Canterbury Area Exhibition 2026
15–27 September
Pūmanawa Gallery : community exhibition space
The Arts Centre, First Floor, Boys’ High, Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch
We acknowledge and thank Creative Communities for supporting this exhibition
Selectors: Kerry Bulmer, Cushla O’Connell, Patricia Took-Stevens
Three Classes of Entries
Selected Class
Entries for this will go through a selection process. Each entry will be shown to a panel of three selectors, on a totally anonymous basis. Selectors will be given details about the entry, such as the entry name, the description etc, but no details about the maker.
Entrants must be a member of Creative Fibre. Any member may enter this class, including first time exhibitors and students who are members of Creative Fibre.
Entries in this class will be eligible for any of the advertised sponsored awards except those specified for the other two classes. These awards will be determined by the selection panel, based on the categories and specifications given by the sponsor of each award.
Entries may be made available for sale, with a 15% commission fee. This should be built into the sale price. Sold items must remain in the exhibition until the closing date, after which customers may collect them. The selectors may choose to select an item for display in the exhibition but withdraw it from sale.
Entry fees will be $10 per item if for sale, $15 per item that is not for sale. This will be refunded for any entries not exhibited.
Open Class
Entries into this class will not go through the formal selection process.
Entrants must be a member of Creative Fibre, and not have had anything selected for any previous Creative Fibre exhibitions.
Only one entry per person, and entrants may only enter this class once. In future exhibitions, even if this class is offered, entries must go into the selected section.
Entries in this class are not eligible for most of the sponsored awards but there will be one ‘People’s Choice’ award, sponsored by House Of Felt (https://thehubhornby.co.nz/store/house-of-felt/) of a $200 voucher. This will be decided by popular vote of exhibition visitors and awarded after the exhibition closes.
Entries into this class may not be allocated as much display space as those that have gone through the selection process. Every effort will be made to display everything, but if there are too many entries into the exhibition to fit comfortably into the gallery space, the organisers reserve the right to limit the number of items displayed from this class.
Entries may be made available for sale, with a 15% commission fee. This should be built into the sale price. Sold items must remain in the exhibition until the closing date, after which customers may collect them. Please note, entries will be checked for quality and any not considered up to ‘shop standard’ will be set as not for sale.
Entry fees will be $5 for an item available for sale, $10 for an item that is not for sale. This will be refunded for any entries not exhibited.
Student Class
Entries into this class will not go through the formal selection process.
Entrants do not have to be a member of Creative Fibre but must be enrolled in an educational institution in Canterbury, New Zealand. Students who are members of Creative Fibre can also enter items into either of the other two classes.
Only one entry per person.
There will be an award of $100 sponsored by Blackhills (https://www.blackhills.co.nz/).
Contact details for the maker may be displayed with the entry if the item is available for sale. Sales in this class will not be undertaken at the exhibition itself.
Depending on the overall number of entries into the exhibition, display space for this class might be limited.
Entry fee will be $5, which will be refunded for any items not displayed.
Awards
Click here to view the list of awards.
Entering the Exhibition
All information about entering is available on the entry forms.
Entry to the exhibition is a two-step process.
- Please complete a separate form per entry and email to: creativefibrecanterbury@gmail.com by 24 August 2026. Late entry forms will not be accepted. Entry forms may also be mailed, please see the entry form for details, and allow plenty of time for it to arrive in time.
- The completed items must be brought to Wool, Yarn Fibre, The Tannery Garlands Road, Christchurch between 31 August and 5 September 2026 10am-4pm .Please complete a packing slip to send in with your entry. Work that differs significantly from the description on the entry form will be ineligible for the exhibition and returned.
Entry forms
Any Questions?
Please contact Catherine Jane canterbury@creativefibre.org.nz or Jo Woolhouse creativefibrecanterbury@gmail.com