Opportunity details | Saltaire Arts Trail Makers Fair 2017

Saltaire Arts Trail Makers Fair 2017

Deadline: 20/01/2017

City: Saltaire, Bradford | Region: West Yorkshire | Saltaire Inspired

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*Deadline extended to 20th January* Call for exhibitors to show at the Makers Fair at Saltaire Arts Trail, 27-29 May 2017. We are looking for artists and designer-makers in a wide range of disciplines to exhibit work over the three days of May Bank Holiday in gorgeous Victoria Hall at the heart of The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire. The event is part of an annual festival of contemporary visual art sited in the unique public and private spaces of the village. We are looking to select and showcase high-quality, innovative work in ceramics, textiles, jewellery, glass, metal, artists' books, paper, leather, wood, furniture, plastics, fashion textiles and accessories, printmaking and mixed media.

Who are we?

Largely volunteer-led, Saltaire Inspired creates exhibitions and projects within the World Heritage Site of Saltaire village, responding to Bradford’s cultural heritage and strengths. We promote and develop artists and their practice, showcase and sell high-quality contemporary craft and design, engage and inspire the local community and aim to make visual arts accessible and engaging through the use of private and public buildings.

Our premier event, Saltaire Arts Trail, takes place annually, across the late May bank holiday weekend. Over three days, Saltaire becomes a magnet for visitors. As well as the Makers Fair, there are commissioned exhibitions and installations free creative family workshops, and the famous Open Houses - a village wide gallery of contemporary art in the Grade II listed homes of Saltaire residents.

Visit the Saltaire Inspired website to find out more.

The Makers Fair

Held in May and September, our Makers Fairs have a growing reputation for providing a showcase for some of the best contemporary craft available for sale or commission in the north of England and, increasingly, further afield. The venue, Victoria Hall in Saltaire, is both attractive and historically unique, a great setting for a contemporary craft fair, and we regularly see 1000 - 1500 visitors per day through the doors. The Fair will include artist demonstrations, a popular Art Tombola and there will be a pop-up cafe with delicious sweet and savoury snacks.

Some comments from exhibitors: -

"Friendly yet professional feel. High quality makers"

"Excellent marketing and buzz"

"Very good footfall with plenty of people willing to buy work"

"Saltaire is wonderful because it brings designer-makers and people who are really interested in art work together in one place"

Artistic Policy and Selection

We aim to showcase the original work of independent artists, makers and designers. All work must be handmade by the exhibitor themselves and original in concept. We are looking for work that is of gallery quality, contemporary and interesting. We do not accept or promote work constructed from assembled pieces, kit-based items or mass-produced reproductions of works in other media. Limited edition prints must be original.

Returning artists and makers will be expected to exhibit a significant proportion of new work. If you have exhibited with us before, please make sure you include details of proposed new work in your application.

An independent panel of arts professionals will make the selection. The 2017 panel will be announced on the Saltaire Inspired website.

Demonstrations

We are able to offer a limited number of spaces to artists wishing to demonstrate their craft. See FAQs for details, and include details in your application if you wish to be considered.

How to apply

Make your submission via Curatorspace, uploading 4 - 10 images.

A non-refundable administration fee of £5 will be required for all submissions. This should be paid no later than the closing date of Friday 20th January 2017, in order for your application to be considered. Please make your payment by clicking the link here: Makers Fair Application Fee

Contact the curator

Who is eligible for this opportunity?

Contemporary artists, craftspeople and designer-makers based in the UK.

When is the deadline?

The deadline has been extended to Friday 20th January 2017. We are taking 3 rooms at Victoria Hall this year, and so now have more capacity to show work.

What kind of work are you looking for?

Artist-created work of original concept and excellent quality in the fields of contemporary ceramics, textiles, jewellery, glass, metal, artists' books, paper, leather, wood, furniture, plastics, fashion textiles and accessories, printmaking and mixed media - this is not an exclusive list; we are always keen to see interesting use of new materials.
We will not accept or promote work constructed from assembled pieces, kit-based items or mass-produced reproductions of works in other media (giclee prints) presented as 'limited edition'. Merchandising, including commercially printed cards, should form only a minor part of your display. The Fair is an opportunity for the public to meet the makers, therefore exhibitors must show only work created by themselves.
We would like to offer the public work at a range of prices, but are keen to promote the appreciation and sale of higher-priced, signature items.

What are the options and costs for Exhibiting Stands?

• Standard Space: £165 for 3 days - Approximate floor space of 8x4 ft, including a 6x2 ft table and up to 2 chairs if required. You are welcome to bring your own display boarding etc. to set up within this space.
• Small Display Space: £180 for 3 days - Basic Space + display board measuring 4x4 ft (above table height), with flexible hanging system, no spotlights but access to power may be requested.
• Large Display Space: £210 for three days - Basic Space + display boards measuring 8x4 ft (total space to display on board, above table height) with legs that make 6ft 6” height in total. Includes a flexible hanging system and 2 spotlights.
• Demonstration Space: a £60 reduction on the above prices. Includes small amount of additional space (to be agreed).

Fees will be requested upon successful application. No commission will be taken on sales.

Is there a fee to apply?

There is a non-refundable administration fee of £5 required for all submissions. This should be paid before the closing date for entries, of Friday 13th January 2017. If the £5 fee is not paid by the closing date, your application will not be considered. Payment can be made online via PayPal (no PayPal account needed). Please see the opportunity description for a link to PayPal for payment.

How do I make a submission?

Use the Curatorspace Submission form, attaching between 4 and 10 images. Please make sure you pay the £5 application fee (Please see the opportunity description for a link to PayPal for payment).

Can I share a space with another artist?

We will not be allocating half or part-stalls to separate applicants. We are happy to receive joint or group submissions from artists who wish to present their work together as a single display, where the work is related in subject matter, style, technique etc. or is the work of a studio group, and intended to be shown as a coherent joint exhibit. The joint application would be judged as a whole and members of the partnership or group would then share a single administration/stall fee.

How many/what kind of images should I submit?

You can attach up to 10 images as part of your application. To help us with selection, please upload a minimum of 4. It is vital to the selection process that the images you submit are of a good quality and give a true idea of the work you wish to exhibit. Please upload JPG images, no larger than 1MB. If you are selected, the images will be used initially as part of an online gallery, so we only need them to be web-size at this stage. Please note: You will need to upload each image separately to ensure that they successfully attach to your application, please check your completed application to make sure all images appear.

I would like to offer a demonstration. can you give me more details?

We are very keen to have interesting and engaging demonstrations available to the public. We will be able to offer a limited number of Demonstration Spaces with additional room for working, and at a discount in recognition of the fact that it's more difficult to sell while you're demonstrating. Demonstrations will take place at your stand. If you are applying to have a Demonstration Space, you'll need to be prepared to interact with the public and ideally to have an activity that people can try. We would prefer for any participatory demonstration to be free for visitors. Please submit a description of what you would like to offer within your application in the ‘Demonstrations’ section.

I'm not sure whether to apply for this or the Open Houses. Can I make a single application for both?

Do please choose one or the other - there's advice on the Saltaire Inspired website to help. If you are really torn, put a note in the 'Additional Requirements' box to say you'd be interested in the Open Houses if not selected for the Makers Fair.

When is the Fair open to the public?

Saturday 27th, Sunday 28th and Monday 29th May 2017, 11am - 5pm everyday.

Does the venue have disabled access?

Yes

What facilities are there at the venue?

There will be a machine for card sales at the main desk, but we do recommend you bring your own card reader if you have one, as high demand for this facility can sometimes mean long queues for customers. The venue has free Wi-Fi and a good 3G signal. There will be a pop-up cafe inside the venue and exhibitors will receive vouchers for refreshments. In collaboration with Cupola Contemporary Art, there will be the opportunity for the public to buy items through the OwnArt scheme. (Exhibitors will need to sign a code of practice in order to be included in this.)

How will the Fair and my work be publicised?

Saltaire Inspired has good marketing plan in place, based on over 10 years experience. We will market and promote the Makers Fair through the production and distribution of high quality print, a vigorous social media campaign and by generating press releases and distributing them to appropriate media. Exhibiting artists will be featured in an online gallery on the Saltaire Inspired website and in a printed programme brochure. We’d like to ask all exhibitors to participate in the marketing and to promote their attendance at the event as much as possible.

What is the decision making process for the applications?

An independent committee of arts professionals will assess all applications and make the selection at a date to be agreed before the end of January 2017. You will be informed as to whether your application was successful or not by Monday 6th February 2017. The panel will be given the task of putting together a well-balanced show, considering new and returning exhibitors, emerging and established artists and an interesting mix of genres. It is important that the images you submit are representative of the quality of the work. The panel will be able to research your website, but time is always tight and first impressions from the submitted images are crucial. The decision of the selection panel is final and unfortunately no discussion can be entered into once the selection has been made, though we will be happy to give general feedback.

What happens if I am selected?

You will be contacted with further information by Monday 6th February 2017 if you have been selected. All artists who have submitted work will be contacted even if unsuccessful on this occasion.
If your application is successful, you must be able to commit to all three days of the Fair, and will be asked to agree to our terms of participation.

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