A&S Champion

The winner named as the Western Artificer will be inducted into the Order of Western Artificer.

The Western Artificer is charged with supporting and mentoring the next year's participants. This role will not infringe on the responsibilities of the Arts and Sciences Minster.

Those members of the (closed) Order of the Golden Poppy, may choose to be listed as Western Artificers by petition to the Crown and will be charged with supporting and mentoring future participants.

The Western Artificer competition shall consist of twenty-one (21) possible competition topics over the course of the competition year. The Minister of Arts and Sciences shall hold three (3) competitions at each of the seven (7) Kingdom level events in the competition year. Each competition will be scored regardless of the number of entries.

Competitors must enter one (1) competition in each of the four (4) competition categories plus five (5) categories of their choice, for a minimum of nine (9) total to win. The competitor who accumulates the highest overall score over the competition period, and has competed at least once per category, shall be named Western Artificer.

As the purpose and spirit of the Western Artificer competition is to encourage the exploration of historical arts and sciences at all levels within the West Kingdom, all entrants must submit a minimum half (1⁄2) page of documentation supporting their entry.

Competitors for the Western Artificer must show breadth during the competition year. To achieve this, the Minister of Arts and Sciences shall set competitions for the year based on the schedule defined below. The Minister of Arts and Sciences shall announce the competition categories at Beltane Coronation for the next competition year.

Competition categories shall consist of the following four (4) areas rotated throughout the year so as to give the populace as many opportunities to participate as possible.

Ephemeral Arts: [Arts that are consumable or impermanent] bardic, theater, cooking, brewing, etc.

Permanent Arts: [Arts that are not consumable] wood, metal, leather, glass, illumination, calligraphy, needlework, costume, clay, etc.

Materials: [Arts that are used in the creation or preparation of another art] paint, weaving, ink, refining of glass/metal/clay for use, etc.

Research: research papers, oral presenetation, documentation/class/teaching handouts, etc.

June Crown: Ephemeral, Permanent, and Materials

Purgatorio Coronation: Materials, Documentation, and Ephemeral

Fall Crown: Permanent, Materials, and Documentation

12th Night Coronation: Ephemeral, Permanent, and Materials

March Crown: Documentation, Ephemeral, and Permanent

Beltane Coronation: Materials, Documentation, and Permanent

Arts and Sciences Tournament: Documentation, Ephemeral, and Permanent

June Crown 2026-A&S 2027 competition list 

Each competition will be judged by three (3) judges, whose scores will be averaged for the final score on each entry. All judges must judge every entry on its own merit and shall not judge it based on the other entries. All judges will use the appropriate rubric sheet (Performance Based, Physical Item, Written Item). All entries submitted must be substantially on the topic designated for that competition. Any entry that is not substantially on the designated topic will be disqualified.

The Minister of Arts and Sciences may limit, at their discretion, the competition category by either 1) Century, 2) Item, or 3) Region. The Minister of Arts and Sciences may not add more than one (1) limiter per competition.

Examples of appropriate limiter-based competitions include:

14th Century Calligraphy (limited by Century)

Leatherworking Shoes (limited by Item)

German Musical Performance (limited by Region)

Western Artificer FAQs

-Who is in charge?

… Dame Mercy Grym mercy@westkingdom.org is your West Kingdom A&S Minister, and Lady Morgana di Marco Vecchietti morgana.vecchietti@westkingdom.org is your Artificer Deputy.  They are Aine Winklebleck and Morgana Vee on Facebook, respectively.  You may also see posts from Dame Michiele l'enrierre and Domina Brid Hecgwiht with reminders and new information as it comes available.

-How to Enter!

… Check the topic list and schedule here https://sites.google.com/westkingdom.org/asr/as-champion and bring your entry to the listed event!  Kingdom A&S will be set up at these events, with either the Kingdom A&S Minister or Artificer Deputy accessible.

… Be prepared to register as an Artificer Contestant.  This process will assign you a tracking number so that entries are judged anonymously and multiple scores can be tracked as accurately as possible.

… You may enter as few of the topical competitions as you like, with no intention to complete the run, but you will be expected to register regardless.

… Do not include your name on your documentation.  Do feel free to put your contestant number on your documentation if you have one already.

… Winners will have entered a minimum of 9 topics out of the total 21.  4 from each category (Ephemeral-consumable or impermanent arts; Permanent-objects mean to last; Materials-things used to make or prepare another art; and Research), and 5 more of the artisans choice.  The winner will be based on the best overall cumulative 9 scores.

-How can we see our judging sheets?

… Contestant registration will include a preferred email address for contact.  Judging sheets should be viewable after the contest at the event, and will be scanned to a google folder for the duration of the contest.  Folder access will be provided to each contestant for their folder.

-Is documentation required?

… Yes, documentation is required.  There is no specific style/formatting requirement other than being consistent and readable.

-Oral Presentations

… should be limited to 5-10 minutes

… provide 3 printed copies of documentation

… the contestant must be present, we cannot at this time take taped or remote presentations

… a 1 page template for an abstract/summary will be filled out at the event

-Research Submissions

… 3-8 pages (750-2,000 words) double spaced, no more than size 12 font.

… Documentation is required.

… Provide 3 printed copies

… Research may be submitted as an oral presentation IN PERSON.  Please make sure the A&S officer is aware, and provide 3 printed copies of your documentation.

… a 1 page template for an abstract/summary will be filled out at the event

-Class/teaching presentations

… Presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes

… A minimum of 3 copies of a class handout should be provided, including citations/bibliography.