Registrant Information
Be a part of the inspiration at the Out of the Woods exhibition. We invite makers, innovators, and creators to share their work with an enthusiastic, highly engaged community. Exhibiting is more than just displaying your piece; it’s an opportunity to exchange ideas with other exhibitors, and inspire everyone who walks through the doors. Discover our exhibition categories, submission guidelines, and key dates below to see how you can get involved.
Key dates
Registrations open: Thursday 24th September 2026
Registrations close: Midnight Thursday 5th November 2026
Registration last payment date: 5:00pm Tuesday 3rd November 2026
Delivery of exhibited pieces to the venue: Friday 6th November 2026 between 9:00am and 12:00 noon.
Exhibition opening hours: 7th and 8th of November 2026 between 9:00am and 3:30pm
Removal of exhibited pieces: Sunday 8th November 2026 between 3:30pm and 4:30pm
Exhibition closure: 4:30pm Sunday 8th November 2026
This menu will help you navigate the registrant information more easily, or yo could simply read from start to finish.
General Conditions
Conditions are to be read in conjunction with the Entry Form and Competition and Exhibition Category descriptions.
Entries may be lodged using the on-line Registration Form. Entry procedures are given on the Registration Page.
Items must be delivered to the Curator at the venue between as outlined in the key dates above. Items received after midday will not be eligible for judging. A receipt will be issued upon registration and must be presented as proof of ownership when collecting items on Sunday.
Transportation and packaging of items to and from the Exhibition is the responsibility of the entrant.
Entrants’ names shall not be shown or attached to any entry to ensure anonymity during judging. (If the entrant’s name or other identification is on the item the Curator may elect to cover such identification during the judging.)
If the entry piece is fitted with locks the Curator must receive a key for judging purposes. Special features should be included in the description field on the entry form, e.g., secret drawers.
The Curator reserves the right to reject any item or to place it in another category. Rejected items shall be collected by arrangement with the Curator no later than the closure of the exhibition (see Key Dates above).
Any non-student item may be offered for sale. The Fine Wood Work Association WA (Inc) (FWWA) shall deduct and receive a commission of 15% to a maximum of $150.00.
Delivery to the buyer is the responsibility of the seller. Neither the Curator nor the FWWA shall be responsible for the cost of packaging and transportation of items sold. The Curator will provide contact details of the maker.
All items shall remain on display for the duration of the Exhibition including sold items.
An entrant may authorise another person to collect his/her item by written authority lodged with the Curator. The person picking up the entry should also produce the receipt issued at registration.
The Curator will take reasonable care of items but takes no responsibility for damage, theft, or loss. Insurance for items is the responsibility of the entrant.
Items may be photographed for use by the FWWA (WA) Inc.
Data collected during entry, such as names and contact details, will be used exclusively to facilitate the Out of the Woods competition. Requests for data deletion may be submitted via email to the Curator.
Eligibility
Adult
Items must not have been entered in a previous OOTW exhibition.
Entries shall be predominantly the work of the entrant.
An item shall be entered in one category only.
Where there is more than minor or incidental work content provided by others this shall be noted in the Description section of the Entry Form.
Students
The Competition and Exhibition is open to all Western Australian secondary schools from years 7 to 12.
Student pieces are entered in the school year category in which they were completed.
Adult categories
Box: It can be made from wood panels, veneers or turned on a lathe. Its function is to be primarily for storage and its maximum dimension must be less than one metre.
Carving: A sculptural piece of woodcraft displaying predominantly relief or 3D carving techniques over most of its display face. Can be produced using power or hand tools.
Furniture: An item that can be used in the home or office that is to be made predominantly from wood. Other materials such as metal, glass and ceramic may be used to enhance the strength, design and function of the item.
Miscellaneous: A piece that may take on one or more woodworking disciplines but that clearly does not suit the criteria of the other categories. Such examples could be gaming boards, mirror frames, lamps, rocking horses, etc.
Small Treasure: Any item made of wood. May be turned, carved etc. Must fit inside a 100mm cube.
Woodturning - Embellished: A piece made from wood, shaped on the lathe by tools controlled by hand. Subsequent work may include but is not limited to carving, routing, colouring, sandblasting and inlay. The piece must show its origin as a turned piece.
Woodturning - Plain: All the shaping of the object must be achieved using a lathe turning. No subsequent shaping, carving or other embellishment to be done. It is permissible to hand sand the object without the lathe turning, either mounted in the lathe or on the bench. Finish can be applied on or off the lathe. Assembly of the object after shaping in the lathe is permissible.
Student categories
Entries from students will normally be under the auspices of a class teacher, but individual entries are also welcome. All entries will be assessed by judges who have experience in teaching woodwork and who will be looking for execution and skills to be expected for the school year of the entrant.
Entries must be by woodworkers still at school (not apprenticed) at the time of completion. The entries can be any piece of wrought wood produced using power or (preferably) hand tools and which shows the skills of the maker.
The entries shall be under the following separate categories.
Lower School:
Year 7 or 8
Year 9
Year 10
The subject matter for the lower school is not defined, or confined.
Upper School:
Year 11 Furniture
Year 11 Artistic
Year 12 Furniture
Year 12 Artistic
Furniture - a piece that could be used as furniture (table, cupboard, chair, stool, etc) in the home, office or school.
Artistic - a piece that is not furniture but would be expected to have some degree of design or artistic input (model, bowl, lamp, box, etc).
Judging
The Curator has the right to place entries into another category.
The judging criteria can be viewed below
The Judges’ decision is final and binding. No correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
Adult Categories
The Out of the Woods Competition and Exhibition aims to promote fine woodworking.
Other than a requirement that wood is employed as the predominant material there are few boundaries. Pieces may be classic or modern, emphasise function or form, or be shaped by hand tools or machines. We seek fine woodwork evidenced by clear purpose, thoughtfulness in design and execution, and a high degree of care and skill.
Inevitably there will be differences of opinion among judges, entrants, and the public on the merits of individual pieces. To maximise fairness the assessment process includes:
Categories so that as far as possible like is assessed with like.
Judges with woodworking experience to give credibility.
Three Judges working individually to minimise bias.
Judging sheets which specify fine woodwork characteristics to be rated.
Pieces identified by number to ensure anonymity.
Triple checking of results to avoid error.
There are Five Assessment Criteria:
Design and Functionality: Balanced design, suited to purpose, aesthetically pleasing or appropriate.
Selection and use of materials: Suitable choice, materials work together.
Craftsmanship: Degree of difficulty, joint quality, no unsightly glue or fixings.
Finish and Visual Appeal: Appropriate finish, free of blemishes, harmony of colours and textures.
Originality and Ingenuity: In concept, design, construction skills or methodologies.
Judges will examine all entries, and collectively select four to six entries for detailed assessment.
Judges will then independently assess the selected entries and rank them from 1 (best) to 6 (worst) for each criterion.
All the Judges’ scores for all criteria are tallied by the Curator to determine the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each category.
Student Categories
The Out of the Woods Competition and Exhibition aims to promote woodworking skills in secondary school students in Western Australia.
The focus of judging will be on quality of craftsmanship. Elements such as accuracy and execution in cutting, shaping, jointing and finishing will be evaluated within each school year category.
With increasing student experience, as shown by school year, judges will look for increasing complexity in the piece and evidence of a wider range of skills and techniques used.
Inevitably there will be differences of opinion among judges, entrants and the public on the merits of individual pieces. To maximize fairness the assessment process includes:
Judging by year of schooling.
Judges with woodworking and teaching experience.
Three Judges working separately to minimize bias.
Pieces identified by number to ensure anonymity of student and school.
Triple checking of results to avoid error.
Judges are asked to examine all entries and they collectively select four to six pieces for detailed assessment.
Judges are then asked to independently assess each piece and rank them from 1 (best) to 6 for each criteria.
All the Judges’ scores for all criteria are tallied by the Curator to determine the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each category.
Awards
Awards will be presented at a ceremony just prior to the closing of the exhibition.
Adult
Awards will be presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in all categories.
People’s Choice Award - An award voted on by the general public as the most popular piece of woodcraft in the exhibition.
Gordon Ward Trophy - A trophy in honour of the late Gordon Ward, awarded to the best piece created by a member of FWWA, as voted by fellow members.
Students
Certificates will be presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in all categories.
FWWA will actively promote Year 11 and 12 place-getters’ pieces in the 2026 Australian Wood Review Student Awards.
Notification of awards won, and requests for further information, will be sent to the Teacher.
Fees and Payments
Adults: $10.00 per item entered (to $50 maximum per entrant - no limit on number of items).
Students: Free
Payments must be made by direct debit or via the Registration page no later than the Registration last payment date (see Key Dates above).
Bank Details
Fine Wood Work Association WA (Inc)
BSB: 633000
Account No: 204985162
Please include your name and the amount due