ART TRAIL FAQ’s

Dates for your diary

Art Trail application deadline:  January 2024 TBA

Art Trail Dates 2024: Sat 25th, Sun 26th May, Mon 27th May + Sat 1st, Sun 2nd June 2024

Art Trail venue information to artists: Mid-March.

Trail info Collection Date with last reminders, Q&A: A date in week 2 or 3 of May will be advised.

Trail celebration: We hope to celebrate the trail at a gathering. Date and location to be advised.

Introduction

We are a community of artists and makers who are working to support each other in as an inclusive way as possible.  Our Art Trail team organise and match venues to artists without favouritism or any other political/commercial agenda.

The Trail venue team consult the Steyning Arts website ‘Artist pages’ regularly to help match artists to venues. All artists need to check they have a Steyning Arts website page and that the work accurately represents what they make.

Our member Artists guarantee that the work they have on the website, exhibition and for sale is their very own unique work and that it has not been made by anyone else or purchased from anywhere else.

The New Member Selection Panel meets twice per year in early February and in early September. When potential new members apply it will be saved in our system until the review panel meets. If successful, new members will be given information about how to pay fees and a website page will be created. Further details can be found in the new member application form on the website. The new membership fee is £25.

Anyone who has been a member in the past, has allowed membership to lapse and wishes to return will need to complete a New Member application form. The fee will be £25.

Existing members who wish to continue their membership annually. The fee is £15.

There are additional charges for members who apply for the Art Trail and the Christmas Gift Fair and Exhibition.

Guest Artists are welcomed!

Who can be a guest artist?

Domestic venue holders sometimes like to invite artist friends who are not existing members but whose work they feel fits well into the overall curation of their venue. Steyning Arts supports this idea and believes that guest artists bring breadth to the annual Art Trail and adds value to our creative community. Guest artists pay the same £40 fee to Steyning Arts.

Can you be a guest artist in a communal venue?

On the rare occasion that there is a space for a guest artist in a communal venue the person who nominates this artist must consult the co-chairs who will, in turn, consult the selection panel who will decide if the guest artist can be accepted.

When will I know how much space I’ve got and where it will be?

From the moment of the application deadline, we are pressed for time to meet the deadline for the brochure to go to print.  We keep firm deadlines so that we can complete the process. See application form for dates and deadlines. Detailed information about the trail will be available four -five weeks after the application deadline.

Can I exhibit in two venues?

Giving all members a place in a venue is the first priority. If there is space available in any venue once everyone has been placed then it would be possible for a member to be in 2 venues, this will incur 2 fees (£80).

Trail venues – about 22 to 24 domestic and 3 to 4 communal venues.

Can I choose which venue I show in?

Before and during the process of coordinating the Trail, we cannot promise a particular venue to any artist. If you have disability requirements you will be able to mention this on your application form and these will, of course, be taken into consideration.

Can I show in my own venue?

Yes, we are always looking for new venues – the more the merrier.  If you have strong feelings about where and how you show your work this could be the best option for you.

Do I choose which artist(s) show in my own domestic venue?

Venue holders are responsible for ‘curating’ the work they show and choosing which member artists to share their venue with. If there are free spaces available just let the trail venue team know when you complete the Trail application form. We will consult with you about what type of art would go well with yours and suggest artists who are in need of a venue, but the final decision is yours.

Is my house a suitable space?

Steyning Arts Trail venues have ranged from gazebos to garages, kitchens to sheds, cabins to barns.  Have a think about which area of your living space you could display your work in or if you know someone who could offer you a space.  Visitors love to see work in a domestic setting which was the whole inspiration for the very first Open Houses in Brighton 50 years ago!  Plan to make some minor adjustments for the two weeks of the Trail such as being extra tidy, moving the TV up to the bedroom, making steps and pathways accessible and hey presto – you have an open house that you can use year after year!

What happens if I am a Steyning Arts member, I don’t have a venue, but I would like to exhibit in the Art Trail?

Information is gathered from the Trail application form where we discover which artists already have venues and which artists are looking for venues. Any artists without a venue will be placed by the Trail venue co-ordinators. Sometimes there are one or two domestic spaces free, sometimes artists have already secured venues by prior arrangement. It is also possible for members to approach High Street businesses/shops to see if they would be willing to exhibit their work. Most members without a venue will be placed in a communal venue. If there is not a place available in the trail the fee will be returned.

Is there any point if my venue is out of town?

We find that artists who put some time and energy into publicising their venue, inviting friends, family and their wider network, have just as positive an experience of the Trail as those in more central locations. Offering refreshments, demonstrations or other ways to make your venue special will all help.

Fees, Insurance, Health and Safety

How much does it cost to be in the Art Trail?

The participation fee is £40 per artist.  Every artist pays the same fee, and this is non-refundable once venues have been booked and allocated. The fees will be reimbursed however if the event must be cancelled.

How do I pay the fees?

Instructions for payment are within the Art Trail application form.

Does Steyning Arts take any commission from artists?

Trail fees cover all of Steyning Arts’ administration costs and so we don’t take any commission from artists, however, venue holders can decide if they wish to set any additional terms – for example charging commission or asking for a small contribution to cover cleaning or other venue costs.  If you are exhibiting your work in a High Street shop / local business, you are responsible for negotiating the terms with the business owner.

How does stewarding in venues work?

In communal venues an exhibiting artist takes a lead role in co-ordinating the curation, opening, closing, and rota for stewarding that venue. In domestic venues the venue owner/artist is responsible for arranging a stewarding rota. In a High Street shop/business, venue artists should liaise with the venue owner. It is recommended that you arrange some “meet the artist” sessions or stewarding to encourage footfall and support the business.

Insurance Cover:

Steyning Arts provides public liability insurance that covers all members of Steyning Arts in each venue. Guest Artists will need their own public liability cover. It is the responsibility of the venue lead to check this. The Steyning Arts policy does not include cover for damage to property, however, or loss or damage to artwork. Arranging insurance to cover these aspects will be the responsibility of each individual artist. The Steyning Arts venue team can advise.

Health & Safety – Risk Assessment

All venues and venue stewards will need to adhere to an overarching Art Trail risk assessment and in addition provide a venue specific risk assessment.

Marketing the Art Trail

Trail brochures will be printed, and artists will be asked to deliver a quota to a particular area. The Trail will be advertised in local digital and print magazines including Your Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding and on social media.