Please read these Guidelines carefully as there is a two-stage application process for selection to membership of the Guild.

You are eligible to apply to become a member of the Guild if you are an Arts Practitioner:

• living and working in the UK, in any discipline actively producing work for exhibition and/or sale.
• producing high-quality work and demonstrating a high level of skill in your chosen area/field/medium.
• willing to engage in the running of the Guild and contribute positively to its success.
• committed to the Black Swan Arts ethos and prepared to support the Black Swan Arts mission statement.

The selection panel is made up of professional artists working in a variety of media/fields. The panel will be looking for:

• Quality – high level of skill, appropriate and sensitive use of materials, finished work (not ‘in process’).
• Originality – a strong creative voice, a coherent body of work, aesthetic development.
• Mastery of materials, techniques and processes – irrespective of medium.

Stage 1, online application

1. Create an account or login to your existing account – you can request your password if you can’t remember it
2. ‘Registration details’ – fill in your personal/contact details
3. ‘Entry details’ – add information about your current application, including artist’s statement
4. ‘Artwork registration’ – upload up to 6 high-quality images:
   • recommended 300 dpi – maximum 1 MB per image
   • jpg/jpeg format
   • give each image a filename of ‘lastname-firstname-title’ with words separated by hyphens
5. ‘Finish’ – complete you application by paying the application fee (via PayPal)

Do NOT send any additional materials unless specifically asked to do so by the Black Swan Guild selection panel.

The Black Swan Guild selection panel will assess the work online for artists to progress to stage 2. All applicants will receive an email notifying them if they have been selected for stage 2 or if they are unsuccessful at this time.

Stage 2

Those successful at stage 1 will need to bring work to the Round Tower Gallery at Black Swan Arts for consideration by the current Guild members. The following rules must be met:

• work presented at stage 2 must have been submitted at stage 1, substitutions cannot be made
• work should be delivered in a form that represents how it would be presented for exhibition or sale and must be clearly and securely labelled

If these terms are not met, Black Swan Arts retains the right to disqualify the application without refunding the submitter.

All applicants will receive an email notifying them if they have been successful or unsuccessful. The decision of the selection panel is final and we cannot give individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Black Swan Arts will promote Black Swan Guild and its members within its programme of events via:

• the Black Swan Arts website
• e-newsletters
• social media
• monthly entries in appropriate listings magazines
• press releases to local media
• posters throughout the building and other relevant sites

Black Swan Guild are expected to actively promote their exhibitions, members and future application rounds via:

• the Black Swan Guild microsite
• the shared social media profiles
• members individual social media profiles
• members own mailing lists

Black Swan Arts will not share personal information with third parties. However, we will include in our regular mailings, unless you choose to unsubscribe. We will always keep you informed about future competitions.

If you are unsuccessful at any stage of the application process you are welcome to apply again in the future. Application dates will be publicised on the Black Swan Arts website.