VISUAL ARTS

Also see the General Information page on Family Living/Arts & Crafts for further information.

 Acceptance of Entries

• Pre-registered entrants will receive one free admission ticket to the fair (per person not per item).

To preregister your entry: hillsborough.fairwire.com

• • Online Entry by September 1, 2021 at:
  • Mail your completed, signed exhibitors’ entry form received by September 1, 2021 to:

Hillsborough County Fair
Visual Arts
PO Box 100
Sydney, FL 33587

• All Fine Arts and Photography/Mixed Media Photography:
  All entries must be hand delivered to the fairgrounds one of the following times:
  Friday, September 17 from 5pm to 8pm
  Saturday, September 18 from 2pm to 6pm
• All entries must be accompanied by a completed entry form, if not pre-registered.
• No entry fee is required

Release of Entries

• All entries must be picked up from the fairgrounds on Monday, October 4th between 10 am and 6
• No entries being exhibited will be released before the close of the
• Entries not picked up during the specified date and time will become the property of the Hillsborough County
• All premium monies and ribbons will be issued upon release of

Best of Show winners may have the opportunity to showcase their entries at the Brandon Library. Best of Show winners will be notified by the Hillsborough County Visual Arts Committee to be given instructions on item display and pickup.

Judges

• The Danish System will be used for judging.
• All judges will be qualified to judge Visual
• Awards will be given on a merit basis based on the intended theme, design, composition, mastery of medium, technique, and
• The decision of the judges is
• Premiums will be awarded based upon the judges’
• Judging results will not be given over the
• The judges and/or chairman reserves the right, at their discretion, to disqualify any art containing inappropriate
• Best of Show awards will be given at the discretion of the judges. Best of Show awards must go above and beyond the standard level of craftsmanship and may not be awarded per class/per lot.

Eligibility

• The Fine Arts and Photography/Mixed Media Photography competitions are designed to exhibit the work of Adult and Youth. Entries are restricted to those that are a Hillsborough County resident OR are enrolled in a Hillsborough County School (public, private, homeschool, etc.) OR are a member of a Hillsborough County 4-H extension or FFA Chapter.  AMATUER STATUS ONLY!
• Fine Arts entries should be original and not older than two years. No entry previously shown at the Hillsborough County Fair will be accepted.

VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT 

Note: All 2-D art work should have appropriate installed screws and wire for all framed entries and be ready to hang.

2-D Flat Work                                                   2-D Flat Work (Junior)

Lot:

1. Acrylic
2. Oil
3. Watercolor
4. Mixed Media

• Adult (Age 18+) art will be judged according to their respective
• Youth Art will be defined and judged in three (3) categories: Elementary School (grades 1st-5th), Middle School (grades 6th-8th) and Secondary (grades 9th-12th).

PHOTOGRAPHY/MIXED MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION GUIDELINES AND RULES

Entered Items Specifics

• The skill level defined in the divisions are:

Exhibitors may enter two (2) pieces per Class in Photography (each in a different lot). One (1) image may be entered in Mixed Media Photography. There is no fee required for entry. These rules are to protect the exhibitor as well as make the overall display consistent for judging and viewing.

• The Hillsborough County Fair will not accept any photographs using software to enhance the photo. You may remove red eye and crop as necessary ONLY! No nudes or vulgar displays will be allowed.
• If you are processing your own prints in a school darkroom please state this on your entry
• Photographs must be 8” x 10” printed on photo paper, gloss or matt, unless exhibiting an Alternative
• All photographs must be matted on a standard single weight WHITE Mat board. Finished size should be “11 x 14”.
  To be securely mounted on a backboard and a window, cut to fit the size of your photograph.
• Each item entered must have your name, address, phone number and brief description of the item written in ink on the back for identification
• All Mixed Media Photography must be framed. The frame must be securely wired and ready to hang using screw eyes and wire only.
• Judging is based on Visual Impact, Composition, Quality and Appeal. B&W and Color prints taken with film and processed in a darkroom will also be judged on proper contrast and light control. B&W film may be toned with Sepia, Blue and/or Copper toning.
• All Photography/Mixed Media Photography contestants must agree and sign that all their photographs were taken, and that all their work was completed, within the last 9twelve months. And that they have not enhanced their work using digital software other than red eye removal and
• The judges and/or the chairman reserve the right, at their discretion, to disqualify any prints containing inappropriate
• Entries that infringe upon copyright laws will be
• It is the goal of the Hillsborough County Fair to display all entered items together. However, due to limited display space and other considerations, the Hillsborough County Fair reserves the right to choose which entered items will be displayed in the main photography exhibit
• No entered items will be removed before the closing of the Fair
• Any category may be cancelled due to a lack of submissions in that category.
• Every precaution will be taken to protect exhibits. However, the Hillsborough County Fair, its officers and agents are not responsible for any accident, loss or damage.
• All decisions affecting competitions and the interpretation of rules are vested in the Hillsborough County Fair.

The Photography/Mixed Media Photography competition is open to Elementary School, Middle School, Secondary and Adult exhibitors who may enter two (2) pieces per Class in Photography (each in a different lot). One (1) image may be entered in Mixed Media Photography. No fee is required for entry.

Lot:

1. Human – people present in the photo
2. Animals – animal, insects, birds, fish,
3. Plants – Trees, plants, flowers,
4. Places – architecture, theme parks, buildings, statues,
5. Miscellaneous – photographs that do not meet the previous lot criteria (sandwiched photos, alternative processing)
6. Fair Theme

Lot:

1. Human – people present in the photo
2. Animals – animal, insects, birds, fish,
3. Plants – Trees, plants, flowers,
4. Places – architecture, theme parks, buildings, statues,
5. Miscellaneous – photographs that do not meet the previous lot criteria (sandwiched photos, alternative processing)
6. Black & White
7. Fair Theme

Lot:

1. General
2. Fair Theme

(You may enter one image in this category)

 All rules above apply for Mixed Media Photography with the addition of the following:

You will use two or more additional media including your photograph. Overall dimensions will be the same 11” x 14” before frame. However, your photograph may be less than 8” x 10”.

Your photograph may be torn, cut or woven. You may use paint, scrapbook materials, paper of any kind, feathers, or leaves. Be creative in your project. Judging will be based upon your creative mastery of the combined work, your design color combination and overall creativity and imagination.

In order for your entry to be accepted it must be framed and ready for hanging with screw eyes and wire.