International Batik Competition
The Batik Guild, UK
Deadline: 30.09.2024

The Competition Opening date is January 1st 2024 and the Closing date is September 30th 2024.

Please pay your $10 USD entry fee, then proceed to fill out the form and submit your work. An application form and entry fee is required for each entry.

We are proud and pleased to announce an International Batik Competition in the year 2024 to 2025.

We invite all Batik artists to submit one high resolution jpeg of their Batik art (above 1 MB please) plus one detail jpeg in the following categories:

• Representational/Figurative Batik
  *Only those on fabric using dyes will be accepted
• Abstract Art Batik
• Traditional Batik
• Mixed Media Batik
• Apparel and Home Decor Batik
• Natural Dye Batik

Each piece of art should be titled with dimensions and the materials used.

The entries will be judged by an international team of Batik experts.

Prizes will be awarded and the Winners’ art will be exhibited at a major Art Museum.

All inquiries can be sent to info@batikinternational.com.

The International Year of Batik | 2024-25
Sponsored by the Batik Guild, the “International Year of Batik 2024-25” is an ambitious project aimed at furthering the goals of the Guild. It will be a year of concentrated effort to both publicise the Art of Batik globally and to bring it to the world’s attention as well as legitimizing it as a difficult and valid art medium.

To that end, we have built an International Year of Batik website, a Batik Secretariat, to collect, collate and publicize all the Batik shows, exhibitions and workshops that will be held across the world in that year. It will feature the work of as many batik artists as possible and will be a forum for debate and discussion, It will post articles and videos about the art and its techniques and will publicize an International multi-category Competition which will be the spearhead of the whole campaign. 

The Batik Guild is an International non–profit (making) organization, financed by its members’ subscriptions and run by volunteers. It was founded in 1986 by a group of artists in London, who were students of Noel Dyrenforth. Noel was Chairman from 1987 – 2004. He was made Honorary President of the Batik Guild in 2007. The Batik Guild has presently just under 150 members – Over 50% of the membership are from Overseas.

Both amateur and professional artists, teachers and those who simply enjoy batik, work together to promote an understanding of batik, both in its traditional and historical origins and in contemporary, creative work. A Batik Guild Magazine is produced three times a year to encourage an exchange of views and information. The Guild website, www.batikguild.org.uk, provides a wide range of information about batik, exhibitions, workshops and publications. In the last 5 years, the use of other media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Zoom – have given regular opportunities for the dissemination of members’ batiks, techniques and close contact around the world.

Exhibitions have been held in many parts of the United Kingdom, including the 2006 – 2007 touring exhibition, funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Members have represented the Batik Guild at Conferences in Boston, U.S.A.; Warsaw, Poland; Ghent, Belgium; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Saitama, Japan; and Guiyang, Guizhou, China. Many members have exhibited in exhibitions and have both taught and attended workshops in Java, Indonesia; Japan; Canada; U.S.A.; Australia; and several countries throughout Europe.

The Batik Guild book ‘Batik Transitions – From Classic to Contemporary’ (published in 2006 to accompany the travelling exhibition) has sold over 2000 copies and can be purchased via the website. Members are able to apply for a biennial scholarship award established with the Temenos Academy in memory of Thetis Blacker, to facilitate the study or research of the art of batik. Winners since 2009 have come from the U.K., Ghana and Indonesia. Fundraising events have raised money to support small groups and educational activities in Java. The future activities of the Batik Guild will endeavor to fulfil the original aims to ensure that this vibrant, unique, technically–challenging art will continue to flourish for generations to come. 

An International Batik Guild exhibition was held in 2022 in Wales, UK, to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Batik Guild (a year later than planned). In June, 2023, Rudolf Smend celebrated his 50th Anniversary since he founded his gallery – the Smend Galerie in Cologne, Germany. He invited batik artists who had shown in his gallery before to exhibit one piece of batik. Next year, the Batik Guild will be setting off their ‘International Year of Batik, 2024-25’ with an International exhibition at the Naples Botanical Garden in Florida, from May 4th – June 30th, 2024.

More information: https://batikinternational.com/international-batik-competition/

https://www.batikguild.org.uk/

Also check out the various Batik Classes and Workshops: https://batikinternational.com/classes-workshops/