Submitting works for calligraphy exhibitions

I have submitted my works for calligraphy exhibitions in the past (like this one and this one), but those were done through my calligraphy teacher. Since last year, though, I have started to submit them on my own, since my teacher has retired.

It started with the exhibition by the calligraphy society that I belong to. This was then followed by the Mainichi Shodo Exhibition because my teacher used to take part in this exhibition and I promised her I would try to do the same. I also found the Sankei International "Sho" Exhibition and decided to submit a work too. This was followed by my submission to the Kanagawa Art Exhibition. I also plan to submit a work to The New Year Exhibition of Sankei Sho International Association (産経国際書展新春展) that will take place in January 2025. I am also interested in the exhibitions by the Dokuritsu Shojindan Foundation (Independent Sho Artists), with the Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition (独立書展) in January and the Dokuritsu Selective Sho Exhibition (独立選抜書展) in June.

So I thought I would consolidate the rough dates for these exhibitions, which I hope I can consistently take part in going forward.

Dokuritsu Selective Sho Exhibition 独立選抜書展: Deadline in end March, actual exhibition in June

Mainichi Shodo Exhibition 毎日書道展: Deadline in mid April, actual exhibition in July

Sankei International "Sho" Exhibition 産経国際書展: Deadline in mid May, actual exhibition in August

Kanagawa Art Exhibition 神奈川県美術展: Deadline in mid June, actual exhibition in September (Note: The actual submission deadlines is in early July, but it needs to be framed and so the deadline is mid June in practice)

Onchikai Shodo Exhibition 温知会書道展: Deadline in mid October, actual exhibition in mid December

The New Year Exhibition of Sankei Sho International Association 産経国際書展新春展: Deadline in end October/early November, actual exhibition in January

Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition 独立書展: Deadline in mid November, actual exhibition in January

This gives me an average of about two months to prepare for each exhibition, although the submission deadlines means that I will likely prepare for the Dokuritsu Selective, Mainichi, Sankei, and Kanagawa exhibitions more or less together over a span of seven months, and the Onchikai, Sankei New Year, Dokuritsu Sho exhibitions together over a span of five months. I will likely standardise my submissions to works on 2x6 feet paper (二六尺), except for the Sankei New Year exhibition, which I will be submitting works on hansetsu paper (半切) due to the rules for that exhibition, and the Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition, which accepts submissions on 2.6x6 feet paper or 2x8 feet paper. 2x8 feet paper is the largest paper size usually used in exhibitions, and is known as 二八尺 in Japan (although paper is usually sold as 1.75x7.5 feet, or 53x228 cm) and a similar size is called 尺八屏 (53x234cm).

Which works out to 400 to 800 sheets of 2x6 feet paper each year, or 8 to 16 reams (sold in reams of 50 sheets), since I was once told that you need to practice at least 100 sheets for an exhibition... plus another 100 to 200 sheets of hansetsu paper, or 1 to 2 reams (sold in reams of 100 sheets) and another 100 to 200 sheets of 2x8 feet paper, or 2 to 4 reams (sold in reams of 50 sheets). That's on top of whatever other practice that I want to do and the monthly "homework".

That's a lot of paper... good thing the city accepts all that paper for recycling.

Now to think about what to write for each exhibition...

Summary

Submissions:

March: Dokuritsu Selective Sho Exhibition 独立選抜書展
April: Mainichi Shodo Exhibition 毎日書道展
May: Sankei International "Sho" Exhibition 産経国際書展
June: Kanagawa Art Exhibition 神奈川県美術展
October: Onchikai Shodo Exhibition 温知会書道展
October: The New Year Exhibition of Sankei Sho International Association 産経国際書展新春展
November: Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition 独立書展

Exhibitions:

June: Dokuritsu Selective Sho Exhibition 独立選抜書展
July: Mainichi Shodo Exhibition 毎日書道展
August: Sankei International "Sho" Exhibition 産経国際書展
September: Kanagawa Art Exhibition 神奈川県美術展

December: Onchikai Shodo Exhibition 温知会書道展

January: The New Year Exhibition of Sankei Sho International Association 産経国際書展新春展

January: Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition 独立書展

 

Update 7 October 2024: I thought about it and decided that I won't be submitting pieces for the exhibitions by the Dokuritsu Shojindan Foundation (Independent Sho Artists) for the time being so that I can focus on those that I have already attempted, plus cut down on costs since submitting pieces incurs costs (submission fees, on top of the money spent on paper and ink). This means I won't be submitting pieces for the Dokuritsu Sho Exhibition (独立書展) in January and the Dokuritsu Selective Sho Exhibition (独立選抜書展) in June for the time being.