Judging the Competition

2025 Judging panel

Designs will be judged, and the winner is chosen by the Reflections of The Lord Mayor judging panel (see Rubric). The Judges’ decision is final.

The Judging Panel expects to make its decision by 04 April 2025 and the artist whose design has been chosen will be notified by email on, or shortly after, that date.

It will not be possible to provide feedback to unsuccessful entries individually – but the judges may convene a live Zoom meeting at a date to be confirmed after the 2025 Roundel Presentation to provide generic feedback. A recording of that will be posted on the website soon afterwards. The name of the person(s) winning the commissions will be posted on social media by the “Reflections of The Lord Mayor” in due course.

Judging Criteria

Theme Interpretation

Clarity and relevance to the Lord Mayor's role.

How well the design reflects the theme.

Connection to Alderman Michael Mainelli's tenure.

Depth of understanding of the theme.

Overall thematic coherence.

Artistic Composition

Overall impact and visual appeal.

Balance and harmony in the design.

Effective use of space and elements.

Visual storytelling through the design.

Professional quality of the artwork.

Creativity

Originality and uniqueness of the design.

Innovative use of colors and shapes.

Creative interpretation of the theme.

Inventiveness in design elements.

Fresh and imaginative approach.

Design Description

Clear explanation of the design.

Insight into the inspiration behind the artwork.

Detailed description of elements used.

Explanation of how the design represents the theme.

Articulation of the design process.

Roundel Artwork

Visual representation of the stained glass roundel.

Inclusion of essential text elements.

Accuracy of colours and lead lines.

Overall aesthetic of the roundel.

Integration of the Lord Mayor's name and year.

Marking Rubric

Criteria	Marks Available
Overall impression For example, is it eye-catching; has it got impact; is it engaging?	30
Concept For example, does the design respond to the brief? Does it show vision and originality? Does the design have strength and work as a whole?	40
Research and Development For example, Evidence of research (visual/historical/geographical) Does the narrative statement support the design concept and is it reflective of the recipient of the roundel? Practising/professional artists only: Does the technical statement demonstrate practical understanding?	30
TOTAL	100

Pointers

For the competition, all entrants need to provide two elements: a description of what the design is about and the drawing of the design. For the Professional Artists category, a technical description is also required (please also follow the brief on the relevant competition page).

All competition entries will be considered based on the following key elements:

interpretation and the clarity of the theme to the viewer - within this, judges will consider the specific elements that relate to The Lord Mayor recipient and the office of Lord Mayor of London.
quality of artistic composition - overall impact and visual coherence of final design.
creativity considering elements such as: use of colour, use of space, strong focal point, originality, overall design in relation to the theme.
For stained glass artists (professional), judges also consider the effectiveness of this design in the stained glass medium and the visual and technical aspects of reproducing it successfully.

Description of your design

A written description must accompany your entry. This is an important part of the judges' decision making as it helps them understand within your design and why you chose them. Areas that you might want to talk about include:

Some issues that you might consider addressing for your design/reflections:

What inspired your design and how would you describe it?
Your design will be presented to Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli. How is his background and time as Lord Mayor included in your design?
What is the 'story' you want people to see in your design?
While researching your roundel design, what have you learnt about the role of the Lord Mayor of London?
What have you learnt about the art and history of stained glass.
After conducting research on this, what have you learned?

Here are some starting points for getting information about the Lord Mayor - but you will find many more sources of information and inspiration once you start looking:

Roundel Artwork

When you draw and colour your design, you need to show the judges how it will work if it is made into a stained glass roundel. Here are some important things to consider:

Show clearly how pictures and other design elements work together
Show us what glass colours you want used in your roundel
Lead lines are used in stained glass - show us where lead lines are in your design and how they will join together.

Inspiration

Look at examples to get more idea about stained glass - where and how it is used. Here are some starting points:

Victoria &Albert Museum
The Stained Glass Museum
Previous years’ winners
Visit buildings that contain stained glass to see how this looks, especially at different times of the day and in different weather.
Learn more about stained glass today, and the long history of the Glaziers' Livery Company.