After conducting thorough research on your experiences with Dimensions over the last 50 years, we have taken your suggestions and feedback and are ready to launch a new direction for this beloved program. Thank you all for your patience as we have considered the results and developed a new Dimensions that meets the needs of artists today.

In an effort to remain as transparent as possible, a detailed summary of our findings is available here.

Goals

The thoughtful revisioning of Dimensions has been approved by the SCC Board of Directors and was developed with the following goals in mind:

  • Improve accessibility of the program and increase the value for individual artists, especially those who feel disconnected and alienated by the process;
  • Build community rooted in respect, equity, transparency, and accountability;
  • Balance needs of every member of the community – Artists/Jurors/SCC members/touring venues/sponsors/SCC staff/public;
  • Reframe Dimensions as a unique celebration of fine craft; highlight the anticipation, value, and importance of the program.
  • Create meaningful lasting change that honours Dimensions’ past contributions – create new legacy, establish new exciting patterns and reach new audiences. Be Leaders in our sector;
  • Stop programming out of scarcity and minimal time – be more thoughtful and considerate about our events and goals.
  • Create a new Dimensions roadmap for the future of the organization that addresses past shortcomings and generates new ideas.

History

Dimensions first came into being in the late 1970s when the Mayor of Battleford, Alex Dillabough, lobbied the Government of Saskatchewan for promotional assistance linking craft and the tourism industry. Exhibitions were organized by the Saskatchewan Department of Industry and Commerce in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival. The newly formed Saskatchewan Craft Council provided a jury for one of these exhibitions in 1976, and the first Premier’s Prize was awarded in 1977. From those beginnings, until 2009, Dimensions was presented annually. In 2011, it became a biennial exhibition and is still the only open, juried, touring exhibition of contemporary craft in the province.

 

Small Quirks, Saskatchewan Craft Council Gallery, 2022

Members’ Exhibition

We understand that craftspeople are in constant need of opportunities to show their work, and that one Dimensions exhibition every 4 years does not satisfy that need. Therefore, we have committed to exhibiting one member show every two years as part of our exhibitions program. All SCC Professional Craftsperson members will be invited to exhibit at least one piece in the biennial members exhibition.

Dimensions Jurors

Our research has identified the jurying process to be one of the most challenging aspects of the program for participants. The subjective nature of jurying and the impossibility of eliminating all bias has made us question the claim that Dimensions presents the “best of fine craft”. Instead, the new Dimensions will focus on the celebration of fine craft and the value it holds in community. The exhibition and award selections will continue to be decided by two experienced jurors. We will be accepting nominations for jurors from those who know the work best: the creators. That means that you, as valued members of the craft community, will take part in selecting the most qualified professionals for the job.

 

Hybrid Jurying

You identified that in-person jurying is of primary importance. Dimensions is one of the few juried exhibitions where the jurors select from the physical piece, rather than photographs of works, allowing for a more nuanced and considerate selection. Logistically, crating, shipping, unpacking, assessing and showcasing 200 or more submissions over a short time span is no longer within the capacity of the organization. To honour the tradition of in-person jurying, the new Dimensions will utilize a hybrid jurying process. The first round of jurying will take place online (much like Dimensions 2021 during the height of the pandemic), with a second round of jurying happening in-person, eliminating the need to crate and ship many submissions that are not selected for the exhibition. All submissions will be available to view on an online gallery, while those selected for in-person jurying will be featured in the in-person open house.

Critique and Feedback

Historically, a public critique session follows the final selection, and allows entrants to ask the Jurors question about the jurying process and receive feedback. Though considered a valuable aspect of the program, the critique format has struggled to maintain a balance between commentary on accepted works and non-accepted works. Jurors’ critiques have most often focused on providing feedback on works not accepted, and little attention has been given to what sets the selected works apart. Participants have expressed a general discomfort with the public critique process, and that the feedback they receive would be more beneficial while the work is in production. The juror’s critique will shift focus to the selected works, while opportunities for feedback of other submissions will be provided outside of the public presentation.

Tour

The Dimensions tour has become increasingly challenging to carry out due to significant increases in shipping costs and fewer available exhibition spaces. Your feedback has shown that it is, however, an important aspect of Dimensions that needs to be upheld. The new four-year cycle will allow us to work with tour partners further in advance of exhibition dates to better align with gallery exhibitions schedules. This will also enable us to improve and customize supplementary tour materials and educational tools to each gallery’s needs and broaden this distinctive celebration of Saskatchewan fine craft.

 

 

Timeline
 

YEAR 1 (FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024): Plan & Prepare

Goal: Research and Program Development 

 

YEAR 2 (FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025): Pre-Dimensions Programs

Goal: Education and Creation 

 

YEAR 3 (FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026): Jurying/Exhibition/Awards/Tour Launch

Goal: Exhibit and Celebrate 

 

YEAR 4 (FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027): Tour and Extended Programs 

Goal: Promote and Engage 

Thanks to your participation in this evaluation, we have identified a gap in Dimensions programming where meaningful connections, community, education and artistic development are lacking or absent. Our solution is to dedicate a full year of the Dimensions cycle to promoting education and creation. This will include longer call for entry lead times, community nominations for jurors, Q&A and panel discussions, critique sessions and workshops/demonstrations.  

We sincerely thank you for your honesty, vulnerability and trust through this process. Rest assured that every decision has been made in deep consideration of all your feedback and that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to make your Dimensions experience as meaningful as possible. We believe in a bright future for Dimensions and all other programs and services of the Saskatchewan Craft Council.  

Past Dimensions
Dimensions Catalogues