Guild 02
Closed Tuesday 10th September 2019
We are not currently recruiting for the Guild. If you would like to be notified when we are next recruiting, please make sure that you are signed up to receive updates and have indicated that you would like to receive news about Black Swan Guild.
Deadline 9 September
All submissions must be made online
Open to artists, designers and craftspeople of all genres & styles.
Application fee £20
For support in how to submit your application, contact web@blackswanarts.org.uk
Black Swan Guild
The Guild is an association of makers, open to practitioners of every type of art, design and craft. It is a self-managing, self-governing and self-selecting organisation, operating under the reputation and brand of Black Swan Arts. Members of the Guild are key contributors to its constitution, aims and objectives and its working practices, in partnership with the trustees of Black Swan Arts.
The Guild demonstrates Black Swan Arts’ commitment to nurture and showcase high-quality work from the widest possible range of artists and craftspeople.
Applications to the Guild
Selection of new members is based on the quality of the work you produce. This takes precedence over other factors such as qualifications, experience, status and geographic location. Submissions are welcomed from all disciplines.
The application process is in two stages:
- Stage 1 – online submission, which is considered by an independent selection panel.
- Stage 2 – actual work to be viewed by existing members of the Guild.
The selection panel
The stage 1 shortlisting of entries is carried out by a panel of professional artists who are not current members of the Guild and one of the Black Swan Arts trustees:
- Carolyn Griffiths, textile and glass artist and textile historian
- Julia Manning, printmaker
- Hans Borgonjon, ceramics and sculpture
- Heather Roughley, trustee for the Guild
Final stage 2 selection is by the current members of the Guild.
The relationship between the Guild and Black Swan Arts
As part of the Black Swan Arts organisation, the Guild enjoys all the benefits of being part of a significant regional arts venue.
Benefits include:
- exhibitions in the Round Tower Gallery
- branding based on the already familiar style of Black Swan Arts
- a microsite which is maintained by the Guild and can host member’s profiles and exhibition details
- opportunities to organise demonstrations, artist talks, courses and workshops
Regular exhibitions
Each year the Guild will be guaranteed a minimum of 16 weeks of exhibition time in the Round Tower Gallery, divided into four, four-week blocks, spread out through the year. One of these blocks of time will always fall during the prestigious (and potentially lucrative) month of December.
Fees, membership and refunds
Application fee
£20 is required to complete your stage 1 application to the Guild. This fee contributes towards:
- administration
- marketing
- software and database system maintenance
Black Swan Arts is a charitable organisation which does not receive any regular funding.
Membership fee
Membership of the Guild is currently £120 per year- this may be increased in future years upon agreement by members of the Guild. The remaining £100 should be made following acceptance through stage 2 of the application process. Your application fee has already made up part of that membership fee.
Refund policy
Unfortunately, application and membership fees cannot be refunded.