How to participate (step by step)

Application deadline: February 10, 2020

The international pastel artists contest "PASTELium" is open to artists from any country in the world. All participants in the competition have equal rights and are evaluated by jury members according to the same criteria. The contests is held in several countries around the world. The next contest and exhibition "PASTELium" will be held in St. Petersburg.

Dates of the contest in St. Petersburg: March 2-8, 2019.
Registration for the contest: until February 10, 2020.
Exhibition address: Exhibition Hall of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists (St. Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya street, 38).

The sequence of registration for the contest:

The competition is held in two stages - semi-final and final. All competitive applications sent to the organizing committee within the specified terms are credited to the semi-final. Exception: works that violate social norms, insulting the feelings of believers or politically engaged are not allowed for the contest.

Stage 1 (semi-final):

The author or his impresario sends the following set of registration materials to the Organizing Committee:

1) application form (download in format Word, PDF);
2) labels for each competition entry (download in format Word, PDF);
3) photo of the author (at least 3x4 cm in size);
4) photographs of competitive works (not less than 200 dpi, not more than 20 Mb);
5) copy or screenshot of payment of the registration fee; See the cost of participation in the section:
 
After the author sent registration materials to the Organizing Committee (to the address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), he receives two notices:
а) первое извещение: автоматическое уведомление - автоответчик, подтверждающий, что материалы поступили в оргкомитет для обработки;
б) the second notice from the administrator, indicating the "Participant number" assigned by the organizing committee (the number is placed on a label that the Organizing Committee sends to the author). The number of labels corresponds to the number of submitted works.

Jury / Expert Council:

In the period from February 11 to February 16, 2020, the jury will evaluate the submitted works. The Expert Council / Jury consists of leading pastel artists from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Middle East and Australia. The list of members of the jury of the contest in St. Petersburg will be posted in the section "Jury of the contest in St. Petersburg."

Stage 2 (final):

The finalists will be announced on February 18, 2020. Full rating of all submitted works will be published on website. Works that have received maximum points will be presented in the exhibition space. The number of works presented at final exhibition is at least 60, or at least 6 works in each nomination. At the finals the original works or their photocopies, decorated in a frame, are exhibited.
Authors who receive an invitation to participate in the finals must prepare their works for exhibiting.

Requirements for paintings:

  • All works must have a standard design - mat, frame and protection of the work (glass or plastic). The use of museum glass is encouraged. Use of plastic instead of glass is allowed.
  • Frames should be neutral in color and shape..
  • Passepartout for paintings is allowed in shades of white, gray or black.
  • The picture submitted to the exhibition must correspond to the digital image uploaded at the time of application. Otherwise, the organizer may refuse to accept the work.
For the final of the contest the author provides a work prepared for exhibiting (the requirements are specified in the section "Regulations"). In case assistance in the design is required, the Organizing Committee is ready to provide the necessary assistance in the design of competitive works. The design cost, including glass and frame, is as follows:
 
40x50 cm wood - 23 euros
40х50 cm aluminium - 26 euros
50х60 cm wood - 29 euros
50х60 cm aluminium - 32 euros
60х80 cm wood - 37 euros
60х80 cm aluminium - 40 euros
 
The organizing committee is not responsible for the loss or damage to the picture, or frame during delivery and hanging. The space we rented for the exhibition is equipped with security cameras. The exhibition administrator is present in the gallery during the exhibition.

Transportation and delivery of works to the exhibition:

Day of finalists works acceptance: March 2, 2020, from 11:00 to 15:00; Address: St. Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya street, 38.
In case the author does not have the opportunity to bring paintings to the Exhibition Center of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists strictly on March 2, 2020, from 11 to 15.00, it is possible to entrust transportation of in person participance art objects to the organizing committee. Collection of works for transportation is carried out in Moscow and Minsk.
Transportation Cost:
- transportation from Moscow 8 euros / canvas / for each direction "Moscow - St. Petersburg" or "St. Petersburg - Moscow",
- transportation from Minsk: 11 euros / canvas for each direction "Minsk - St. Petersburg" or "St. Petersburg - Minsk"
Dates and addresses of in person participance work acceptance for transportation:
1) Acceptance of works in Moscow: until February 26, 2020, at the address: 8/2 Krymsky Val street, Moscow, "Union of Artists" Office, 1st floor (metro station Oktyabrskaya).
3) Acceptance of work in Minsk: until February 23, 2020, at the address: Minsk, Storozhevskaya street, 8 (1st entrance), workshops (preliminary call +375 44 77 999 68, +375 17 230 51 33).

During the finalists' exhibition, numerous master classes and pastel lectures will be held. Contest participants (semi-finalists and finalists) have the opportunity to take part in the programs held at the competition by pre-registering. 

The end of the exhibition and the issuance of works

At the end of the exhibition, the author or trustee receives paintings, according to the card/transfer act. Date of issue of art objects: March 8, 2020, after the end of the award ceremony (from 17.00 to 20.00).