Tag: World of Wearable Art

Open Call: World of Wearable Art Competition 2026 & Webinars

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

For more than 35 years, finalists in the World of WearableArt (WOW) Competition have captivated audiences at the annual WOW Show in Wellington, New Zealand. The event celebrates the fusion of art, design, fashion, and performance, offering designers a global platform to showcase their work and join an international creative community. The competition invites creators to push boundaries and craft extraordinary wearable artworks.

Each year, six themes are introduced to inspire creators. Three of these are recurring: Aotearoa, Avant-Garde, and Open. The remaining themes are unique to 2026: Metallic, Kinetic, and Bizarre Bra.

This year, there is also a series of live webinars, which will be recorded –

  • 9th of December 2025, 12 PM New Zealand Time = GMT + 13 (It is tonight at 11 PM, Irish Time) – From Everyday to Extraordinary: Your Guide to Bizarre Bra
  • 21st of January 2026, 6 PM New Zealand Time – Photography & Video: How to Capture Your Creation

The sign-ups for the webinars are here – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/content-hub/wow-webinars

There is an inspiring archive of past winners on the website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/explore/wearableart-archive

The application deadline for designers outside of New Zealand is the 12th of February, 2026.

For more information, visit WOW’s website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/competition/entry-information

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Textile Talks – Inside the World of WearableArt, presented by SAQA

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Textile Talks Logo - brought to you by several textile organisations: International Qult Musuem, Quilt Alliance, Studio Art Quilt and Surface Design Association.

Textile Talks offers weekly online presentations and panel discussions hosted by the International Quilt Museum, Quilt Alliance, Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), and the Surface Design Association (SDA). The talks take place weekly on Wednesdays at 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific (US and Canada) {which is 7 PM Dublin time} and run for approximately one hour.

All sessions are recorded, with over 200 talks available for personal use. Here’s a link to past ones – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXsBpWjk3xVCTzucHkrU3ly5NlLa7mW3f

On Wednesday, the 29th of January, at 7 PM (Dublin time), there will be a talk with Sarah Nathan, Head of Competition at World of Wearable Art (WOW). She will provide a behind-the-scenes look at this globally celebrated creative phenomenon. Discover the complexities of the competition, where designers from around the world push boundaries with their creations. Learn about the stories and inspirations behind these wearable masterpieces and the talented artists who bring them to life. This session also offers a sneak peek into the magic of the spectacular WOW stage show.

Recently, Feltmakers Ireland shared an open call to WOW’s competition, which you can still apply to – https://feltmakersireland.com/2025/01/09/open-call-world-of-wearable-art-competition/

To register and receive a Zoom link, visit here – https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MACeCGZASB-YMaRDcVOU5Q#/registration

Their Instagram – @saqaart @worldofwearableart

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Open Call: World of Wearable Art Competition

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland1 Comment

The World of WearableArt (WOW) Competition celebrates the fusion of art, design, fashion, and performance. It is an opportunity to be seen on the world stage and be part of a global design community. The competition encourages designers worldwide to create extraordinary and innovative wearable artworks.

For over 35 years, finalists’ wonderful works of art have come to life in the spectacular annual WOW Show, held in Wellington, New Zealand – attracting delighted audiences of around 60,000 people.

Each year, six themes are introduced to inspire creators. Three of these are recurring: Aotearoa, Avant-Garde, and Open. The remaining three are unique to the year; they are Air, Neon, and Myths & Legends.

There is an inspiring archive of past winners on the website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/explore/wearableart-archive

The application deadline for designers outside of New Zealand is the 20th of February, 2025.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/competition/entry-information


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Interview with Saar Snoek in Beautiful Bizarre

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The painter and feltmaker, Saar Snoek has a delightful interview about her artistic practice with the online arts magazine, Beautiful Bizarre. Saar’s ‘Werewere Kokako AotearoBra’ was selected for the 2023 World of Wearable Art Show.

To read the article about Saar, visit the magazine’s website – https://beautifulbizarre.net/2023/12/08/saar-snoek-world-of-wearableart/

Open Call: World of WearableArt 2024 Competition

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The World of WearableArt (WOW) Competition celebrates the fusion of art, design, fashion, and performance. It is an opportunity to be seen on the world stage and be part of a global design community. The competition encourages designers worldwide to create extraordinary and innovative wearable artworks.

For over 35 years, finalists’ wonderful works of art have come to life in the spectacular annual WOW Show, held in Wellington, New Zealand – attracting delighted audiences of around 60,000 people.

Each year, there are six themes to inspire makers. There are three recurring themes: Aotearoa, Avant-Garde, and Open. There are also three unique themes; this year, they are the following: Crazy Curiosities of the Creature Carnival, Natural World, and Geometric Abstraction.

There is an exciting archive of past winners on the website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/explore/wearableart-archive

For more information, visit their website – https://www.worldofwearableart.com/competition/entry-information