A PDF of this prospectus can be downloaded here.
Exhibit: May 29 – August 16, 2026
Lakewood Cultural Center 470 S Allison Pkwy Lakewood, CO
Complex Weavers announces Complexity 2026, a juried international members’ exhibition featuring works that employ complex or innovative design, techniques, and/or weave structures. Complex weaving is defined by the cloth produced and the mind it took to create it, not by the equipment used.
Entries will be viewed anonymously by three jurors. Equally weighted judging criteria are: originality of design; effective use of complexity through design, technique, or weave structure; technical excellence; visual impact; and effective use of color palette. Surface embellishments, construction, and finishing techniques must aesthetically enhance the work.
Sponsorship and Jurors
Complex Weavers is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to expanding the boundaries of handweaving, encouraging weavers to develop their own creative styles, and inspiring advancement through research, documentation, and the sharing of innovative ideas. Jurors for Complexity 2026 will be Lynn Smetko, Laurie Carlson Steger, and Pauline Verbeek.
Eligibility
Entries must be handwoven, designed and executed by the entrant. Work must be original, executed without supervision or a kit, and completed after March 15, 2024. Works woven on looms with any number of shafts or Jacquard mechanism are eligible, as long as the shed is opened by the weaver, with or without electronic lift assist, and the shuttle is thrown manually or by weaver-manipulated fly shuttle. Non-loom interlacements such as ply-split braiding, kumihimo, sprang, and tablet weaving are welcome, as are works with modern or historic inspiration and interpretation. Tapestry weaving is not eligible.
Entries cannot have appeared in any physical or digital exhibition. Images of the work cannot have been published in any print publication, digital magazine, or e-book prior to Complexity 2026. Images showing work in progress can have been shared via social media, blogs, newsletters, or website. Entrants must be Complex Weavers members and maintain membership throughout the period from entry date to the close of the exhibition at all physical venues. Non-members will be required to join Complex Weavers before entering work. Complex Weavers reserves the right to reject work not meeting eligibility requirements or that differs substantially from the images entered. The weight of each complete entry should not exceed 33 lbs (15 kg) including hanging and display fixtures. Accepted work must be received ready to exhibit and will be subject to a final evaluation upon receipt. Artists must supply any special fixtures or protective items that they deem necessary to display their entries. Artwork can be hung from the ceiling.
Consent
By entering this exhibit, the artist grants permission for the work to be photographed and images and/or all or part of descriptive fields from the entry to be used in articles, ads, promotions, catalogs, books, websites (including any webcast coverage), CDs, current event news coverage, television productions, and/or multimedia productions for and about Complex Weavers or for Lakewood’s Heritage, Culture and the Arts Division (HCA). The artist confirms that the photographer has given permission for images to be used in any of the aforementioned ways. Artists maintain ownership of image copyrights. Accepted work must remain for the duration of the exhibit.
Liability
Each work will be covered against loss or damage by City of Lakewood up to the value of the item, less the 15% commission, listed in the agreement. HCA and Complex Weavers are not responsible for deterioration or damage while an entry is in transit to or from the exhibit. Reasonable care will be taken in handling and displaying of work. Any work that cannot be returned due to incorrect mailing address or other information will become property of Complex Weavers.
Categories
Entries must be assigned to and adhere to size and presentation requirements for one of these categories. Judging will be performed irrespective of categories.
- Yardage (raw edges must be folded under twice and hand hemmed)
Width 18 inches to 48 inches (46 cm to 122 cm)
Length 3 yards to 5 yards (2.75 m to 4.6 m) - 2- and 3-dimensional work
2-D Maximum: 48 inches wide x 108 inches long (122 cm x 275 cm)
3-D Maximum: 30 inches high x 30 inches wide x 30 inches deep (76 cm x 76 cm x 76 cm) (if you have greater dimensions, please consult chair) - Apparel to fit on a standard mannequin and accessories to fall within 2- or 3- dimensional maximums
- Home furnishings including functional textiles to fall within 2- or 3-dimensional maximums
Exhibit Calendar
| Online entry window | Nov. 1, 2025- Feb 6, 2026 |
| Jury review | Feb. 12 – Mar 20, 2026 |
| Jury notifications made | March 30, 2026 |
| Work arrives | May 11-22, 2026 |
| Exhibit opens | May 29, 2026 |
| CW Reception | June 11, 2026 |
| Exhibit closes | August 16, 2026 |
| Work packed and shipped | Week of August 16, 2026 |
| Online Gallery | June 11, 2026 – June, 2028 |
Entry Details
Entry will be made via an online jurying system.
Click here for the link when registration opens in November.
Each artist may enter two works with a non-refundable fee of $30 USD per entry. Three images of each entry are required for both online jurying and publication of accepted work: 1 full view image; 1 close-up of the weave structure; 1 close-up showing how the work is finished, for example selvage, corner, hem, seam, edge. No identifying information may appear within the image itself.
Images should be saved in RGB as maximum quality .JPG files where the longest image side must be a MINIMUM of 4000 pixels. Name images for submission as title_imagenumber.jpg. Example: Night_Sky_3.jpg (file name for work titled Night Sky, image number 3)
Shipping
Detailed shipping instructions will be emailed with the acceptance notification. Artists are responsible for shipping costs to and from the receiving location, including any duty, customs, and broker fees, and for insurance during inbound and outbound shipping. Subsidies will be available for entrants outside the United States, to make the cost of shipping more equitable for non-U.S. entrants. Contact the Complexity 2026 Chair for details.
Awards
At the discretion of the jurors, Complex Weavers will present:
- Sandra Hutton Award for Best in Show: $500
- 1st Place: $300 and Complex Weavers Award
- 2nd Place: $200
- 3rd Place: $150
- Handweavers Guild of America for Outstanding Works of Fiber Art
- Treenway Silks Award for Best Use of Silk
- Heddlecraft More with Less Award
- Handweaving.net Award for Excellence in Weaving with inspiration from Handweaving.net
- Surface Design Association Award of Excellence
- Gist Yarn Award for Best Use of Gist Yarn
- People’s Choice Award: $300, by vote of the exhibit visitors, sponsored by the Complexity Committee
Sale of Work
It is strongly preferred that all work from within the United States will be offered for sale. Contact the Complexity 2026 Chair for any exceptions. Lakewood Cultural Center will manage all sales, retaining a 15% commission. Contact the Complexity 2026 Chair for any work from outside the United States offered for sale.