INFORMATION FOR ARTISTS
Open Studios Sunshine Coast 2022 is the most exciting opportunity for artists living and working on the Sunshine Coast. The event will be held over two weekends from 18-27th March, 2022 and is bridged by 5 days of workshops. It will attract visitors to the region and offers artists the opportunity to showcase their work and attract sales.
Each participating artist on the coast and in the hinterland are required to open their studio for two days Saturday and Sunday. For each region you have the option of opening on the Friday before for your allocated region. Monday to Thursday in the intervening week is optional as well.
Open Studios Sunshine Coast 2022 features artists opening their studios to the public with the option of also running a workshop. We aim to provide greater opportunity for the public to access the visual arts, to showcase our local artists, and to provide a series of creative workshops curated by artists that encourage community participation and celebrates diversity.
The first weekend, the 19-20th March will see the Coastal trails open their doors, with the hinterland areas the following weekend 26-27th March with the option of opening during the week. This is bridged by 5 days of artists’ workshops available to the public and to artists of all levels.
Participating artists must be residents within the Sunshine Coast Region (Sunshine Coast Council residents).
Open Studios Sunshine Coast 2022 Registration is $200 AUD plus $55 membership to Arts Connect Inc, if you are not already a member please Click Here
Your registration fee includes:
- Artist profile in the Open Studios printed guide & Open Studios Website
- Opportunity to advertising in the Open Studios Guide
- Invitations to Open Studios key events
- Onsite signage & wayfinding as an Open Studios participant
- Opportunities for artist interviews through Open Studios marketing campaign & media partnerships
- Event delivery support
Artist registration for Sunshine Coast Open Studios is open to artists' studios who meet the following criteria:
- Must be a member of the Arts Connect Community ($55 per year, payable via Arts Connect Website or upon registration of Open Studios Sunshine Coast)
- Your artist studio must be located within the Sunshine Coast Council Shire.
This means if your studio is located in adjoining Council Shires, you may NOT register for Open Studios Sunshine Coast. - You are not participating in Noosa Open Studios.
Due to geographic locations some artists located in Sunshine Coast Council suburbs are accepted by Noosa Open Studios to enter their event. Such areas could include Eumundi, parts of Doonan not included in Noosa Shire, Verrierdale, Lake Weyba, Peregian Springs, Carters Ridge in which case you may apply for registration to Noosa Open Studios. If you are residents in the above areas and your location is accepted, you must choose to be part of either Noosa Open Studios OR part of Open Studios Sunshine Coast, not both. You may not be registered to participate in both art trails in any calendar year. **This requirement is to protect the integrity of each event, as well as be a fair as possible to ALL artists in both council regions.
The success of ACI Open Studios is directly reliant on all subscribers participating and adhering to the guidelines set out by ACI. Without this structure, the program could easily become fragmented and disconnected.
The Artist and the Studio
A bad experience at one Open Studio could mean that it may be the last stop for guests. To keep guests wanting to go to the next studio everyone has to work together.
Make guests feel welcome and important
ACI Open Studios Program relies on artists presenting themselves in a professional manner when guests approach their studios. When guests are visiting a studio they feel uncomfortable if they have to wait for the artist to finish a phone call or come from the other side of the property. Be available and approachable.
Top tip: Remember, your guests are probably just as nervous as you are and may be too shy to ask questions. Try working on a piece and explain what you are doing, or chat about something they are looking at. You may have several different groups come at the same time, don’t panic, just say hello to everyone, tell them all to ask about anything they see that interests them, if you have made the effort to greet all your visitors that will be enough to make them (and you) feel comfortable and included. If you aren’t sure what to say, it’s ok to just say you are going to work on a piece and they are free to ask questions as you go, it will break the ice in a very simple way.
Ensure your signage is clear and easy to follow and safe
The guests’ experience can be diminished if they find it difficult to follow signs, park their car and access the studio. You will be supplied with Open Studios branded signage to direct visitors. Make sure parking instructions on the website are correct and clear, most visitors will rely on this information to inform their choice of artist studio as well as location. For example- parking available onsite/ street parking only/ park and walk 200m/ buses welcome.
Top tip: make sure signs are clearly visible from the road and in a safe position that won’t obstruct pedestrians or become dislodged easily. Do a visual check of your signs early on the day you are opening your studio to make sure they are all up and facing the right way!
Open Studios regions and opening times
Open Studios regions and opening times. Open Studios is divided into Hinterland and Coast regions. Studios that sit in the Coast region will be opening their studios on March 19-20th from 10am-4pm. The Hinterland studios will open their studios March 26-27th from 10am-4pm. Studios will only be open on one weekend but may choose to open during the week on days chosen by the artists in the registration form. These dates will appear in the printed guide so must be available on those dates once the guide has gone to print. Any changes to your opening days and times must be emailed to openstudios@artsconnectinc.com.au before February 4th, 2022.
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Open the hours that are advertised
You must be open for the dates and times specified in the guide. Remember this is a professional opportunity, you need to act in a professional manner. To set the day aside and visit Open Studios only to find that the first one is not open after being advertised is extremely disappointing to a guest.
Top Tip: Have morning tea and lunch pre-packed and on hand. Maybe bring the jug over to make a cuppa if you can’t get back to your studio in time for guests. It’s ok to have a break while visitors are there as long as you are willing to chat, but it’s not ok to not be in your studio while it is open.
Have something to work on that is interesting
Guests love to see artists working and, as well as encouraging them to purchase, it also builds interest in the next studio and is a fantastic way to break the ice for both visitors and artists.
Top Tip: if you’re shy, put bullet point notes around your studio to help you remember interesting points about your practice or even short artist statements about several works, it doesn’t have to be polished, just points of interest to draw in the audience. Display any art books you may have, put as much of your work up on the wall as you can and any other objects or quotes that inspire you- it will inspire your visitors too!
Promote and work with other studios that are open
Take some time out to find out other studios that are open on your trail and encourage guests to visit them. Contact other studios in your area and share the brochure drop at our local village/town. Share each other’s studio DL’s or business cards.
Top Tip: ACI is all about connecting artists, so come to workshops or meetings, share and comment on social media, volunteer to do a job, and you will make those valuable connections, it will be worth it, trust us.
Keep a safe and clean environment
Guests love to see the messy studios as well as the perfectly clean however a messy studio doesn’t have to mean a dirty and unsafe studio. While it is a condition of this agreement that your studio maintains healthy and safety standards, ensuring you have clear pathways, caps on solvents, no frightening dogs loose, clear of dirt and dust can also ensure that guests will want to continue to visit.
Top Tip: Eclectic is good, displaying objects, books and artworks that inspire you as well as your own work helps to create an engaging environment and a valuable glimpse into your practice, the smell of oil paint is a wonderful thing, but make sure your windows are open and solvents have child proof lids on. Extra points for keeping them out of reach of children- many families visit, so think of what is at a child’s eye height and make sure that it’s safe and unbreakable (or that you don’t mind it getting broken!)
Display artwork for sale with prices and information
Guests love to read about artwork as they look at it and they often hate to ask for prices. Clearly displaying, labelling and pricing your work will assist with sales.
Top tip: If your prices are similar, write yourself a pricelist and have a plan of action if someone wants a deal on multiple purchase- if the next person doesn’t get the same deal they will be very disappointed. Also consider how much the work is worth in a gallery setting, again, if someone purchases a work from a gallery or competition for X amount, and it is significantly cheaper in the artist’s studio they will be disappointed. NB- If you are represented by a gallery we require you to check your agreement with them or discuss how to manage studio sales.
Definition of a studio
A studio does not need to be permanent, and may be something other than your working space, however you are required to ensure an experience consistent with Open Studios. If the studio is part of your dwelling, please make every effort to ensure visitors have a professional experience. Each studio will be checked by a representative of the Open Studios Sub Committee.
Top Tip: If in doubt, request a visit from us, and we will endeavour to assist you in any way with advice or perhaps assist in working in a shared space instead.
Working with galleries
It is a requirement of participation that you declare your association with a commercial gallery. If you are represented by a gallery you must contact your gallery regarding arrangements for sales, commission, etc.
Top Tip: Honesty is the best policy. Galleries work hard to represent you and sell your work, and are integral to the arts across the planet. Have the discussion with your gallery, and work to a fair and equitable arrangement. Working together Participating in the ACI Open Studio Program also means working together to achieve the best result.
Artists registered are expected to assist with the following:
- Sharing the event on social media.
- Promoting in your local area when possible.
- Assist with postcard drops in your local area.
- Assisting with marketing programs as announced from time to time by ACI.
- Complete and submit Visitors/Statistic forms to ACI from each open.
- To assist with fundraising campaigns as decided up on, from time to time, by the Co-ordinators and committee of ACI Open Studios.
ACI contributes As an incorporated body, Arts Connect Inc can offer their Open Studios Program subscribers with additional support through administration, marketing, signage, brochure design and printing, website presence and maintenance, as well as managing the overall program all over and above the marketing provided, audits, insurance and signage.
Since the early days of ACI Open Studios, the program has run on a list of conditions to ensure the very best outcome for all artists and visitors. The Open Studios Coordinator and Sub Committee have the right to reject any application if the artist does not meet the requirements. Subscription to the Open Studios Program is conditional upon compliance of all the following:
- ACI Open Studios Program is only available to full members of ACI. (Full membership is currently $55 per year). All participants must ensure that their membership is up to date at the time of opening their studio.
- Subscription to ACI Open Studios is $200 for one weekend, including the option to hold endorsed workshops, an artists profile in the guidebook and website, and signage. Subscription covers the artist. If a studio is shared by two 2 or more artists, each artist pays the full registration fee.
- All artwork displayed, for sale or otherwise, in the registered studio must be the artists own work. Reference material is allowed but must not be misrepresented as the artists own work.
- Artists and Studios are encouraged to market their studio however they must use the provided promotional material. Artists and Studios cannot create their own marketing using the ACI logo or refer to the program without written permission from ACI. Marketing tools will be supplied for campaigns with permissions to use them.
- Images and statistics supplied to, or obtained by, ACI remain the property ofACI for use at their discretion.
- Artists must ensure that their studio remains compliant with Workplace Health and Safety guidelines while opening under the ACI Open Studios Program. The Open Studios Sub Committee can help.
- It is strongly recommended that all participating artists have their own Public Liability Insurance. ACI’s insurance policy does not extend to members, and therefore you will not be covered for any occurrence at your property or in relation to your work during the event. Please seek professional insurance advice.
- Artists and Studios must return all signs in good order at the end of the program. ACI reserves the right to charge artists for the cost of the signs if it is deemed by the Committee that the Artist did not take due care of ACI property.
Non-compliance
ACI reserves the right to investigate any complaint received from the public or another artist relating to a studio not complying with one or more of the guidelines in this document or that the studio is not in the ‘spirit’ of the program.
ACI will endeavour to mediate issues in the quickest and easiest way with any parties involved. ACI will take all steps, within reason, to ensure success of mediation.
Should mediation be unsuccessful, ACI reserve the right to terminate an artists or studios subscription as ‘non-compliant’.
Since the early days of ACI Open Studios, the program has run on a list of conditions to ensure the very best outcome for all artists and visitors. The Open Studios Coordinator and Sub Committee have the right to reject any application if the artist does not meet the requirements. Subscription to the Open Studios Program is conditional upon compliance of all the following:
- ACI Open Studios Program is only available to full members of ACI. (Full membership is currently $55 per year). All participants must ensure that their membership is up to date at the time of opening their studio.
- Subscription to ACI Open Studios is $200 for one weekend, including the option to hold endorsed workshops, an artists profile in the guidebook and website, and signage. Subscription covers the artist. If a studio is shared by two 2 or more artists, each artist pays the full registration fee.
- All artwork displayed, for sale or otherwise, in the registered studio must be the artists own work. Reference material is allowed but must not be misrepresented as the artists own work.
- Artists and Studios are encouraged to market their studio however they must use the provided promotional material. Artists and Studios cannot create their own marketing using the ACI logo or refer to the program without written permission from ACI. Marketing tools will be supplied for campaigns with permissions to use them.
- Images and statistics supplied to, or obtained by, ACI remain the property of ACI for use at their discretion.
- Artists must ensure that their studio remains compliant with Workplace Health and Safety guidelines while opening under the ACI Open Studios Program. The Open Studios Sub Committee can help.
- Artists and Studios must return all signs in good order at the end of the program. ACI reserves the right to charge artists for the cost of the signs if it is deemed by the Committee that the Artist did not take due care of ACI property.
- ACI's insurance policy does not extend to members, and therefore you will not be covered for any occurrence at your property or in relation to your work during the event. To complete the registration process, participants are required to check that their existing public liability insurance covers them for this event (including the running of workshops if relevant) and upload a Certificate of Currency for that insurance.
NB: To read more about arts and insurance here is a useful article. It contains links to some organisations you may wish to contact if your current insurance doesn’t cover you for OSSC22
Non- Compliance
ACI reserves the right to investigate any complaint received from the public or another artist relating to a studio not complying with one or more of the guidelines in this document or that the studio is not in the ‘spirit’ of the program.
ACI will endeavour to mediate issues in the quickest and easiest way with any parties involved. ACI will take all steps, within reason, to ensure success of mediation.
Should mediation be unsuccessful, ACI reserve the right to terminate an artists or studios subscription as ‘non-compliant’.
THE MET, Cnr First Avenue & South Sea Islander Way, Maroochydore
Lou Jaeger, Buderim based artist and Exhibitions Officer at USC Art Gallery, will share some valuables tips and tricks to help you present and promote yourself and your art studio during our 2022 Open Studios events.
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Thanks for keeping up to date. We love a clean email inbox here at the Open Studios, so we figure you do too. So we will only send you Open Studios related updates every so often. However, with over 70 artists registered it is going to be an amazing event. Stay Tuned 🙂