About Garden of Quilts:
The Garden of Quilts is a four-day event that includes, classes, demos, trunk shows, a vendor marketplace, meet-and-greet opportunities, and more. The star of this of this event is a two-day, outdoor exhibition of hundreds of quilts submitted by quilts artists just like you from all around the world.
Set within the award-winning, 50-acre Ashton Gardens, the exhibition features a thoughtfully curated collection of quilts from artists on display for two days. For more information on the Garden of Quilts, click HERE.
Application Process
Each quilter may enter up to eight quilts. Each of those eight quilts will require its own registration form. This form is available online below or, if you prefer, can be printed off and submitted via regular mail. Forms must be completed in their entirety – including the required photos – to be considered for selection. Applications will close on July 31, 2024, at which point we will begin the process of selecting show exhibitors.
All applicants will be notified of the approval status of their application by August 6, 2024. Applications whose quilts have been selected will be given further directions at that time on how to proceed.
There is no charge to apply for inclusion. There is however a $25.00 registration fee required of all entrants that are invited to participate in the show. Quilters can submit up to eight quilts. The $25.00 fee is per quilter, not per quilt. Thanksgiving Point is a non-profit organization and will apply this fee to offset the substantial costs involved in handling, protecting, and returning each quilt–therefore making the show sustainable for years to come.
Photography Guidelines
To give us the best sense of your work please upload two photos. The first photo should show the entire face of the quilt (as opposed to draped over a chair, etc.) from edge to edge. The second photo should be a close-up photo that focuses on an approximate 12” square and showcases the piecing and stitchwork. Files should be saved as .JPG/.JPEG, .PNG or .TIF/.TIFF with a 5 MB maximum file size. Please name the photo as the title of your quilt or in some other way that identifies the photos as yours.
Quilt Requirements
Quilts must be no larger than 96”x96”. Quilts can be quilted by hand, machine, or both. To qualify as a “quilt” the piece must consist of three layers (top, middle layer, and backing) with stitching that passes through all layers.
Label
Garden of Quilts requires a label be affixed to the back of each quilt. We ask that this label include the artist’s name, the name of the quilt, and that this name matches the name listed on the registration form. The safety and protection of your quilt is of the highest priority to us, because of this QUILTS THAT ARRIVE WITHOUT A LABEL WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED.
Selection Process
Garden of Quilts is a showcase of quilting that represents the full span of experience, expertise, and mastery. We welcome all quilt submissions – regardless of whether it is your first quilt or fiftieth. Garden of Quilts reserves the right to refuse any piece that presents differently than the photos submitted with the original application.
Copyright
By entering to exhibit your quilt in the Garden of Quilts show, you give consent for Garden of Quilts to use the image as well as the artist’s statement and/or description to be used in the promotion of the event, Thanksgiving Point Institute, Ashton Gardens, and Riley Blake Designs without remuneration to the artist. This permission extends, but is not limited to, use in advertisements, printed marketing collateral, books, magazines, television broadcasts or recordings, multimedia productions, etc. In such instances, every effort will be made to credit the quilt artist in usage.
Outdoor Warning and Liability Release
The organizers appreciate that each quilt is a valuable work of art and we have processes and systems in place to protect the quilts from loss or damage to the best of our ability. Quilt protection is a priority and is taken very seriously by the Garden of Quilts team. Ultimately, Garden of Quilts is an outdoor event. As such, displayed quilts will be subject to the elements. These conditions can include (but are not limited to): sun, wind, rain, dust, dirt, smoke, damage from wild animals, etc. Quilters enter their quilts at their own risk and are encouraged to insure them if potential damage is a concern. Thanksgiving Point, the Garden of Quilts event, its partners, and sponsors assume no liability for the loss or damage of quilts. Each exhibitor will be required to sign a release agreement indicating that you are aware of these hazards, the potential for damage, and accept this risk.
Quilt Delivery and Return
Once you have received notification of acceptance you will be provided specific directions for getting your quilt to Thanksgiving Point. Options will be available to deliver quilts directly to the Ashton Gardens in person for local artists, or through other means such as FedEx, UPS, or the US Postal Service. Cost of delivery to Thanksgiving Point is the responsibility of the entrant. Due to the large number of quilts, Thanksgiving Point cannot guarantee that any special packaging–such as pillowcases, Ziploc, or vacuum-sealed bags will be returned.
PLEASE NOTE. DO NOT SEND YOUR QUILT UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF ITS ACCEPTANCE.
After the show, quilts will be processed and shipped from our campus by October 1, 2024. Local exhibitors are welcome to arrange in-person pick-up if desired during two in-person pick-up events on Monday, September 23, from 2-7pm or Wednesday, September 25, from 9 am – 2pm. Otherwise, return shipping via an established carrier is covered by the Garden of Quilts. If you desire your package to carry additional insurance or wish for a signature for delivery, please designate this on your application. Please note there will be an extra charge for those who select these options to cover the costs. See application for further details.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Submissions accepted: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 15, 2024 through July 31, 2024 at 11:59 midnight MST
Notification of quilt acceptance: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .On or before August 6, 2024
Quilt receiving: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 7, 2024 through August 31, 2024
Setup: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thursday, September 12, 2024 (Ashton Gardens closed to public)
Quilts taken down: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 14, 2024 at 8 pm
Quilt return (in person): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 23 and 25, 2024
Quilt return (Shipped): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beginning October 1, 2024
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