9 - 24 June and 20 - 22 July 2012 Open Studios
2011 was another successful year for Surrey Artists Open Studios. Attracting visitors both locally and further afield, this event is a vital resource for our artists enabling them to promote their work direct to the public, gain valuable feedback on new work, help generate sales and of course give them a deadline to produce and market work to their own contacts.
Contact the artists
There is still the chance to contact artists, we have over 300 SAOS members (more than this years Open Studios participants) who are promoting their work through Find A Surrey Artist. Many of our SAOS members enable the public to make an appointment to visit their studio at any point throughout the year. Start your search today and see what our SAOS members have to offer.
Prize Draw winner
The 2011 Free Prize Draw winner is Sue Kolkowski from Woking.
What's new for Surrey Artists Open Studios summer event?
For the first time we will be offering an additional weekend to the established June event. This will be 20 - 22 July to coincide with the Olympic Torch coming to Surrey
We will also be hosting an additional prize draw, any member of the public that visits more than 3 studios on bicycle during the June event and has their loyalty card signed by the studios they visit will be entitled to enter our extra free prize draw for cyclists! We are hosting this extra prize draw in celebration of the Olympic Road Cycle races coming to Surrey on the 28 & 29 July.
Contact us
This annual event is run by the Surrey Artists Open Studios Coordinator. Contact Caroline Jackman for information or press enquires.
t: 01483 519 285
Participation
To be eligible to participate in the annual Surrey Artists Open Studios event you first have to become a member of the SAOS community group. This applies to each participating artist, whether you wish to represent yourself in an individual studio, a studio sharing with one other artist or as artists sharing a studio in a group.
The benefits of taking part include:
- Publicising yourself and your studio in our prestigious Surrey Artists Open Studios brochure
- The opportunity to promote your studio and your art practice
- County-wide marketing and publicity campaign
- Professionally produced marketing material to publicise your open studio
- Direct feedback from artists and general public on your work
- Your dedicated web page on popular website will include your studio days open, directions and accessibility
- The opportunity to sell work, gain commissions, promote your work to artists groups and galleries and to network with other artists in your area.
What is an Open Studios event?
Open Studios events take place in the UK and abroad. They have been established to help promote artists and their art practice. These events encourage artists to open up their studios to the public, whether in a group or as an individual, in a town or city or in a remote area of the countryside, taking place in a region, a city or just one building. Each event attracts tourists, art lovers, buyers and other artists. Often Open Studios events join forces with other types of venue and activity to form a larger event or festival.
The artists offer workshops, demonstrations of their art practice, work to commission and work for sale. Open Studios cover a broad spectrum of visual arts, including painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, design, film and photography. Some Open Studios events display a key body of work; others are very varied offering all visual arts. Some offer radical artwork whilst others offer more traditional or commercial styles. These events have proved very popular for visitors, providing a great way to meet artists and gain an insight into their working practice. For artists it is a valuable opportunity to raise their profiles and develop new skills in promoting their art.
Why are Open Studios events important?
They expose artists to a wider audience, offer economic benefits to the local economy, offer community and environmental development to an area and help in self-promotion for the artist.
Open Studio Events offer opportunities to all.
For other open studio events across the country visit the Open Studios Network.
