| URSA 2024 Schedule |
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March 15 - June 15, 2024
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Official entry forms accepted for the URSA Awards Competition.
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July 9 - 31, 2024
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First round of voting where your votes select the top three winners in each category. |
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August 10 - 31, 2024
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Second Round of voting picks the URSA Major-Best Overall winner and prize distribution. |
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Enter Online
Now and until June 15
<<<-Click on the bear to enter the URSA Awards Competition |
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FAQ |
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| What are the URSA Awards? |
The URSA Awards are a worldwide competition that feature exquisite and unique bears/buds created by teddy bear and soft sculptured artists. |
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| What is the URSA Major Award? |
The URSA Major Award is presented to the person accumulating the most votes over all. URSA Major - Best Overall Award. |
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| Who can enter? |
The URSA Awards Competition is an International contest and is open to all teddy bear and soft sculpture artists from around the world. |
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| Can I enter my bear in several categories? |
Only one bear/bud per category is accepted and you can enter other bears/buds in other categories. |
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| Can I send more than one entry in an email? |
No. Please, one entry per e-mail only. |
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| What if there are not enough entries in a category? |
The minimum entries in a category is 5. Should the category not fill then your bear/bud will be moved to another category, after notifying you, and the category will be eliminated from this years URSA Awards Competition. |
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| Does my bear/bud have to be available to sell? |
No, the bear/bud entered does not have to be for sale. |
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| Information required on the entry form. |
Entrant must provide the category choice, business and artist name, e-mail and web site address along with method of payment. Please include a 75 word description. |
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How do I use the Online Entry Forms?
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Use online form and fill in the blanks.
Do not send the entry form in a pdf file. Entry forms receive that are incorrectly submitted will be returned for corrections. |
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| Can I send my entries by regular mail? |
No, we only accept entry forms and photos over the NET |
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| How many bears/buds will compete in a category? |
Category limit is 20 entries. When the category is filled, your bear or bud will be placed in a similar category after notifying you. |
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| Can I enter the bear/bud I entered in past URSA Competitions? |
To keep the URSA Awards Competition fresh and interesting for our readers, we do not accept previously submitted bears/buds from past URSA Award Competitions. |
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| My entry has won in other competitions, can I still enter the bear in the URSA Awards Competition |
Yes, you can enter a winning bear in the URSA Awards Competition that has won in other contests. The more awards a bear or bud receives, the more valuable it becomes to the collector and to the artist. |
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My entry has
two pieces. |
Most categories are limited to one piece. See the category list for which categories allow multiples pieces and props. Look for these codes in the category descriptions.
M= Multiple pieces P= Props allowed |
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| Will my entries be accepted and seen? |
Every bear/bud entered is featured on the URSA voting pages during the first voting period. There is no jury. You entry will be seen by all voters. |
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| What is the Non-Member entry fee? |
$69.00 for first entry and $35.00 for each additional |
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| What is the Bears&Buds Artist Member Entry Fee? |
$35.00 each entry. |
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| How do I pay the entry fee? |
We accept fees through PayPal. You can use a credit card with PayPal. |
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| Photo size requirements. |
Submit 3 high resolution photos with each entry. 4x6 vertical photos suggested. We do all the cropping to meet our specifications.
Photo examples. |
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| I don't know how to size the photos |
Send us the original .jpg photos and we will size and crop them for you. |
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| Words |
What words to use and what not to use. |
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| Can I use my logo in the photo? |
Photos must be only of a bear or bud without any names, logos or trademarks showing. No faded or rag edges nor any fancy frames. |
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| Who can vote? |
Every person entering Bears&Buds' web site can vote for their favorite bear in each category. Collectors, artists, general public, family and friends - everyone! |
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| Can I vote more than once? |
One vote per category only. The computer blocks multiple votes and our auditors monitor the voting daily for discrepancies. |
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| Vote Auditing |
Should the auditors find discrepancies in the voting totals, then the difference will be subtracted from the suspicious entry and their entry remain and monitored. Extreme irregularities discovered, the entry will be disqualified yet will remain in the competition without vote totals or any awards. |
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| If I don't have time to vote in all categories can I come back later and continue? |
Yes, the voting software will indicate whether you have already voted in a category and will not allow you to vote again in those categories but will allow you to continue from where you have left off. |
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| Why are the URSA Awards won by popular vote? |
Bears&Buds feels that our readers and collectors are the best judge of URSA bears and buds entries. All entries are show and voted on by our site visitors. There is no jury to eliminate entries or select bears/buds for the competition. |
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Read about the URSA voting |
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| I don't have many collector's eMail addresses now. |
We suggest, as you sell your bears over the year, that you collect eMail addresses and save them for future contact and sales announcements. You can post URSA voting notices on social networks, on your web site, mail postcards to your friends. Campaign is the keyword to this competition. |
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| I only have street addresses for my collectors |
We have designed an URSA Awards voting fliers which will be available online to print to distribute. Lovely, colorful postcards are avaiable upon request. |
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| What should be included in the description? |
First include the name of the bear/bud, followed by the size, fabric, special features, describe the costuming and any unusual construction methods. |
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| Where are the URSA Awards seen? |
Bears&Buds is read in 107 countries and thousands of viewers each month visiting our web site. The entries come from every continent making the URSA Awards a world wide competition event. |
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I have won.
My bear is in the Finals.
Now what? |
When your entry appears in the Final's you are asked to write an acceptance speech and send your own photo, preferably holding your entry, to be included on the announcement page. |
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I'm in the Finals.
When will I know what I've won? |
If your bear/bud appears in the Finals, then you have won a prize, but not until the October announcement will you know what position. Entries are featured by entry number an not by winning position. |
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Final Winner's
Requirements |
Just like the Hollywood Oscar's everyone likes to hear from the winners! Please send an acceptance speech along with your photograph. |
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| Are there cash awards and gifts? |
Yes! Cash cards and gifts are donated by our collectors, business associates and artists. They are assigned a value and are presented to the artists according to their vote totals.
See all the Awards and Prizes
Click on the box
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| How long will the entries be featured? |
URSA Awards are spotlighted on Bears&Buds web site for several years. |
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| What recognition will I receive? |
The winners will be featured in Bears&Buds October issue and in the Members Photo Gallery with 'winners' tag line. |
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Banners and logos. |
Upon winning the URSA Awards Competition each contestants will be sent a digital banner/logo to place on their web site, in their
e-mails, on their stationary and on social media sites. |
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3428 Hillvale Road 
