Call for Submissions

New Brunswick Contemporary Quilt Award 2021

Deadline: Sunday, 3 October 2021

The Marco Polo Quilters Guild and the New Brunswick Museum are proud to present the biennial, juried New Brunswick Contemporary Quilt Award (2021).

The award winning quilt will be purchased for the permanent collection of the New Brunswick Museum.

The award was conceived by Kathy Coffin, a member of the Marco Polo Quilters Guild, who generously donated funds raised by the sales of her original appliqué pattern of the Purple Violet, a beautiful design depicting our provincial flower.

The purpose of the New Brunswick Contemporary Quilt Award is to ensure that quilts made after 1960 in New Brunswick are represented in the New Brunswick Museum’s collection.  In the past 50 years or so, there have been major changes in quilt-making tools as well as in the methods used for making quilts.  Some quilts have moved off beds onto walls and, with this expansion in their use, different styles of quilts have developed.  Ultimately, if it is to tell the most complete story, the New Brunswick Museum’s quilt collection must include examples of what has been happening in quilt-making in New Brunswick since 1960.

The following criteria will be considered as part of the selection process:

• The quilt must have been made since 1960.
• The quilter is a resident of New Brunswick.
• The quilter is a member of a New Brunswick quilt guild.
• Workmanship will be reviewed closely.

Submission procedures:

• Deadline for Submissions: Sunday, 3 October 2021.
• Submissions are restricted to three pieces per quilter.
• Initial selection will be made from photographs. Two photographs of each piece must be submitted – an overall view and a view of details.
• Quilters are urged to submit pieces of all sizes and approaches.
• Please include an artist’s statement, which might also include the story behind the quilt and any other pertinent information that may be of interest to the jury.
• The jury will choose up to three submissions as finalists. Quilters will be notified by telephone to arrange delivery of selected quilts to the jury.

Jury Procedures:

• The jury will consist of five members selected by the Marco Polo Quilters Guild and the New Brunswick Museum.
• The jury reserves the right to approach quilters and encourage their submissions in order to increase the array of submissions.
• Depending on submissions and funding, the jury reserves the right to present more than one award.
• All jury decisions are final.

Submissions should be addressed to:

New Brunswick Contemporary Quilt Award
New Brunswick Museum
277 Douglas Avenue
Saint John, New Brunswick, E2K 1E5

or by email to:

Peter.Larocque@nbm-mnb.ca