Note that the application period has been closed.
INDIVIDUAL REGULATIONS OF FINLANDIA 2017 (IREX) 
NOTE: PICTURE POST CARDS - SEE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
0. AMENDMENTS
| Date | Description of change |
| August 12, 2015 | 5.1 Participation is open to all collectors who are members of societies affiliated to member federations of FEPA and invited federations from the United States of America and Australia New Zealand. |
| August 12, 2015 | 12.4. In Class 9 Exhibits will be allocated 1 or 5 frames. However, exhibitors who have achieved the highest national level, may request 8 frames on this occasion. The Organising Committee reserves the right to accept or defuse any such request. |
1. PURPOSE
1.1 FINLANDIA 2017 in an International Stamp Exhibition and shall be held for the following purposes:
· to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Finland (1917-2017)
· to promote friendly relations and maintain close co-operation among the philatelists and deltiologists throughout Europe and the world
· to develop philatelic culture with creative solutions, new innovations and modern technology.
2. ORGANISATION, VENUE AND DATE
2.1 FINLANDIA 2017 is an International Stamp Exhibition for the members of The Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA) and other invited Federations.
2.2 FINLANDIA 2017 is to be hosted and organized in co-operation by the Philatelic Federation of Finland (SFFF) and the Foundation for Promoting Finnish Philately,
2.3. The Exhibition will be held under the Patronage of the Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA) and the Recognition of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP).
2.4 The Exhibition will be held at Tampere Hall, Yliopistonkatu 55, in Tampere, Finland, from the 24th of May until the 28th of May, 2017.
3. REGULATIONS
3.1 FINLANDIA 2017 will be governed by:
· The General Regulations of the FIP for Exhibitions (GREX).
· The FEPA Regulations for Exhibitions (FREGEX).
· The General Regulations of the FIP for the Evaluation of Competitive Exhibits at FIP Exhibitions (GREV).
· The Special Regulations of the FIP for the Evaluation of Competitive Exhibits at FIP Exhibitions (SREV).
· The Supplementary Rules for the Philatelic Literature in FIP Exhibitions.
· The Special Regulations for the Evaluation of Picture Postcard Exhibits at FINLANDIA 2017.
· Individual Regulations (IREX) of FINLANDIA 2017.
4. EXHIBITION CLASSES
4.1 The Non-Competitive Classes shall be
· Court of Honour
· Treasures of Postal Museums
· Exhibits relating to the 1917 Independence of Finland
4.2 The Competitive Classes shall be
· Class 1 FEPA Grand Prix Class
For exhibits that have been awarded either a) Grand Prix in other than the Championship Class or b) three Large Gold medals, in three different calendar years, at FIP, FEPA, FIAF or FIAP Exhibitions held from 1 January 2006 to 30 June 2016 inclusive. Exhibits that have been awarded a Grand Prix in the Championship Class at FIP, FEPA, FIAF or FIAP Exhibitions are neither eligible for this Class nor in any of the other Competitive Classes.
· Class 2 Traditional Philately
2A Finland
2B Europe
2C The Rest of the World
· Class 3 Postal History
3A Finland
3B Europe
3C The Rest of the World
· Class 4 Aerophilately
· Class 5 Revenues
· Class 6 Postal Stationery
· Class 7 Thematic Philately
7A Nature
7B Culture
7C Technology
· Class 8 Open Philately
· Class 9 Picture Postcards
As the Picture Postcard class is displayed for the first time at FEPA exhibitions, the Special Regulations for the Evaluation of Picture Postcard Exhibits at FINLANDIA 2017 will apply
· Class 10 Youth Philately. All ages as on 1 January 2017:
10A Exhibitors aged up to 15 years
10B Exhibitors aged 16 - 18 years
10C Exhibitors aged 19 - 21 years
· Class 11 Philatelic Literature
Only books published after 1 January 2012 and catalogues published after 1 January 2015.
4.3 One-frame exhibits can be displayed in Classes 2-9 (inclusive). One-frame exhibits should not be extracted from a multiple frame exhibit and should be based on a narrow subject that is best treated as one frame only.
5. PARTICIPANTS
5.1 Participation is open to all collectors who are members of societies affiliated to member federations of FEPA and invited federations from the following countries: The United States of America and Australia.
5.2 Exhibits in the competitive classes, except Youth Philately and Philatelic Literature, and one frame exhibits, must have been awarded a minimum of 75 points for their exhibits at an exhibition of national level. If there is no appropriate national exhibition, the entry form must be accompanied by a written statement from the National Commissioner confirming the quality of the exhibit.
5.3 One frame exhibits must have been awarded a minimum of 70 points at an exhibition of national level.
5.4 Entrants in the Age Group A (10 to 15 years) of the Youth Philately class must have been awarded a minimum of 70 points for their exhibits nationally. Entrants in the Age Groups B (16 to 18 years) and C (19 to 21 years) must have been awarded a minimum of 75 points nationally. A former youth exhibit in Age Group C having obtained 85 or more points with an entry of five frames in Age Group C shall qualify to exhibit in the senior class.
5.5 The entrant must be the owner of the exhibit displayed which will be listed under the exhibitor’s name, or a pseudonym, in the official programme. The exhibit must have been the property of the entrant for at least two years and, if purchased as a collection, extensively revised in order to qualify for the exhibition.
5.6 Only one entry per individual is permitted in any one class. This may be modified at the discretion of the Organising Committee.
5.7 Entrants may display their collection under a pseudonym provided their name and membership in any appropriate philatelic society are made known to the National Commissioner and to the Organising Committee who are then authorized to communicate such information to the jury.
5.8 The regulations governing the conditions of application and acceptance are stated in Articles 10 to 19 inclusive of the GREX.
6. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
6.1 Exhibitors shall submit directly to their respective National Commissioner, their entry forms, which must be accompanied by an introductory title page and also, if possible, a synopsis of the exhibit on one or two pages, in one of the FIP languages. Those exhibitors living in countries where no National Commissioner has been appointed should apply directly to the Organising Committee through their National Federations.
6.2 The entry form must be duly completed in English.
6.3 A separate entry form is required for each exhibit.
6.4 Completed entry forms must be received by the National Commissioners no later than 31 May 2016. National Commissioners must then submit the entry forms by electronic means (PDF) to the Commissioner General to arrive no later than 30 June 2016. The Organising Committee does not accept entry forms sent in paper form.
6.5 The Organising Committee reserves the right to refuse to accept any application or to reject any exhibit in whole or in part without assigning any reason for rejection.
6.6 Data provided will be used by FINLANDIA 2017 for the purpose of organising and judging the exhibition and may be stored and transmitted electronically, as well as in paper form. Submitting an application signifies the exhibitor’s assent to this. No data will be passed to any third party for any purpose other than retention for exhibition records by FEPA and FIP, and may be used to provide the exhibitor with information about future exhibitions.
7. NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE
7.1 Notification of application acceptance or non-acceptance by the Organising Committee, together with the number of frames allocated to each accepted exhibit, will be sent to the National Commissioners when frame allocations have been made. Where no National Commissioner has been nominated, notification will be made to the National Federation. It is anticipated that such notification will be made by 30 September 2016 at the latest.
7.2 The decision of the Organising Committee is final. No correspondence can be entered into directly with applicants.
8. CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE
8.1 The Organising Committee will send a list of accepted exhibits to National Commissioners who should send a Notice of Confirmation of Acceptance to each exhibitor. Each exhibitor will sign the Notice of Confirmation of Acceptance and send it back within 30 days (but no later than 31 October 2016) together with the frame fee to the National Commissioner. In case no National Commissioner has been appointed, the National Federation shall take care of these tasks.
8.2 The entrant may revise the introductory title page after sending Notice of Confirmation of Acceptance but the concept of the exhibit cannot be changed. A revised introductory title page and synopsis may be passed to the National Commissioner for transmission to the Organising Committee no later than 1 March 2017.
8.3 Entries in the Non-Competitive classes shall be by special invitation at the discretion of the Organising Committee.
9. ENTRY FEES
9.1 The entry fee for five- and eight-frame exhibits in the Competitive Classes will be €60 per frame.
9.2 The entry fee for one-frame exhibits in the Competitive Classes will be €80 per frame.
9.3 The entry fee in the Class 11 Philatelic Literature will be €60 per entry.
9.4 There will be no entry fee for Class 10 Youth Philately and exhibits in the Non-Competitive Classes.
9.5 Entry fees are not refundable.
10. CLASSIFICATION OF EXHIBITS
10.1 Exhibits must be entered under the correct classification. The Jury reserves the right to reassign incorrectly or ambiguously described entries. No exhibit may be entered in more than one class.
10.2 Every entry accepted will be listed in the Official Exhibition Catalogue under its given title as stated in the Confirmation of Notice of Acceptance.
11. SIZES OF FRAMES
11.1 There will be approximately 2,200 frames. A frame can hold 16 sheets in four rows of four (4 x 4) contained in transparent protectors, not exceeding 29.5 cm tall by 24.5 cm wide. Larger sheets can be accepted but they must be in multiples of the standard size and pre-notified and approved by the Organising Committee.
11.2 If the entire exhibit does not fit within the number of frames allocated, the portion beyond the allocated frames will not be exhibited nor judged. The Organising Committee will not be responsible for such materials.
12. FRAME ALLOCATION
12.1 The frame allocation defined in this article applies to all Competitive Classes listed in Article 4.2 except Class 11 Philatelic Literature.
12.2 In Class 1 Exhibits will be allocated 8 frames uniformly.
12.3 In Classes 2-8 (inclusive) Exhibit will be allocated the following number of frames uniformly, as per article 6.4 of the GREX
· 5 frames – Exhibits which have received at least 75 points at National level and are first time exhibits.
· 5 frames – Exhibits which have received less than 85 points previously at a FIP, FEPA, FIAF or FIAP Exhibition.
· 8 frames – Exhibits which have received previously at least 85 points at a FIP, FEPA, FIAF or FIAP Exhibition. Consideration will be given to specific written requests to retain 5 frames for exhibits which have previously received at least 85 points at a FIP, FEPA, FIAF or FIAP Exhibitions.
· 1 frame – One-frame exhibits which have received at least 70 points at National level.
12.4 In Class 9 Exhibits will be allocated 1 or 5 frames. However, exhibitors who have achieved the highest national level, may request 8 frames in this occasion. The Organising Committee reserves the right to accept or refuse any such request.
12.5 In Class 10 each Exhibit will be allocated the following number of frames uniformly, as per article 6.4 of the GREX
· Class 10A: 2 to 4 frames
· Class 10B: 3 to 5 frames
· Class 10C: 4 to 5 frames.
13. EXHIBIT PRESENTATION
13.1 All exhibits must be mounted on white or light coloured pages and each sheet must be placed in a transparent protective cover, in accordance with Article 17.5 of the GREX. No exhibit mounted on black or dark coloured pages will be accepted.
13.2 The sheets must be numbered consecutively, at the front bottom right hand corner, to aid the correct mounting of the exhibit.
13.3 Expert Certificates may not be shown but the original/copy must be placed at the disposal of the Jury by inserting it in the protector behind the appropriate page, or depositing with National Commissioner.
13.4 The front of each page containing an Expert Certificate or Certificates should show the letter “e” next to the expertised item to denote that an Expert Certificate is available.
14. DELIVERY AND RETURN OF EXHIBITS
14.1 Exhibit envelopes (one envelope per frame) and Exhibit Customs inventory forms together with exhibitor information will be sent to each exhibitor through the National Commissioner. Exhibitors should include the completed inventory form in the envelope containing the first frame of the exhibit.
14.2 Exhibits can only be accepted if delivered by the National Commissioner to the Tampere Hall at a date and time to be agreed with the Organising Committee. Exhibits will not be returned to National Commissioners until after the Exhibition has closed. Where no National Commissioner has been appointed, individual arrangements must be made directly with the Organising Committee.
14.3 In the event an exhibit is delivered late or fails to be delivered, or in the event the page size does not comply with the provisions of Article 11.1, the exhibit will not be judged and the participation fee shall not be refunded.
14.4 The Organising Committee will provide Customs Clearance documentation and transport facilities for National Commissioners travelling via Tampere-Pirkkala airport. National Commissioners using different points of entry into Finland will be responsible for making their own arrangements for clearance through Finnish Customs. They should also make their own arrangements to deliver their exhibits to the Tampere Hall on a date to be agreed in advance with the Organising Committee.
14.5 Any National Commissioner arranging transport by airfreight must make his/her own arrangements for customs clearance and delivery to the Exhibition.
14.6 The conveyance of trunks or cases containing exhibits is subject to restrictions imposed by airlines. The limit for any one case on Finnair is currently 23 kg. National Commissioners are advised to check restrictions on weight when booking flights.
14.7 The Organising Committee is unable to receive entries by post, except for Class 11 Philatelic Literature, (see Article 16).
14.8 Each exhibitor is encouraged to scan his/her exhibit and pass scans to the National Commissioner for transmission to the Organising Committee no later than 1 March 2017. Technical specifications for the scans shall be made available along with the Notice of Confirmation of Acceptance.
14.9 The scans will be made available beforehand to the Jury to improve the quality of judging. During the exhibition the Organising Committee may display scans of exhibits in the premises of the exhibition venue using electronic means. Using the scans of the exhibit is not granted for any other use or to any third party without written permission from the exhibitor.
15. MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING OF EXHIBITS
15.1 Exhibit mounting and dismounting will be performed by or under the supervision of the Organising Committee and National Commissioners.
15.2 Facilities will not be available for exhibitors to mount or dismount their exhibits personally.
15.3 Exhibits will be displayed for five days only, but all exhibits must be delivered to the bin room prior to the opening of the Exhibition, at a date and time to be agreed with the Organising Committee.
16. PHILATELIC LITERATURE EXHIBITS
16.1 Exhibitors in Class 11 must send two copies of each title or volume, which will not be returned. One of the two copies will be placed at the disposal of the Jury and the other copy will be on display in a philatelic reading area throughout the duration of the Exhibition.
16.2 The Organising Committee requires Philatelic Literature exhibits to be received no later than 1 February 2017 in order that preliminary judging may take place.
16.3 The address to which Philatelic Literature exhibits must be sent will be advised to National Commissioners nearer to the date of the exhibition.
17. EXPERT GROUP
17.1 An expert group will be appointed by the Organising Committee in consultation with the FEPA consultant.
18. INSURANCE AND SECURITY
18.1 Exhibitors are advised that they must secure appropriate insurance for their exhibits. The Organising Committee is not responsible for such insurance and all expenses in securing insurance are the responsibility of the exhibitor. The Organising Committee will not be liable for any loss or damage of any exhibit, in whole or in part, howsoever caused.
18.2 The Organising Committee will take reasonable precautions to ensure the security and safety of all exhibits while in their possession.
19. CUSTOMS AND EXCISE
19.1 The Organising Committee will make all reasonable efforts to devise a simplified procedure in conjunction with Finnish Customs for exhibits entering Finland. Details of the entry procedure and requirements will be notified to all exhibitors through the National Commissioner. Where no National Commissioner has been nominated, notification will be made to the National Federation.
19.2 This procedure will not apply if a National Commissioner arranges delivery by airfreight or by entry to Finland, other than the nominated entry point (see Article 14).
19.3 Exhibits from countries which are members of the European Community should experience no customs difficulties.
20. JUDGING OF EXHIBITS AND AWARDS
20.1 Exhibits in the Competitive Classes will be judged and awarded prizes by the appointed and accredited FIP or FEPA judges in accordance with the principles laid down in the GREV and SREVs.
20.2 The Jury will allocate awards and special prizes in accordance with Article 8 of the GREX
20.3 Grand Prizes for FINLANDIA 2017 in the Competitive Classes:
· Grand Prix FINLANDIA 2017, a valuable objet d’art for the best exhibit in Class 1 FEPA Grand Prix Class.
· Grand Prix National, a valuable objet d’art for the best exhibit dealing with Finland in Classes 2-9 (inclusive).
· Grand Prix International, a valuable objet d’art, for the best exhibit dealing with international subjects in Classes 2-9 (inclusive).
20.4 All other exhibits in Class 1 FEPA Grand Prix Class will receive a Large Gold Medal.
20.5 Awards for one-frame exhibits will consist of an Award Certificate indicating points only. No medals will be awarded.
20.5 Certificate of Participation will be given to exhibits attaining less than 60 points.
20.6 Special prizes will be accepted at the discretion of the Organising Committee, and will be placed at the disposal of the Jury without the imposition of any conditions.
21. AMENDMENT OF REGULATIONS
21.1 The Organising Committee reserves the right to amend these Regulations at any time, including the alteration of groupings and classifications if necessary, in agreement with the FEPA Consultant.
21.2 Except for Jury decisions, the decision of the Organising Committee shall be final on all matters arising in connection with the exhibition.
22. LIABILITY
22.1 The Organising Committee, her paid and unpaid volunteers and employees, accept no liability for any loss or injury suffered by the public and exhibitors arising directly or indirectly from any cause whatsoever as a result of entering this competition.
22.2 The FEPA, the National Federations, their National Commissioners, the Jury and any other voluntary personnel, accept no liability for any loss or injury suffered by the public and exhibitors arising directly or indirectly as a result of entering this competition.
22.3 The laws of Finland shall govern interpretation of these regulations and any legal cases arising shall be settled within the jurisdiction of the courts of Finland.
22.4 In the event of any discrepancies in the text arising from translation, the English language text shall prevail.
23. AGREEMENT TO THESE REGULATIONS
23.1 The submission of an application form by an exhibitor on the Entry Form shall be deemed as a sign of acceptance of the regulations defined in Article 3.1 and the FIP statuses.
24. CONTACT ADDRESSES
24.1 The Organising Committee
The Secretary, FINLANDIA 2017
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.finlandia2017.fi
24.2 The Commissioner General
Dr. Raino Heino
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
24.3 FEPA Consultant
Ms. Birthe King
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE EVALUATION OF PICTURE POSTCARD EXHIBITS AT FINLANDIA 2017
1. DEFINITION OF A PICTURE POSTCARD
A Picture Postcard must have an illustration. Furthermore:
· Picture Postcards (circulated through the postal service or in any other manner treated postally) must show that they have been through a postal service.
· Unused (non-postally treated) Picture Postcards must have printed text or printed address lines, for example a postage field, which shows that the card is meant to be posted without an envelope.
· The exhibit must be able to be displayed in exhibition frames of the standard international format of 16 A4 pages per frame or equivalent.
2. PRINCIPLES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXHIBIT
2.1 Idea, Plan and Treatment
A Picture Postcard exhibit is treated with a starting point in a geographical (topographical) topic, a thematic topic, or from a different concept, completely according to the exhibitor’s own choice.
The title and plan must be presented on the introductory page and must be written in one of the official FIP languages.
The plan must show the intention and the structure of the exhibit. The title as well as the main and sub sections of the exhibit must show the structure and logical development through the exhibit and demonstrate personal creativity, knowledge, and research.
The title must mirror the content of the exhibit in the best possible way. The treatment of the exhibit must be according to the title and plan. Each Picture Postcard must have a connection with the chosen topic.
2.2 Knowledge and Research
Research is a pre-requisite for knowledge of the topic and the Picture Postcards, and this is demonstrated in a brief text in connection with each Picture Postcard.
3. JUDGING CRITERIA
When judging, the following criteria must be used:
· Idea, plan and treatment of the topic
· Knowledge and research
· Condition and rarity
· Presentation.
4. JUDGING THE EXHIBIT
A Picture Postcard exhibit must be judged by a jury agreed by the relevant federation(s) experts of this material
Evaluation
The exhibits will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
· Idea, plan (10) and treatment (20) 30
· Knowledge and research 35
· Condition (10) and rarity (20) 30
· Presentation 5
· TOTAL 100
6. AWARDS
Awards made according to these regulations may be determined by the exhibition organising committee in co-operation with relevant federation(s).
Picture Postcard exhibits may be awarded special prizes and the jury’s felicitations.
GUIDELINES FOR JUDGING PICTURE POSTCARD EXHIBITS
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The aim of these guidelines is to support the jury as well as the exhibitor and provide practical advice as to how the special regulations for Picture Postcard exhibits should be used.
1.2 The special regulations for Picture Postcard exhibits include the general principles on what the Picture Postcard exhibit may contain, and how it should be treated and presented
1.3 These guidelines are not comprehensive. Every exhibit is judged on its own merit.
1.4 The exhibitor may take advantage of presenting the exhibit more thoroughly in a synopsis to be sent to the jury before the exhibition. A synopsis does not replace the introductory page or plan, but complements it by presenting in more detail the treatment, choice, research, knowledge, and presentation of the exhibit. It is recommended that a synopsis contains a maximum of two single sided A4 pages.
2. DEFINITIONS OF A PICTURE POSTCARD EXHIBIT
2.1 The Exhibit
A Picture Postcard exhibit can have a geographical (topographical) treatment, including for example illustrations from a place or an area. It can also be developed thematically. An event may be shown as a form of reportage, or the exhibit may have the photographer, the artist, or the printer as the topic. Original thinking and creativity may also lead to different treatments of an exhibit...
2.2 The Picture Postcard
The size, shape and material of the Picture Postcards may vary. The emphasis is on the picture, and not on the use or philately (if present). Picture Postcards may be unused or used (sent through a mail system). Unused Picture Postcards should have printed address lines, stamp box, or other such markings, showing that the item was intended to be sent without cover.
3. JUDGING CRITERIA
3.1 Idea, Plan and Treatment
There must be a clear connection between title, structure and treatment, including information on how the exhibitor has chosen to develop the topic, i.e. the choice of Picture Postcards to illustrate the topic, and how the exhibitor has used the material. Originality, imagination, and creative ideas will be specially awarded.
The idea and plan will be evaluated according to the correspondence between the title, the plan, and the development of the story through the whole exhibit.
The treatment will be evaluated by considering the choice of the items, and where they are placed within the storyline, as well as the positioning of the appropriate text in relation to the item.
3.2 Knowledge and Research
Research is a pre-requisite for knowledge of the topic, and this must be documented in a brief text in connection with the Picture Postcards. The texts must contain essential information about the topic and may contain information about photographer or artist. Information about the typography, printing method, and printer may be demonstrated in an appropriate manner. Picture Postcards must be correctly chosen with regard to the topic, and the descriptive text must be correct.
Personal knowledge and research can also be demonstrated by the presence of material, where only little or no research has been undertaken, for example an unusual area of collecting. Topical knowledge may also be shown by the use of material that has a topical qualification discovered by the exhibitor.
3.3 Condition and Rarity
The best possible quality available for the chosen subject should be shown. Missing or bent corners, scratches, and scuffs, etc. will influence condition, however, a certain tolerance will be granted for older, posted items. This will also be the case for older Picture Postcards with handwriting on the picture side, before the divided back was introduced, insofar as this writing is not of a particularly bad quality with ink stains, smudging, etc.
Rarity is directly related to the difficulty in finding such postcards. Some ‘Real Photo’ postcards may be close to unique, as they were often produced only in very small numbers. Even printed Picture Postcards can be extremely difficult to find. Scarce Picture Postcards with international interest may be considered more important than a picture of a village with a few hundred inhabitants.
Golden age picture postcards were often printed by several publishers in numbers of variations. The contemporary variations can be treated as originals, while modern reprints must be presented as such. Forged items, which are not clearly marked as such, will cause the downgrading of the exhibit by the Jury.
3.4 Presentation
The text must be attractive and tastefully arranged. The overall impression of the exhibit is important as is variety in the mounting. Heavily coloured pages should be avoided. Framing or matting of the Picture Postcards may increase the visual impression. Illustrations (maps, drawings, etc.) or objects, which have a direct connection to the topic or development of the Picture Postcard, may be used in limited numbers, but not so that the Picture Postcards become secondary to the exhibit.
