Best in Show 2012: 'The Magician's Plumage' by Kirsten Fletcher (photograph Anne-Marie Randall)
Anyone with imagination and skill can enter this competition; the centrepiece of a fantastical festival held in the magical setting of Painswick’s churchyard with its iconic 99 yew trees.
The creativity that this unleashes feeds a year-round calendar of events that allows a wider audience to engage with the artists. Ultimately it will lead to a permanent exhibition of the finest examples of this art.
The Themes for the next festival are:
Entry pack available here.
AC Fest
ENTRY CLOSES IN TWO WEEKS!!! Get yours in now.
We have many new generous sponsors and supporters on board. Visit this page to see who's on board. Great recent news is that the Summerfield Charitable Trust has given us a grant, and that Moulton Haus has just announced sponsorship of the £1,000 first prize for the Independent Designer category.
Wonderful work-placement offers from Nancy Parker Studios, The British School of Millinery, Karen Millen and The John Lewis Partnership. College Student entrants can win one of these placements, together with a cash prize. Great for your CV!
Welcome to our new sponsors, BPE Solicitors. See all our sponsors and supporters for 2013 here.
Want to read our newsletters? They are all available here.
Art Couture is delighted to be part of the Painswick Arts Festival in August. This includes the wonderful Art in the Garden event at the Rococo Gardens. Please click the link for details.
Body Painting entry is now open. See details here.
Calling creative people: design a work of art that can be displayed on the body and enter the Art Couture Festival competition. The number of entries will be limited. And fees increase after 1st May. So get your entry form in early! You have until the day of the Festival to create your fabulous work of art. Just choose your Category and enter.
| Category | Prize level | Award | Sponsored by |
| Independent Designer/Artist | First | £1,000 | Moulton Haus |
| Independent Designer/Artist | Second | £500 | TBA |
| Independent Designer/Artist | Third | Voucher | TBA |
| Open over 18 | First | £500 | Talking Tables |
| Open over 18 | Second | £250 | Fiery Beacon Gallery |
| Open over 18 | Third | Voucher | TBA |
| Open 12-17 | First | £250 | Silkwood Chairs |
| Open 12-17 | Second | £150 | TBA |
| Open 12-17 | Third | Voucher | TBA |
| Open under 12 | First | £100 | Elgar Publishing |
| Open under 12 | Second | £80 | Elgar Publishing |
| Open under 12 | Third | Voucher | Elgar Publishing |
| College Student | First | £500+ work experience | Brian Kirk |
| College Student | Second | £250 + work experience | Newman Fine Arts |
| College Student | Third | Voucher + work experience | TBA |
| Head Gear over 18 | First | £300 | Blushes Salon |
| Head Gear 12-17 | First | £200 | Blushes Salon |
| Head Gear under 12 | First | £100 | Blushes Salon |
Best in Show Trophies will be awarded to best whole body category entry and to the best Head Gear entry.
There will also be a special prize donated by Good Energy for the best use of recycled materials in a creation, as well as a People's Prize which will be voted by visitors to the Festival.
Work experience generously offered by Nancy Parker Studios and the British School of Millinery.
Judges are being recruited for the 2013 Festival competition. So far we welcome:
Mary Wing To, winner of the New Zealand World of Wearable Art 2011
Carole Waller, our honorary patron, and an internationally renowned creator of beautiful silk and glass paintings
Denise Innes, Creative Director of the British School of Millinery
By becoming a Member or Patron of Art Couture Painswick you help us to bring this festival about and to carry us forward to our goal of having a permanent presence for Art Couture in Painswick. There are so many things that we have to provide for, like insurance, printing, display equipment, and all the everyday items that are necessary for it all to happen. Your help can go directly to help aspects of Art Couture that you are particularly interested in supporting, such as student development and school workshops. We are fortunate that we have generous sponsorship that allows us to offer thank-you social events to our Members and Patrons, such as the cocktail party. All the money from our Members and Patrons is used directly to help the Art Couture Painswick Festival take place and be a success.
All 2012 Entrants here: Gallery »
Slideshow AITI slides »
Slideshow from All In The Image and Blooming Photography. Flickr slides »
Check out great video from Inner Demon Video »
And yet another slideshow Live@ACP »
If you would like to order prints from RBM Photography of photos taken in the studio on the day, please follow this link
View all the entrants statements here.
See a list of winners here.
And thank you to ALL entrants. The skill, imagination and sheer hard work that went into these stunning works of art is incredible.
Key Sponsors: Brewin Dolphin, Renishaw, BPE Solicitors, Blushes, Fabric Architecture
Media partner: Cotswold Style
Leigh Young Solicitors for their advice on Intellectual Property issues
