FEPA GUIDELINES FOR NARROW THEME EXHIBITS
IN ONE, TWO OR THREE FRAMES
(Approved in Tarvisio, Italy, 23 September 2023)
THE SCOPE OF A NARROW THEME EXHIBIT
Exhibits with a narrow theme may be shown in one, two or three frames at all FEPA exhibitions. The intention is that such exhibits will present a theme with a scope sufficiently narrow to be covered comprehensively in the chosen number of frames. All aspects of the subject should be treated fully. If a theme needs more than three frames to cover the scope comprehensively (five frames or more), it is not suitable to be a narrow theme exhibit. Constantly overloaded pages and an excessive number of overlapped items might indicate that the number of frames is insufficient for the chosen theme.
As in larger exhibits, duplication of material in narrow theme exhibits to fill the selected number of frames will have a strong impact on the assessment of treatment. Similarly, the inclusion of items that do not make any additional contribution to the development of the theme or simply reiterate details previously provided will also have a negative impact on the evaluation of treatment.
A selection of items from a five- or eight-frame exhibit to create a narrow theme exhibit may be suitable, but only if the selection can treat a natural sub-theme completely within one, two or three frames. In such cases the exhibit would need a narrower title and a modified plan and treatment. Extracting the best items from a five- or eight-frame exhibit (“cherry picking”) to create a narrow theme exhibit is not appropriate because it would not enable all aspects of the subject to be treated fully in one, two or three frames.
Presentation of a theme as a one, two or three-frame exhibit depends on the exhibitor’s assessment that the concept/theme is too small to be developed in 5-8 frames. This assessment must be demonstrated clearly in the exhibit, and the reason for the chosen number of frames must be explained in the introductory page and in any synopsis provided to the jury. Jurors are of course required to study such documentation to understand the suitability of the exhibit for one, two or three frames and how the exhibitor has implemented it as stated in the introductory page, plan and synopsis.
One, two and three-frame exhibits with a wider theme and a main objective to build a larger exhibit step by step can be exhibited at local or national level but are outside the scope of these guidelines and are not suitable to be shown at FEPA exhibitions.
CLASSES
One, two, and three-frame exhibits can be exhibited in all classes – including experimental classes – but excluding literature.
One, two, and three-frame exhibits should not be considered as a separate class, but as exhibits within each competition class. Therefore, the one, two, and three-frame exhibits should not be placed in a separate area in the exhibition hall but must be included with the 5- to 8-frame exhibits of the class to which they belong.
In entry forms one, two and three, frame exhibits are not listed as a class, so the number of frames allowed for each competition class should include sufficient space for them as well as the 5- to 8-frame options.
JUDGING
One, two, and three-frame exhibits shall be judged by the jury teams using the criteria and points systems applicable to the competitive classes to which they belong. Therefore, exhibitors and jurors shall refer to the relevant SREV and Guidelines.
When judging a narrow theme exhibit, the appropriateness of the subject for the number of frames chosen is assessed under the criterion “Treatment”. If the theme chosen is too large to be shown comprehensively in a one, two, or three-frame exhibit, up to 10 points can be deducted under treatment. If the exhibit is clearly a subset extracted out of a 5 frame or larger exhibit such deduction will be at least 5 points. This deduction is not a penalization but the consequence of failing to treat the theme in an appropriate number of frames.
In case of such a deduction, the jurors must be prepared to address the reasons for this during the feedback at the frames to the exhibitor.
AWARDS
All exhibitors of one, two and three-frame exhibits will be given a certificate that includes the total points and medal level given to the exhibit. The certificate must be marked clearly “Narrow Theme Exhibit”. A physical medal will only be presented to one, two and three-frame exhibits if the organising committee decides to do so.
