Westarctica Art Expo
The Westarctica Art Expo is an semi-annual art showcase hosted by the Minister of Culture that is open to any citizen of Westarctica. The expos are held online, with users digitally submitting a photograph of their work. The first of these expos was held in 2018.
Overview and Structure
Submissions are accepted from any citizen of Westarctica. Restrictions on the mediums represented are generally very relaxed. As this is not a competition, there are no winners, per se. Instead exceptional work is recognized through one of three selection categories.
- The Crown Selection: This recognition is bestowed at the sole discretion of the Grand Duke of Westarctica. They may elect not to bestow this honor.
- The Council Selection: This recognition is bestowed by a vote of the Royal Council.
- The Citizen's Selection: This recognition is bestowed by a vote of all Westarctican citizens.
Selection honorees are eligible to be named an Honored Artist of Westarctica if they have not yet been named as such. There are also plans to have these pieces featured on Westarctican stamps, in the future.
Creation
In mid 2018, as part of Grand Duke Travis's desire to cultivate a sense of community in Westarctica, he developed the idea of an art expo with Duke Jordan of the Bear Peninsula, who was the Minister of Citizenship & Immigration at the time. It was announced that the first expo would be held that summer.
List of Expos and Selections
| 2018 |  |
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| 2019 |  |
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| 2023 |
2018 Expo
The 2018 Westarctica Art Expo was held in July and August of 2018. This expo was hosted entirely on the Citizens of Westarctica Facebook page. As this was the first expo, there was only a single category: Westarctica.
There were twelve submissions covering a wide array of mediums, including traditional paintings, photography, and physical art/sculpture. Three pieces received special recognition for excellence. The creators of these three pieces were named Honored Artists.
- The Crown Selection was Duke Jon-Lawrence of Moulton-Berlin's piece titled "Moon over Mount Moulton."
- The Council Selection was Duke August of Fox Grove's piece titled "Chainmail Inlay of Westarctica Flag."
- The Citizen's Selection was Esther Viola's piece titled "Portrait of Grand Duke Travis and an Adélie Penguin."
2019 Expo
The 2019 Westarctica Art Expo was announced on 20 February of that year and was held in October of 2019. There were a number of changes and improvements made to the process, including hosting the expo on the official website, expanded categories, and allowing people to submit anonymously or under an assumed name. The submission window for the Expo opened on 9 September 2019.
There were eleven submissions covering a wide array of mediums, including traditional paintings, photography, and writing. Three pieces received special recognition for excellence. The creators of two of these pieces, Dame Christine McPhee and Wyatt Hill, were named Honored Artists.
2023 Expo
Entries to the 2023 Expo may be sent via email to culture@westarctica.info