Art Show Policy

Goward House Art Show Policy

Goward House Society art shows are curated by the Art Committee comprised of three House members appointed by the board plus the GH coordinator and one director whose purpose is to serve as liaison between the board and the committee. Art Show proposals are evaluated with reference to the following criteria:

The primary goal of the committee is to organize shows of artistic merit and interest. To this end the committee may visit artists’ studios with a view to inviting some of these artists to show at Goward House, as well as the usual practice of soliciting proposals from time to time.

Consistent with the purposes of Goward House, the Art Committee will consider the educational potential of each show and the interest it may generate among various Goward House constituencies such as:

a) Goward House Members: The art Committee seeks to sustain the interest of the members by providing a variety of artistic experiences. Hence, repeat shows in consecutive calendar years will generally be discouraged. Also, some shows will be selected for their potential to challenge and expand viewers’ aesthetic perceptions. Special consideration is given to involving our own Goward House art groups.

b) The larger Community: The Art Committee will consider the interest that art shows may generate among the general public in order to attract visitors and raise the profile of Goward House in the community and among artists.

Potential revenue from sales commissions is an important but not a determining criterion.

(Note: although the committee will attempt to present a balanced program, the weight given to the above criteria will vary from show to show)

Artists are invited to submit proposals in writing to the Art Committee, c/o Goward House Coordinator, Goward House, 2495 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC V8N 1V9.

Proposals must include:

Name and contact information
Show title
If a group show, a statement of common philosophy
Media used and typical size of works
E-mail and website if available
Description of the work and sample photos unless available on the artist’s website
Preferred month to show (submit three choices)

If the Art Committee decides to proceed to the next step, arrangements will be made to view samples of the work. Subsequently, those artists whose work best meets the Goward House art show criteria for the coming year will be invited to present a show. Furthermore, they will be asked to sign a contract which specifies the hanging and dismantling dates and the date and times of the proposed open house reception. If a group show, each member will be asked to sign a contract. There are no hanging fees, but Goward House charges 25% commission on all sales. While members of the Art Committee will assist, it is expected the artist(s) will take an active part in hanging and dismantling the show. A show will not contain more than two (2) 'Not for Sale' pieces.

All artists are encouraged to review the announcements of Goward House art shows, both future and past, on the Art Show Index Page and/or to contact any member of the Art Committee for further information.

Correspond directly with potential showing artists
Arrange desk duties for Open House (usually held 2:00 – 4:00 pm on the first Sunday of the month)
Hang shows in conjunction with artists (usually last Thursday of the previous month)
Ensure Art Committee director is supplied with information to take to the Board as necessary
Ensure one member of the Art Committee is appointed to interface with the Goward House webmaster, in order to maintain a current and up to date ‘web’ presentation.
Agree to take on the responsibilities of the Art Committee on a rotating basis in order to ensure continuity.

Artists will provide the data necessary for the production of web pages to publicize the show. The required information is as follows:

The name by which the show is to be identified.
Name or names of the participating artist or artists.
Representations of works to be illustrated on the show web pages. High resolution digital images are preferred such as direct output from a digital camera or scanner. If edited image files are to be submitted they must be at least 750 pixels wide. Hard copy images are also acceptable but the size cannot exceed 8.5” by 11” (standard letter paper size).
Titles for each image.
A photograph of the artist or artists. This image can be of lower resolution than is required for illustrations of art works; a width of 300 pixels is acceptable.
A short, not over 150 words, text segment. The content is wholly under the control of the artist and might contain such items as a biography or a philosophical statement.
The dates that the show will be accessible to the viewing public and the date of the opening reception.
A short run down on the general “feeling” of the show. This information is for the use of the person designing the web pages and will be used to decide how the show will be represented on the web site. It can be rough and informal.
This information is to be made available in a timely fashion. As it is House policy to post show announcements to the web server a minimum of ninety days prior to show openings, the material comprising the web page data must be received by the web page designer no later than 105 days prior to the opening date.

Additional information my be obtained by e-mail at gowardhouse@shaw.ca or by telephone at (250)-477-4401.