INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE ARTISTS
The Chalk Gallery Concept
The Chalk Gallery is a collaborative project between 21 artists who work together to promote and sell each other's work, run the venue and pay the bills.
We are an artist run gallery, for professional Sussex artists to showcase their work in a permanent space in Lewes. The premises accommodates approximately 70 works from twenty one committed artists, in a friendly, relaxed but professionally presented space.
As well as exhibiting at 4 North Street, Chalk aims to promote the work and the artists in the wider community of Lewes and East Sussex, organising events, collaborating with local businesses and mounting exhibitions in a variety of venues.
We have ongoing shows in Pizza Express in Lewes. Outside shows have included a stand at Brighton Art Fair 2006, a group show in Riverside, Lewes, a group exhibition in Thebes Gallery, Lewes, and a group exhibition at The Coach House gallery, Alfriston 2011. We organise regular Private Views and Special Events and take part in Lewes Artwave each year. Regular press releases and efforts by the PR team as well as widely distributed eye-catching flyers result in successful high profile publicity for both the gallery and the artists.
Artists pay £50 a month and commit themselves to a minimum 6 months membership, regular attendance at meetings and working in the gallery one day in every three weeks.
Additionally everyone takes part in at least one aspect of the business of running the project.
We also offer opportunities to exhibit as a guest artist, by invitation. This enables the guest artist to exhibit at Chalk for six weeks, with a page on the Chalk website, publicity in the newsletter, and to benefit from Chalk Gallery's reputation and advertising. For this a fixed fee is paid, and no commission taken by the gallery from sales. No involvement in running the gallery is required. Applications are welcome.
Here's how it works -
1st Read the BASIC CRITERIA (see below)
If you are interested in committing yourself to this project, please email your CV, Artist's Statement, a bit about yourself and at least six good quality photographic images of recent work to min@mincooperprints.co.uk. (Small JPEG images preferred, eg up to 600 pixels wide). Let us know of any skills you might be able to bring to the organisation. Please nominate works that you think would be appropriate to display at Chalk. This is particularly important if you work in a variety of media as you may be chosen to show only one of your disciplines at the gallery. For example if you work in both 2D and 3D we would ask that you nominate only one of these disciplines.
2nd The Chalk Artists then consider your work and skills that you have to help with the running of the gallery and how both would fit into the gallery.
If you are successful at this stage, within one month of receipt, you will be invited to come and meet the Recruitment Team and a few 'Chalkies' for an informal interview. To give you some idea of what to expect, the Recruitment Panel will usually consist of around 5 Chalk Artists and will take place in the gallery after closing hours.
You will be asked to bring your portfolio of original work, consisting of at least 6 pieces completed recently and presented as they would be displayed in the gallery.
3rd Accepted artists will be invited to be on our Waiting List until a space becomes vacant.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes from all Chalk Artists.
Please contact Min Cooper for further information
min@mincooperprints.co.uk
BASIC CRITERIA
- High quality, affordable contemporary art works – 2D and 3D incorporating a balance of style and media, appropriate to the gallery.
- All works should be original, by the ‘hand of the artist’ – (reproduction prints are not acceptable)
- Fee of £50 p.c.m. for wall/plinth display space, plus browser space, to be paid by ‘standing order’ agreement.
- The commission of 10–20% will be used for promotional and marketing expenditure. This project is non- profit making and artist led.
- Registration fee of £100 – refundable with termination of agreement with the gallery. The contract initially will be for a minimum of 6 months and thereafter valid until either party gives one months notice.
- We only sell our own work. The 21 artists steward the gallery in turn – one day in every 3 weeks.
- There is a turnaround and rehanging of all the work every 6 weeks. Featured artists will be every 3 weeks with extra space and publicity.
- Each artist will be responsible for insuring their own work. Public Liability Insurance will be covered by the gallery.
- Input of skills – e.g. admin., public relations, marketing/publicity, maintenance, human resources, organisational, www creator and design, computer literacy, general dog’s body etc etc. Each artist is expected to play an active part in a “jobbing” team and take a share in the work that is involved in running an artist led co-operative gallery.
- Applicants need to live within one hour maximum travelling time of Lewes, as we have regular artists meetings, delivering artwork, invigilating 1 day every 3 weeks etc to take into consideration.