Saltaire Arts Trail Makers Fair 25-27 May 2019
Deadline: 25/01/2019Venue: Victoria Hall | City: Saltaire, Bradford | Region: West Yorkshire | Country: United Kingdom | Saltaire Inspired
**DEADLINE EXTENDED to Friday 25th January 2019** Call for exhibitors to show at the Makers Fair at Saltaire Arts Trail, 25-27 May 2019. We are looking for contemporary craft designer-makers working in a wide range of disciplines to exhibit work over the three days of the late 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. Applications with a focus on painting, drawing or other fine art practices will not be considered for this opportunity, but should consider applying for the 'Open Houses' opportunity instead.
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 - in 2019, on the late spring Bank Holiday weekend of 25-27 May. 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
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"
"Enjoyed the event very much and made to feel special by both organisers and visitors"
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.
Our Makers Fairs have a specific focus on showcasing handmade and contemporary craft, therefore we are unable to accept applications of traditional Fine Art practices, such as painting and drawing. Artists wishing to show Fine Art works should consider applying for our Open Houses opportunity, which runs alongside the Makers Fair during the Saltaire Arts Trail weekend.
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 2019 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, this is a great opportunity to engage visitors and encourage sales. A discount on pitch fees will be offered to those exhibitors selected to run demonstrations that feature an activity for visitors to take part in. 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 between 4 - 10 good quality images. Please ensure that you upload and attach each image individually.
A non-refundable administration fee of £5 will be required for all submissions. As a volunteer-led charitable organisation, this helps us to cover the administrational costs of carrying out a fair and unbiased selection process with an independent panel of industry professional judges.
The administration fee should be paid no later than the closing date of Friday 25th January 2019, in order for your application to be considered. The £5 administrational does not guarentee you a place within the Makers Fair, all applications are subject to a selection process. Please make your payment here: Makers Fair Application Fee
Contact the curator
We will not accept or promote work constructed from assembled pieces, kit-based items or mass-produced reproductions of works in other media (giclee/digital 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.
• Small Display Space: £200 for 3 days - Standard Space + display board measuring approximately 4x3 ft (total space to display on board, above table height), with legs that make 6.5ft height in total. Includes a flexible hanging system, no spotlights but access to power may be requested.
• Large Display Space: £230 for three days - Standard Space + display boards measuring approximately 8x4 ft (total space to display on board, above table height) with legs that make 6.5ft height in total. Includes a flexible hanging system and 2 spotlights.
• Demonstration Space: a £40 reduction on the above prices, please state your stand preference in your application. May include a small amount additional space for demonstrations to take place in, to be agreed (no extra space can be given for demonstrations taking place in a Large Display Space)
Fees will be requested upon successful application and must be paid by Friday 12th April 2019. No commission will be taken on sales.
The administrational fee should be paid before the closing date for entries, of Friday 25th January 2019. 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.*
Please note that this £5 administrational fee does not guarantee you a place within the Makers Fair, all applications are subject to a selection process.
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.
*We regret that no additional room for working outside of the stand can be given for demonstrations taking place in a Large Display Space.
If you are still really torn, you can add a note in the 'Additional Requirements' box to say you'd be interested in the Open Houses if not selected for the Makers Fair - please note that your application will be judged primarily for the opportunity you apply for, and will only be considered for your 2nd choice opportunity if time allows on the selection day.
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.)
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. Payment of the pitch fee must be paid by the deadline date to be provided in order to secure your place within the Makers Fair.
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