[Chris Saper]

Competitions are, I think, important for two reasons:

-They constitute credentials for potential partners- galleries, teaching institutions, publishers, grants management; etc, or

-They are important to you as an artist, to be recognized by your peers.(Sometimes loosely speaking)

In terms of selling commission work, I have never, ever been asked by a potential client to see my credentials. They either like what they see, and it works price-wise, or it doesn't.

Nonetheless, I am not in the "high eschelon" of portrait painters , so credentials may very well matter to higher end clients.

All being said, I think it makes sound business sense to gather credentials, because you just never know when you might need them,