Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions. Select a topic from the menu below to jump to that section.

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SOS MEMBERS’ GROUP EXHIBITIONS

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SOS MEMBERS’ GROUP EXHIBITIONS

How do I enter work for an SOS Members’ Group Exhibition?

Keep an eye on the Weekly Members’ Newsletters. Approximately seven weeks before the start date of an exhibition a link will be included in the Newsletter which will take you to the Conditions of Entry document for that particular show. This document will contain all the information you need about the exhibition as well as links to the entry form, paying your entry fee and signing up for stewarding (a Condition of Entry). Key dates and deadlines, plus the number of pieces and maximum dimensions accepted will be detailed in this document.

Please make sure you read the Conditions of Entry thoroughly before completing the online entry form. Most of the questions you might have about the exhibition will be answered there. If, having carefully read through the document, you are still unsure about anything please email admin@suffolkopenstudios.org and your question will be forwarded to the exhibition organizers.

Please note: Any work brought to the gallery/venue on drop-off day that does not conform to the criteria specified in the Conditions of Entry will be turned away.

Why do I have to send you pictures of my work and where do I send them?

The exhibition organizers will normally ask you to send in photographs of the work submitted  These do not have to be professional photographs – a clear phone photo will do. If you are entering a collection of small items, a photo of a representative selection of pieces will suffice.

These photographs will assist the organizers with the curation of the exhibition but all members are guaranteed to have at least one piece shown as long as it meets the criteria laid out in the Conditions of Entry. If the instructions for that exhibition allows you to enter multiple works, from which the organizers may select one or two pieces, the photos enable them to choose pieces that they feel will hang well together as a cohesive show. Even if you have more than one piece selected there is no guarantee that they will be hung in close proximity to one another.

Photographs should be sent as email attachments to admin@suffolkopenstudios.org with the filenames in the following format:

[Name of artist]_[Title of artwork]_[Dimensions H x W]_[Price in whole pounds]

NB. We do not need photos of browser pieces or greetings cards.

When will I hear which of my pieces have been selected?

As soon as the deadline for entries has passed, the entry forms are downloaded from the website in the form of a spreadsheet. This is then sorted into alphabetical order using the artists’ names and exhibition-specific Artist Numbers are allocated. These numbers will be used to identify your work in the printed Exhibition Catalogue. Once selection has taken place, an email with a draft Catalogue listing will be emailed to all exhibiting artists for checking. Your Artist Number and the individual piece numbers for the main works submitted will be included in this list.

Artists’ Sales Sheets and labeling items

Each item that is for sale at an exhibition (including browser pieces and greetings cards) must be labelled clearly with your Artist Number and the number of the individual object as listed on your Artist Sales Sheet. While the individual piece numbers of your main items will have been sent to you in the draft Catalogue listing, the identifying numbers of browser pieces and greetings cards will become apparent when you complete your Artist Sales Sheet.

Labeling items ensures the correct artist receives payment for any sales and also helps the hanging team place the correct wall label next to your main artwork(s).

Artist Sales Sheets are emailed to exhibiting artists roughly four days before drop-off day.

Please print off your Artist Sales Sheet and complete it by hand. The completed Artist Sales Sheet should be brought along on drop-off day and stewards will use it to check in your artworks, browser pieces and greetings cards. Any sales you make will also be recorded on your Artist Sales Sheet. Any unsold works will be checked out on your Artist Sales Sheet on pick-up day.

You will then be asked to sign the document to confirm you agree with the information recorded.

All work must be checked out. If you leave with your work without checking it out we may not be able to reimburse you for any discrepancies discovered later.

When will I get paid?

If your work sells we aim to pay you by bank transfer within two weeks of the exhibition closing. We ask all artists who have sold work at a particular show to send us their bank details as, for security reasons, we are not able to store these. Our online banking system deletes the account details of payees that have not been active for a period of time so, even if you have supplied the information for previous exhibitions, for the sake of speed if you have been told that we have money to pay you please email payment details to admin@suffolkopenstudios.org as soon as possible. After six months, any unclaimed exhibition revenue will be transferred into a pot of money put aside to enable Suffolk Open Studios to offer concessionary membership rates to artists on a low income.

 

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How do I edit my listing?

If you have submitted your listing but you have not completed all of the details, or added all of your images, or just want to change something, this can only be done once your payment has been received and your listing has been published. You will receive an email notifying you when this happens. Please check your spam box for emails as they may be sent there, due to their automated nature. Once that has happened you can get to your listing either by navigating through the directory for your area, or by going to view your SOS page and clicking on the Edit button next to your listing.

How do I reduce the size of my images?

If your images are too large to upload to the website (the maximum files size is 1Mb per image and the maximum image size is 1000 x 1000 pixels), you can use various programs to reduce the size. The simplest program to use is Microsoft Paint if you have this. Make sure you use a copy of your original file and then just use the File, Resize option and choose the pixels option, making the largest dimension equal to 1000 as shown below:

You can also use online facilities such as http://www.imagesmaller.com/ which enable you to do the same thing.

I haven’t received the automated emails

If you don’t receive the emails that are sent automatically when you register, create your listing and when your listing gets approved then please check your spam box as it is likely they have gone there. If you can’t find them please let us know via the contact form on the website.