Canadian exhibitors are invited to enter a virtual single-frame exhibition being hosted by a philatelic organization in South Africa this summer.
Applications for the South African Virtual Philatelic Exhibition (Savpex) must be received by show secretary Joof van der Merwe at jnc1@vodamail.co.za by April 30.
“The individual exhibitor does their own application online, and fees are paid directly to the exhibition by PayPal,” said David McLaughlin, chair of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) international liaison committee.
Exhibit fees are $30 US (about $42 Cdn.).
If approved, exhibitors must send scans of their exhibit to jury co-ordinator Emil Minnaar at emil@minnaar.org by May 31. All exhibits will then be evaluated by national- and international-level judges nominated from around the world.
Robert Pinet, of Toronto, was nominated as Canada’s judge. Pinet was accredited as a national-level judge by the RPSC in 2018.
Winners will be determined in July and announced in August.
All exhibits will be shown on the Savpex website beginning Aug. 22, when they’re also expected to be digitally displayed at a stamp show planned for Bloemfontein, South Africa, in conjunction with Savpex.
“This is not a new venture either; it’s been going on now for two or three years,” said McLaughlin, of the virtual exhibition hosted by the Philatelic Society of the Orange Free State under the auspices of the Philatelic Federation of South Africa.
“I know there’s a number of Canadians that have exhibited there before. It’s a national-level competition in South Africa, but the world was invited to participate.”
In addition to a 10-class single-frame competition, Savpex will also feature a court of honour.
Encouraging Canadian collectors to participate, McLaughlin said virtual exhibiting is one opportunity – among many – to adapt your hobby to the strict COVID-19 measures.
“I think more and more of these things will come up,” he said, about virtual exhibitions, shows and other philatelic events.
“There’s a lot of vibrancy with online philatelic activities right now.”
For more information about Savpex, visit www.sapa.africa.