Procedure 2023

PROCEDURE on organization of International Competition Woodcraft

XIV International folk-crafts festival “Ax Day”

1. General provisions

1.1. The present document sets forth the procedure for “Woodcraft” category group of XIV International folks-craft festival “Ax Day” (Festival).

1.3. The Festival takes place annually at the Okolitsa rural park (Zorkaltsevo settlement, Tomsk Region, Russia)
1.4. The objective of “Woodcraft” category group is to retain and popularize the worldwide and national practice of artistic woodcraft.

1.5. Dates of the XIV International Festival of Folk Crafts “Axe Festival” – August 15-20, 2023.

2. Categories of the Festival

2.1. There is no set theme for the Festival.

2.2. “Woodcraft” group has three categories:

Category «Garden sculptures».

This category is for individual artisans and teams of not more than two people.
The artisan shall make a garden sculpture or a sculptural composition from a log, the artistic basis of which is a storyline determined by the master. The organizers will provide logs, measuring up to 6 m in length and 400-600 mm in diameter. The height of the finished piece must be at least 120 cm. The materials for work shall be provided right the work begins, taking in consideration requests in applications.

Category «Woodcarvers».

This category is for individual artisans (no more than one person making one object).
The participants shall use cut timber to make one of the following: an artistic board, a bench, a composition of objects or window casing moulding with carving.

3. Artisan admission criteria of the Festival

3.1. Participants must be at least 18 years of age.

3.2. The Festival Organizer holds a contest of applications, sketches (models, optionally) of the objects that the artisans intend to craft at the Festival, and the artisans’ portfolios to select those allowed to participate.

3.3. The applications shall be submitted from May 10 until June 25, 2023 in the form of scanned documents at axefest.tomsk@gmail.com or by filling in the electronic form at the Festival website providing the following:

● For «Garden sculpture» and «Woodcarvers» categories:

– Participant’s registration application as per the form, attached hereto;

– Sketch (model) of the object that the applicant intends to craft at the Festival.
It is allowed to provide a photograph of the sketch (model) that the artisan intends to craft at the Festival if it is made from four perspectives (front, back, left and right) under natural daylight.

– At least 5 photographs (portfolio) of objects made by the team’s artisans, indicating when and where these were made and placed, or links to social network pages or websites of the artisans.
The drawings and sketches of the objects intended to be crafted at the Festival shall be compiled in one archive named as follows: “Participant’s name, surname”.

3.4. The Organizing committee of the Festival shall review the submitted applications from June 26 until June 30, 2023. Upon reviewing, one of the following decisions shall be made:

– Accept the application to partake in the Festival;

– Suggest that the applicants correct their application;

– Deny the application to partake in the Festival/

3.5. The decision of the Festival Organizing committee to deny an application is final without appeal or reconsideration. The sketches and models attached to an application will not be returned and cannot be used in future by the Organizers.

3.6. The winners and prizewinners of previous “Ax Day” festivals held in the Tomsk Region shall have preferential right to participate in the Festival.

3.7. The artisans and artisan crews, whose applications were denied, will be included in the reserve pool of Festival participants.

3.8. In case some artisans or teams that were allowed to participate in the Festival fail to come to the Festival, the Organizing committee may at its own discretion accept an artisan or a team from the reserve pool.

4. Conditions of participation in the Festival

4.1. Based on the results of the application contest, the Organizing committee shall send invitations to the teams, whose applications were accepted, within the time stipulated in the Festival Notice.

4.2. The team that has received an Invitation shall confirm their participation in the Festival via e-mail (social media or cellular connection) or communicate their inability to participate through the same means of communication within 10 calendar days from the Invitation date of issue.

4.3. In case a team whose application was accepted fails to provide such written confirmation of participation in the Festival, the Organizing committee may decide to deny such team’s participation in the Festival.

4.4. The artisans and teams participating in the Festivals will be provided with the following to create their work:
1) Working area with 220V power supply;
2) Required logs (cedar, pine) and cut timber (pine, cedar) as per the participant’s application;
3) Sharpening service and minor repair of tools;
4) Gasoline and motor oil;
5) Required metal goods and grinding materials;
6) Colorless substance for fire and biological protection.

4.5. The Organizing committee undertakes to provide the following for the artisans and teams accepted to the Festival:
1) Pay the cost of travel to and from the place of residence to the Festival location, amounting to actual costs with the following limits:

For artisans and teams from Volga, Ural and Siberian federal districts of Russia – the cost of railroad ticket in open-plan carriage, or the cost of economy class flight if the difference in cost compared to a railroad ticket is insignificant;

For artisans and teams from other regions of Russia, and foreign participants – the cost of economy class air ticket;
If the participants would like to receive compensation for fuel used to reach the location by car, railroad or airline tickets purchased in advance, they should independently contact the Organizing Committee of the Festival beforehand to approve the above.
2) Paid accommodation in comfortable hotel rooms of the Festival partner. For the purpose of preliminary preparation of working materials and tools, as well as completion of unfinished work during the Festival, a participant is allowed to stay in a hotel no more than 3 days before the start date of the Festival and no more than 3 days after the end date of the Festival.
3) Three paid meals per day during the Festival (from August 15 through August 20, 2023, breakfast on August 21, 2023);
The costs of accommodation and food outside of the hotel or Okolitsa park shall not be compensated to the participants.
4) Transportation according to the Festival program, meeting and seeing-off at the airport or railroad and bus terminal of Tomsk.

4.6. The participants shall use their own electric-, gasoline- and handheld tools.

4.7. The participants shall take care to provide themselves with warm, waterproof clothing and footwear in case of bad weather during the Festival.

4.8. If the participants want to use premade parts and components or draft quality timber, this shall be discussed with the Organizing committee at the stage of application submission.

4.9. If a participant begins the work prior to the official start of the Festival, this will be penalized with subtracted points during the evaluation of their work.

4.10. The works made at the competition shall become the property of the Organizers upon the end of the Festival.

5. Awarding ceremony

5.1. The winners and prize winners of the Festival will be decided by the Judge panel of professional artists, sculptors, architects and individuals representing the partners of the Festival.

5.2. The Judge panel will evaluate the works, based on the following:
1) Artistic concept;
2) Quality of woodcarving;
3) General look of the structure;
4) Structure’s durability and installation reliability;
5) Compliance with safety requirements.

5.3. In “Garden sculptures” category, the Judge panel will award the first three places and twelve special cash prizes.

5.4. In “Woodcarvers” category, the Judge panel will award the first three places (with money prizes).

5.5. The Judge panel and the Organizing committee may decide on special money prizes to participants and teams.

5.6. The Judge panel may decide to not determine the winners in specific medal places.

6. Safety and responsibility.

6.1. Safety is the responsibility of the Organizing committee and the participants of the festival within their areas of competence.

6.2. The participants of the Festival are personally responsible for compliance with HSE and fire safety requirements while using their tools.
The Organizers will provide a safety briefing for the participants during the technical opening ceremony (August 16, 2022), and the participants will have to sign the relevant document or write a denial of responsibility. Failure to do so will result in denial of participation in the Festival.

6.3. During the events of the Festival at Okolitsa park, it is strictly forbidden to use alcohol and alcoholic drinks, drugs, mind-altering and toxic substances. In case any of the above is revealed, the participants will be eliminated from the Festival and lose the right for compensation of any incurred costs.

6.4. Elimination of and artisan of a team from the Festival will be documented via a Certificate which will indicate the reason and state the denial of participation.