FI 2028 Prospectus

Fiberart International 2028 seeks to exhibit the best of contemporary art and invites submissions that reflect a wide range of works related to the fiber medium. The exhibition is recognized around the world as a benchmark that documents trends and innovations in the field. The goal of the exhibition is to include innovative work rooted in traditional fiber materials, structure, processes and history, as well as art that explores unexpected relationships between fiber and other creative disciplines.

Fiberart International is produced by Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Inc, a non-profit, member supported organization that promotes the appreciation of fiber art and fosters its creative development and continuance. Since 1967, the Fiberarts Guild has sponsored juried exhibitions that bring innovative contemporary works of art in fiber from around the world to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fiberart International 2028 will feature works by established and emerging artists and will be open to the public from July 7, 2028 to September 23, 2028.

The Fiberarts Guild is pleased to sponsor this twenty-sixth exhibition.

Jurors

Janet Jaffke

Janet Jaffke is a fiber and mixed media artist originally from Chicago, now based in Alsace, France. She earned her BFA in Fiber from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After moving to France in 2013, she shifted her focus from acrylic mixed media back to fiber, exploring materials such as burlap and textiles.
For over a decade, her work has been shown internationally including New York, Paris, Chicago, Florence, and Basel, and has been featured in Fiber Art Now and The Woven Tale Press. In 2024, she was shortlisted for the Hopper Prize and copublished Catch, a book pairing Laurie Shoulter Karall’s writing with her sketchbook images.
She has held residencies in Italy, France, and the U.S., most recently completing a Master Class residency and exhibition with artist-curator Michael David at ArtCake in Brooklyn, New York.

Ann Johnston

“First, Ann learned to sew, then she learned to dye fabric. In between, she earned a BA in Literature from Stanford University, and an MA Geography at the University of Oregon. She taught for the Peace Corps in Lima, Peru, raised two sons in Oregon with her husband Jim, and started quilting. Ann’s years of experimentation with dye and fabric have led to piles of quilts, worldwide travel, and numerous exhibitions and publications. Her collectors respect her viewpoint and her students admire her generosity and skill in teaching what she knows.”

Awards:

The Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Inc. will present over $5000 in cash awards.

Catalog:

A full color catalog of the exhibition will be published. It is essential that the image provided is of a quality that will reproduce accurately and meet the high standards of a professional art publication. Exhibiting artists will receive a complimentary copy. Catalogs will also be available for purchase. All applicants will have the opportunity to preorder the exhibition catalogs.

Calendar:

Submission deadline: August 31, 2027
Notification of jurors’ decision: October 30, 2027
Accepted work due: April 1, 2028
Opening Reception: July 7, 2028
Exhibition closes: September 23, 2028
Return of artwork: artwork will be shipped within two weeks of the closing of the exhibition.
Traveling Exhibition: At this time we are exploring the possibility of traveling the exhibition. Accepted artists will be asked to give permission for their work to travel. All work selected for touring should be available for up to two (2) years beginning August 31, 2028. Work on tour will be insured. Work will be returned upon tour completion.

Entry Requirements:

Up to three artworks per application are allowed.
Entries must be original work completed after December 31, 2025.
All work must be either fiber in content or executed in a fiber technique.
Artists must be 18 years of age or older.
Work must be original in concept and design and not be the result of a class or workshop.
Collaborative works will be considered as a single entry.
Artists submitting both collaborative and individual works must apply separately. The collaborative team will be considered as a single applicant.
Work must not exceed 8’6” (2.60m) in any single dimension.
Artists whose installation artwork is selected must either be available to install their work or provide explicit instructions for our experienced installation staff.

Entry Fee:

$50 non-refundable for up to three (3) entries must be paid at the time of application.

Selection:

Work will be judged from digital images. Selection will be based on the overall quality of the work and its compliance with the standards stated in “Entry Requirements.”
Accepted work will be subject to final approval by the jurors’ representative. Work which differs significantly from the image representing it, will be disqualified and returned to the artist.

Application:

Application is forthcoming and will be available online via CaFÉ – https://www.callforentry.org/

Artists may submit up to three (3) works. Each entry must be represented by two (2) images: One (1) full view and one (1) detail. Works entered, as a multicomponent must be represented by three images: One (1) full view and two (2) details.

Proposals for installations must be represented by three (3) images: Two (2) full view from different angles and one (1) detail.

Please title images with the following format:
“LastName_Title.jpg”
“LastName_Title_detail.jpg”

For each work submitted, artists must provide a brief description including dimensions, materials, and techniques.

Photographing Your Work:

Use a professional photographer if possible.
Each entry should be represented by clearly focused, well-lit images on a neutral background that accurately reflects the work submitted. Color must represent the piece accurately. Proper lighting is essential. Do not use a camera flash. It will cause a “hot spot” on the work. Work exhibited in a frame must include the frame in the digital image. Work framed under glass must be photographed without glass, but noted that it will be displayed with glass.

Digital Submission Specifications:

IMAGE: JPEG or JPG only, up to 5MB, 1200 pixels or greater on the longest side (either H or W), larger file size (should be under 5 MB) is not accepted by CaFÉ.
VIDEO: Only 3GP, WMV, AVI, MOV, ASF, MPG, MP4, M2T, MKV, M2TS up to 100MB with a minimum resolution of 640 x 480; minimum 12 fps.

Selected Work:

Artists will be asked to provide high resolution digital images (full view and detail) for use in the catalog. In the full view, the entire artwork must be clearly visible; the edges of the work must show. Acceptable images should be at 3000 pixels on the largest dimension.
Do not use interpolation or AI (software to manipulate the size of a digital image into a larger size).

Notification:

Notification of the jurors’ decision will be sent through CaFÉ to the artist’s email by October 30, 2027. Fiberart International 2028 will retain the submitted images (accepted and declined) and reserves the right to use the images in publications and gallery publicity. Beyond such use, the artist retains full copyright of submitted images.

Delivery and Return of Work:

Artists are responsible for all costs incurred in delivery and return of accepted artwork. Artists are responsible for insurance of their work while in transit to and from the gallery. Fiberart International will insure artworks while in the exhibition galleries.
Each shipped entry must be packaged in a reusable container for the return of work.
No Styrofoam peanuts. US Shipments must include prepaid return shipping postage and an address mailing label.

International artists should contact Fiberart International to make arrangements for return shipping payments before sending their work to the gallery. Include the insured value if insurance is requested.
Hand delivered entries must be at the exhibition venue by April 1, 2028.

Questions? Contact fiberartinternational@gmail.com