ANST - New noncombat topic

[KiheBard at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-09-05 13:17:59 EDT, it was written:

> So it seems to me that we are in a sort of Catch-22.  If we compete, people
>  are upset because we are unfair.  If we don't compete, we are perceived as
>  "inactive" or not up with the current standard.  
>  So, given that some people are going to be unhappy no matter what happens,
>  what are some suggestions for how to deal with this?

Most straightforward is for Laurels to be judged against the work of other
Laurels, less-tenured/recognized artisans against their peers AND the
corresponding Laurels.

Doesn't work in a setting like Steppes Artisan, at least not as that
event is perceived. Works better in category-driven competitions, 
say with an additional "tiering" of Laurel, non-Laurel, and "Open".

Where Ansteorra does not utilize formal standardization in judging
A&S entries (consider the Calontir judging criteria, or Master Robin's
delightful tale of the brick adjudged "Non Pareil"), it is much more
difficult to easily shift to this format. (There has been plenty of
discussion about standards recently, I'm not trying to reopen that
specific discussion just now.)

Laurel-only competitions, and efforts such as that recently
experimented with where a substantial portion of the active Laurels
in the kingdom took up an artform "new" to themselves
and concentrated upon it for a time, help demonstrate that
the Laurels are still active.  Newcomer-only competitions, 
restricted to those who have not yet received a given level
of recognition in the form exhibited, serve as important 
showcases as well.  And the open, no-limits, body-of-work
display competitions let us all see just how bloomin' good
everyone else in the SCA is, or can be.

Amra
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