP)
Exhibition Dates: Friday, September 12 - Sunday, September 14, 2025
Artwork Collection: Sunday, September 14, 2025, from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Event Judges

Nina Volk (https://ninavolk.com/) brings a comprehensive and unique perspective that combines an extensive art school education with a background in architecture, instilling a deep understanding of composition and structure.

Since committing full-time to watercolour in 2021, Nina has rapidly become an acclaimed artist, earning numerous "Best in Show" and "Best Watercolour" awards at prestigious exhibitions across Australia. Her recognition extends globally, evidenced by her invitation as a guest artist to international biennials. As a popular art educator with large online communities, Nina not only creates exceptional art but also expertly articulates the principles of artistic excellence, and we're honoured she has volunteered to evaluate the diverse works in our exhibition.

Nina Volk

Dr Zoe Porter https://www.zoe-porter.com/ is a cross-disciplinary artist whose work spans the areas of drawing, painting, performance, installation and video. An artist and educator based in Brisbane she has taken up artist residencies both locally and internationally. Zoe gained her Doctor of Visual Art at QCA, Griffith University in 2014 and exhibits regularly in Australia and overseas, with her artwork held in both private and public collections.
Zoe is represented in Meanjin/Brisbane by Onespace Gallery, West End.
WSQ is appreciative to Zoe for taking the time out of her teaching schedule to participate in judging their Annual Exhibition.

Dr. Zoe Porter

WSQ Membership: Entrants must be a current financial member of the Watercolour Society of Queensland (WSQ) at the time of entry.
Originality of Artwork:
- Artwork must be an original creative work produced solely by the submitting artist. Reproductions (e.g., prints, giclée) are not permitted for judged categories.
- Artwork must not be a copy or derivation of another artist's work, a photograph taken by another person, or an image sourced from publications or the internet.
- Artwork must not have been produced during a workshop or art class or have received significant assistance, guidance, or correction from an instructor or other individual.

Prior Exhibition/Award Status:
- Artwork must not have been previously entered into any past WSQ exhibition.
- Artwork must not have previously won any award, prize, or commendation in any public art show, exhibition, or competition (local, national, or international).

Availability for Sale: All submitted artwork, including framed, unframed, miniatures, and cards, must be available for sale during the exhibition period.

Entry Fees: The appropriate entry fee/s must be paid in full at the time of submission. Please refer to the "Entry Fees" section for detailed information.
Commission on Sales: WSQ will retain a 25% commission on the final sale price of all artwork sold during the exhibition, across all categories (framed, unframed, miniatures, and cards).
Framing and Presentation:
- All artwork submitted for judged categories must be framed to professional standards. Specific requirements are detailed in the accompanying Framing Guidelines.
- Artwork for unframed and miniature categories must still adhere to archival and presentation standards, as outlined in the Framing Guidelines.
Artwork Reproduction Consent: Entrants grant the Watercolour Society of Queensland permission to reproduce their submitted artwork (in whole or in part) for media, promotional, archival, and publicity purposes related to the 2025 Annual Exhibition and future WSQ activities, without further compensation. This may include, but is not limited to, website display, social media, print advertisements, and catalogues.
Care of Artwork: While WSQ volunteers will exercise all reasonable care in handling, displaying, and storing artwork, the Watercolour Society of Queensland and its volunteers shall not be liable for any damage or loss of an exhibitor's artwork, regardless of the cause.
Artist Label: For all artwork, artists must affix the official WSQ label (provided by WSQ) to the back prior to delivering the artwork.
Signature Obscurement (Judged Artwork): For all judged artwork, artist to cover signature (on glazing) using a safe, non-adhesive tape that will not leave any residue, prior to artwork delivery.
Volunteer Contribution: All entrants are strongly encouraged and expected to volunteer in some capacity during the Annual Exhibition. Details on volunteer roles and sign-up will be provided separately.
Entry Limit: There is no maximum limit to the number of entries an artist may submit across all categories.

Entrants may submit multiple artworks. An entrant can only be eligible for one of the Traditional Watercolour Category Awards (either Professional or Non-Professional). An entrant cannot be eligible for both. Both professional and non-professional members are eligible to enter the Open Category. Entrants may submit artwork in both the Traditional Watercolour and the Open Categories.

Judged Categories

There are three main awards in two categories as well as a Sponsor's Choice and People's Choice Award which may be selected from any Judged Category. Prizes and certificates will be announced and awarded on Opening Night, except for the People's Choice Award.

A. Traditional Watercolour Category

This category specifically recognises traditional watercolour medium techniques, irrespective of artistic style or thematic content. The Artwork must be painted predominantly with traditional watercolour pigments on a minimum of 300 gsm, 100% cotton, watercolour paper. A maximum of 10% of the artwork's surface area may be covered with gouache and/or ink. Should the WSQ Committee or Judges determine that the use of gouache or ink exceeds the 10% allowance, the artwork will be automatically re-categorised and judged in the Non-Traditional Category.

Awards

The WSQ Committee trusts entrants to accurately assess their status as a professional or non-professional artist for the relevant award categories; however, criteria have been provided for guidance.

WSQ Award - Professional (First Place + 1 Runner Up)
- Widely recognised by the broader art community as a professional artist.
- Has won first place twice or more in previous WSQ Annual Exhibitions.
- Has consistently won awards or placed regularly in other significant art exhibitions and competitions.
- Has been consistently selling artwork for several years.
- Receives payment for tutoring art classes or workshops on a regular basis.

WSQ Award - Non-Professional (First Place + 1 Runner Up + 2nd Runner Up + 3 Highly Commended)
- May or may not have entered WSQ or other art competitions in the past.
- Does not regularly tutor paid art workshops or classes.
- May sell occasional painting, but not as a primary source of income.
- Has won first place only once in a previous WSQ Exhibition (if applicable).
- May have placed as a Runner-Up or received a Highly Commended award more than once in previous WSQ Exhibitions.

B. Non-Traditional Watercolour Category

This category allows for a broader range of media and surfaces, provided the artwork remains fundamentally a watercolour painting and adheres to archival quality standards e.g. salt grains are not permitted as they compromise the artwork's long-term integrity. Acrylic or oil paints are strictly NOT permitted.

Permitted surfaces include watercolour paper (minimum 300 gsm, 100% cotton), Yupo, canvas, Aquabord, and similar acid-free and stable surfaces. All artwork in this category must be suitably mounted and framed; however, canvas and Aquabord artworks may be exempt from glazing if they are correctly sealed or fixed in a floating frame.

Accepted Water-based Media include:

Transparent watercolour pigments
Semi-opaque or opaque watercolour pigments
Watercolour ground
Gouache
Gesso (as a ground or texturiser)
Watercolour/ water soluble Inks (ensure archival and light-fastness qualities)
High-quality watercolour pencils (e.g., Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer, Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle)
High-quality watercolour markers/brush pens (e.g., Winsor & Newton Promarker)

Award

WSQ Open Award (First Place + 1 Runner Up + 2nd Runner Up + 3 Highly Commended)

Other Awards (Eligible from all Judged Categories)

All entries submitted into the Judged Categories (Traditional Watercolour and Open) are automatically eligible for the following awards:

Sponsor's Choice Award: An additional prize in any judged category, as chosen by the exhibition's primary sponsor.
People's Choice Award: Determined by votes cast by exhibition visitors throughout the event. The winner will be announced on Sunday afternoon (14 September 2025). This award includes a certificate of recognition and small prize.

369-3692341_mq-watercolor-frame-frames-border-borders-border-watercolor_edited_edited_edit

Unframed Artwork and Miniatures (Non-Judged)

These categories provide additional opportunities to exhibit and sell artwork; however, artworks in these categories are not eligible for judging or awards. Miniatures may or may not be framed. These works may be produced as either traditional or non-traditional artworks however they are still expected to follow archival and framing standards as set out above and in the Framing Guidelines.

Cards for Sale (Non-Judged)

Display: Two dedicated WSQ carousel displays will be provided: one for original cards and one for print cards.
Dimensions: Cards must be standard-sized and fit into standard envelopes. Display stands can accommodate cards up to approximately 150mm wide.
Labelling: Each card must have a small dot/label displaying your initials, the price, and an 'O' for original or 'P' for print.
Presentation: Each card must be neatly presented in a clear cellophane sleeve.
Pricing: Individual card pricing only; no "bundle" or multi-card discounts are permitted.
Quantity Management: Entrants may bring as many cards as they wish. However, the initial display quantity will be managed to ensure an equitable number of cards from each seller, dependent on available display space. A designated box will be available at the Sales Desk for storing extra cards to replenish the carousels as needed.
Delivery: Please ensure all cards are brought in a suitable storage container clearly labelled with the artist's name.

Entry Fees

Entry fees for the judged categories (framed artwork) are based on the size of the original watercolour sheet used for the painting. The maximum size for a painting (or of a similar size if using other material in the non-traditional category) is restricted to A1 or a Full Sheet size. There are no restrictions on the size of matting or the overall framed dimensions.

Framed Artwork (Judged Categories)

Category	Description	Fees
Large	Full Sheet (76 x 56 cm) OR A1 (84.1 x 59.4 cm)	$20
Medium	Half Sheet (56 x 38 cm) OR A2 (59.4 x 42 cm) OR A3 (42 x 29.7 cm)	$15
Small	Quarter Sheet (38 x 28 cm) OR A4 (29.7 x 21 cm)	$10

Non-Judged Artwork

Category	Description	Fees
Unframed Matted Originals	Any size up to a Full Sheet, presented with a mat.	$5
Miniatures	Original paintings with a maximum surface area of 100 sq cm (e.g., 8 x 12.5cm, 9x11cm, 10x10cm).	No Fees
Cards		No Fees

Paintings submitted to the WSQ Annual Exhibitions must meet archival and professional framing standards to be accepted. These guidelines apply whether you're using a custom framer or framing the artwork yourself with ready-made materials.

Our sponsors, Frame Warehouse, demonstrate many of these steps on YouTube, links are provided where available.

Glazing

Acceptable Materials: Use glass or high-quality acrylic coverings like Plexiglass or Perspex.

Mat Board

Requirement: An acid-free mat board is essential. It serves both as a presentation element and prevents the painting from directly contacting the glazing, which can trap moisture and cause damage from heat.

Hinging

Method: Secure the painting to the mat board along the top edge only, using 2-3 small pieces of acid-free hinging tape. This allows the paper to expand and contract.
Unacceptable Materials: Masking tape must not be used.
Reference: Hinge your artwork - Frame Warehouse

Backing Board

Acceptable Materials: Use foam core or core flute.
Unacceptable Materials: Masonite, MDF, or similar backing boards are prohibited.

Float Mounting

Alternative: Float mounting, where the painting doesn't touch the glass, is acceptable if you use acid-free materials.

Securing within the Frame

Method: Use metal points (often included with ready-made frames) to hold the glass, mat, painting, and backing board securely within the frame.
Reference: Fit your art to the frame - Frame Warehouse

Sealing

Purpose: To prevent dust and insects from entering the frame.
Method: Seal all sides of the back using an adhesive framing tape to cover the gap between the backing board and the frame. Wide paper packaging tape from stationery stores is a suitable alternative.
Unacceptable Materials: Masking tape or duct tape.
Finishing Touch: Adhere felt dots to the bottom corners of the frame.

Hanging

Hardware: Use only metal D-rings to attach a durable cord or wire for hanging.
Reference: Attach a Rope by Frame Warehouse
Positioning: Place the D-rings one-third of the frame's height from the top.
Cord/Wire Slack: Ensure the cord or wire has enough slack so that, when tightened, the top of the cord/wire is approximately halfway between the D-rings and the top of the frame.

Guidelines for Unframed Paintings

Unframed paintings must also adhere to archival standards, using acid-free materials. This includes matting, hinging, and backing boards. For protection and neat presentation, place unframed paintings in a clear cellophane sleeve.

WSQ Equipment

WSQ members have access to mat cutting equipment at the Hub, along with written instructions for its use.

Disclaimer

The Management Committee of the Watercolour Society of Queensland reserves the sole and absolute right to accept or reject any artwork submitted for the Annual Exhibition without providing justification. Their decision in this regard is final.

Entries to the Annual Exhibition have closed as of Monday, August 25, 2025. Please check back in June of next year for details on our 2026 Annual Exhibition.

Entries have now closed