Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Quilt National
What is Quilt National?
Why is Quilt National at the Dairy Barn?
Why are these objects called quilts?
How are the works selected for the exhibitions?
What happens to the quilts after the exhibition closes?
How can I get an entry form for the next Quilt National [QN '09]?
Has any quilter been in all of the Quilt National exhibitions?
Which quilter has had the most quilts shown in the Quilt National exhibitions?
What are the eligibility requirements for QN '09?
Are group quilts eligible for submission to Quilt National?
Will there be a QN '08?

What is the criterion for the Cathy Rasmussen Emerging Artist Memorial Award?

What is the criterion for the Persistence Pays Award?
What is Quilt National?
Quilt National is a biennial international juried exhibition of contemporary innovative quilts. The first Quilt National was shown in 1979. Quilt National '09 will be the sixteenth in the series of these exhibitions.
Why is Quilt National at the Dairy Barn?
Quilt National is the brainchild of fiber artist Nancy Crow who was living in Athens in the late 1970s. She and other artists were making quilted objects that featured unfamiliar patterns. These contemporary quilts, as they were called, were not meant to be bedcovers, and they were not welcome at most quilt shows. Crow believed that the world needed an exhibition that would showcase quilts that were designed for walls rather than beds.
After having been abandoned for nearly ten years, the dairy barn was scheduled for demolition. As the result of efforts by a group of artists and art-lovers, the barn was saved and The Dairy Barn Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center, a nonprofit organization, was established.
This new arts center was the perfect place for an exhibition of innovative quilts.
Why are these objects called quilts?
The definition of quilt is contained in the rules and requirements, noted on the entry form. It has evolved over the years. The current definition is: The work must possess the basic structural characteristics of a quilt. It must be predominantly fabric or fabric-like material and must be composed of at least two full and distinct layers -- a face layer and a backing layer -- that are held together by hand- or machine-made functional quilting stitches or other elements that pierce all layers and are distributed throughout the surface of the work.
How are the works selected for the exhibitions?
The works are selected by a jury. The jury includes three individuals: two internationally recognized fiber artists and one person whose area of expertise is somewhat broader. They select the quilts from digital images (full view and detail being shown simultaneously). The jurors have no idea whose work is being viewed; they only know the dimensions and title of the work. Each artist is given a number and the works submitted by that artist are designated "A", "B" and "C". Until the very end of the process, the scoring is done in silence. Because of the scoring system, it is impossible for one juror to either include or exclude a particular work.
What happens to the quilts when the exhibition closes at the Dairy Barn?
At the conclusion of the exhibition at the Barn, approximately 75 of the quilts begin a two-year tour to galleries and museums throughout the country. Nearly all the host venues will have less than 30 of the works on display. Those who see Quilt National at the Dairy Barn are the only ones who see the entire collection.
How can I get an entry form for the next Quilt National [QN '09]?
The entry deadline of QN '09 is 5 September 2008. Entry forms are available on this web site. Click here for the form. If you would prefer to receive a printed form in the mail or want to be sure that you are on the mailing list, please contact Kathleen Dawson by clicking here.
Has any quilter been in all of the Quilt National exhibitions?
No. There have been 15 exhibitions since the first one in 1979. Jan Myers-Newbury and Linda MacDonald have been in thirteen of them.
Which quilter has had the most quilts shown in the Quilt National exhibitions?
In the first exhibitions, quilters were allowed to have more than one quilt displayed. As a result, Jan Myers-Newbury, who has been in twelve exhibitions, has had 15 quilts displayed. Linda MacDonald has had 14 quilts displayed.
What are the eligibility requirements for QN '09?
The work must possess the basic structural characteristics of a quilt. It must be predominantly fabric or fabric-like material and must be composed of at least two full and distrinct layers (a face layer and a backing layer). The face layer may be described by any or a combination of the following terms: pieced, appliquéd, whole cloth, stitch/fused to a foundation. The face and backing layers must be held together by hand- or machine-made functional quiliting stitches or other elements that pierce all layers and are distributed throughout the surface of the work. At least some of these stitches or elements should be visible on the back of the work. As an alternative, the work may be a modular construction (an assemblage of smaller quilts). Each individual module, however, must meet the above structural criteria.
All work must be the result of independent effort. Work must not be the product of an instructional setting in which another artist has provided guidance and/or suggestions.
The work must be an original design, not a copy nor a varation on the original design of another artist working in an other medium.
All entries must be NEW work completed after September 1st, 2006. The recent modification of an older work DOES NOT make the work eligible unless the artist can document significant differences between the original and revised versions of the piece. The following works are NOT eligible:

Any work that was completed prior to September 2006 and/or has been published anywhere or exhibited anywhere prior to May 2009.

Any work that was submitted for a previous Quilt National.

Any work that does not meet the structural requirements of a quilt as stated in the entry form.
Any work that exceeds 108 inches in either the horizontal or the vertical dimension.
Any work will have appeared, prior to May 2009, in an American fiber arts exhibition that draws artists and/or visitors from more than 100 miles its venue
Any work that will have appeared, prior to May 2009, in an American publication that has national and/or international distribution
Any work that has appeared after September 1, 2006, on an internet site other than your own.

If you have a question about the eligibility of a particular work, please contact the QN staff. If the jurors accept a work that is later discovered to have been ineligible for submission, the work will be removed from the collection and the artist will be prohibited from submitting work for future Quilt National exhibitions.
Are group quilts eligible for Quilt National?
Works that have been created through the combined creative efforts of more than one person are eligible for Quilt National. Artists who are members of a creative team of three or more may also enter as many as three additional works that they themselves have created.
Will there be a QN '08?
No. As a complete exhibit, Quilt National occurs only in odd numbered years. There was a Quilt National exhibition in Athens in 2007. However, the touring exhibit drawn from QN '07 will be shown during 2008 and 2009 in various venues. The touring exhibit drawn from QN '09 will be shown during 2009, 2010, and 2011. For a list of the tour sites, click here.
What is the criterion for the Cathy Rasmussen Emerging Artist Memorial Award?
Granted to a first-time Quilt National exhibitor, this award has been funded by Studio Art Quilt Associates as a way of providing encouragement to an emerging quilt artist.
What is the criterion for the Persistence Pays Award?
Created to honor the memory of Quilt National's longtime director, Hilary Fletcher, this award is granted to the first-time exhibitor who has entered Quilt National the most times before gaining acceptance.

Home Background Purpose & Philosophy
Selection Process About the Entrants About the Artists
Works in QN '07 About the Dairy Barn
Art Quilts in Perspective