The Annual Summer Exhibition
Exhibition & Sale Of Artwork
The Annual Summer Exhibition is held for 13 days up to Bank Holiday Sunday in August, which is free to enter for members and £5 per painting for non-members.
BOOKING INFORMATION
Booking for this takes place one month in advance of the exhibition so that there is time to produce a catalogue for which there is a small charge. The club charges 20% commission for paintings, sculpture, pottery or glass and 10% for cards.
The FAQs below show further important information for the event.
When is the Annual Exhibition?
Last 2 weeks in August, ending on the Sunday prior to the Bank Holiday Monday.
Who can submit work?
Members and non-members can register to take part.
What can be exhibited?
Members can submit up to 5 paintings to be hung (originals only), free of charge.
We have a number of tables on which craft work may be exhibited.
If you register framed pictures or canvases to be hung, a total of 3 unframed paintings or unframed, quality prints or digital artwork may be exhibited (in the troughs).
Each Member registering framed pictures or canvases is allowed 30 packs of one or more cards to be listed on the form provided. Individual or a pack of cards must be neatly wrapped and protected by a cellophane–type covering, with the artists name and price on the reverse.
Pack prices should be multiples of 50p. Card packs need NOT be numbered
Non- members can submit up to 4 original paintings to be hung, and/or craft items, for a fee.
All hung entries (members and non-members) must be original and not exhibited at a previous Cookham Arts Club Exhibition.
The club reserves the right to refuse to hang a work which may be of a sensitive nature or cause offence to other members or to the public.
If in doubt about a work please contact Exhibition Organiser who will arrange a Committee decision.
Is there a Selection Process?
All paintings go before a Selection Panel who ‘score’ the paintings to give us a priority order for hanging. Members only are guaranteed to have a minimum of one work hung. (There are exceptions – paintings by the panel and Life Members of the club do not go before the panel).
Each year we have a different selection panel made up of three club members and two non-members. We try to include some professional artists, and artists who, amongst the group, produce a variety of styles of work. All the panel are independent of those templating and hanging the exhibition.
We hope they will be able:
- To choose paintings that together will give an enjoyable and stimulating exhibition, appealing to a wide variety of buyers.
- To choose high quality and a wide variety of paintings for display.
- To give members pride in having work selected by an independent panel of artists, some professional, some amateur.
- To choose artwork which will maintain the reputation of CAC for putting on a good exhibition.
- To aid the templating team set out a pleasing display without bias.
How do we register our entries.
Please click the link above to fill out the registration form and request forms for Framed, unframed, cards and craft. You will receive all the forms via email. On receipt of your registration, you will be sent the relevant entry forms a.s.a.p. If you don’t receive the forms within a week, please contact the Exhibition Organiser.
What are the charges?
Members do not pay entry fees.
Non- Members pay £5 per entry up to 4 for framed paintings or stretched canvases, for craft £5 per item up to 3 items or £20 for 4 up to 10 items
The club charges 20% commission on all items sold (except cards – 10% commission) to cover the cost of publicity, hall hire and screen storage.
When an artist makes a sale the club treasurer will contact the artist for bank details to arrange for payment via bank transfer.
Are there size restrictions?
Dimensions of up to 76cm x 76 cm (30 inches).
If you have larger paintings, we may be able to accommodate them, ask the exhibition organiser.
Is there a closing date for submissions?
The closing date for the Annual exhibition is approx. 1 month before handing in.
This allows time to proofread all the entries/paperwork; to prepare a catalogue and go to print; plan the layout of the screens and tables, subject to the number of entries.
No late entries, amendments or deletions can be accepted as the catalogue is printed in advance of the Exhibition.
Framing guidance
We ask that you frame your work carefully in perfectly clean and tidy frames/mounts
Clip frames and frames with a stand designed for photos are not suitable for the club screens.
How do I need to prepare my paintings?
Please stick an adhesive label or write on the back of your work with
Title
Medium
Price
Artist name
Also
On a strong card luggage label write in CAPITAL LETTERS the ARTIST’S NAME, TITLE OF THE WORK (no more than 5 words), MEDIUM AND PRICE on one side only
Leave the other side of the label blank. Size: 12 x 6 cm or 4½ x 2½ inches, please.
Tie label with a minimum 1 foot/30cm long string to the D ring so that it will hang over the front of the painting . This label is used to help track each work’s process from templating to hanging
Unframed work for Browser needs an adhesive label on the back with Artist’s name, the title, medium and price of the work.
Please contact exhibition organiser to confirm how to label craft.
What happens on handing in day for paintings?
Hand in your paintings between 10am and 11.45am on the Saturday morning before the exhibition starts, unwrap and go to 1st check.
The FIRST CHECK is to make sure the following features are acceptable:
- D-rings – (eye rings only accepted on canvases, facing inwards)
- Secure hanging – picture cord, not hook at top of picture
- Back sealed – ALL pictures except canvases
- Label on back of picture, name of artist, title, medium, price
- Luggage label 12cmx6cm tied to hang over front. Artist, title, medium, price on one side, blank on the other side.
- Frame and mount in good condition
- No sharp fixtures
- Box canvases – neat sides, no writing on sides, no staples showing, canvases if framed, to have no pins showing
Take your paintings for SECOND CHECK
The details on your entry form and catalogue, are confirmed to be the same as your label on the back of your entry and luggage label. Your listing number in the catalogue is put onto the luggage label, this is to aid the templating process, porters will then take your work to the selection panel.
How is your work displayed?
Saturday Morning
After your work arrives it is put before our selection panel, (see the question ‘Is There a Selection Process’).
Saturday Afternoon.
Templating takes place. The paintings are laid out on tables in descending order of the votes received at selection. From these tables the paintings are chosen and laid out on screen-sized boards to decide what goes on each screen. Paintings not hung after templating are kept as Reserves to replace paintings taken at the time of sale
Sunday
Paintings are displayed as per templates.
Handing in for craft
Craft are handed in on the Sunday at 1pm. The craft selection panel will confirm details are correct and then select and display your craft.
Preview Evening
Our preview evening is on the Monday 7pm-9pm, before the show opens on the first Tuesday. We encourage exhibitors to invite buyers from their client list. The club invites previous customers and those who have requested an invite. If you would like an invite to the summer exhibition please contact us requesting an invite.
How long will exhibits stay on display?
Pictures will mostly stay on the screens until the end of the Exhibition. However, we will be flexible in our attitude to those buyers who wish to take their artwork at the time of sale, for example, if they have come a long way or if they are unable to collect it at the end of the Exhibition.
Pictures that are taken by purchasers at the time of sale will be replaced, substitutes being selected by a committee member from the spare paintings kept on the stage (storage area).
All sold paintings will be taken down and wrapped ready on the last Friday morning for collection any time after 2pm.
When can we collect unsold work?
Details for collection on the last day will be in the newsletter and in non-members instructions. Buyers’ purchases will be ready for collection from the last Friday after 2pm.
Public vote for best in show?
There will be voting slips for the public to vote for their favourite exhibit. The vote closes on the last Wednesday to allow the winning artist to be photographed with their winning entry. We hope to have a donated prize to offer.
Is there a raffle?
We have a selection of donated prizes in our Grand Draw, some relevant to art and others general.
Stewarding
We ask exhibitors to cover two stewarding slots over the 13 days, 78 slots.
Sessions are: 2 stewards per session.
Tuesday – last Saturday: 10am-1pm, 1pm-4pm, 4pm-6pm
Last Sunday: 10am-1pm, 1pm-4.45pm
If this is your first event, we will try to pair you with someone who has stewarded previously.
Schedule of events for the exhibition.
Saturday
Handing in pictures/unframed and cards, selection panel and templating
Sunday
Hanging pictures, Craft hand in 1pm
Monday
7pm-9pm. Preview evening, invited guests and artists
Tuesday
Advertised first full day
Tuesday/Wednesday
Local press invited
2nd Wednesday
Best in Show vote closes. Winning Artist invited for Photograph.
2nd Friday
Pack all red dot sales ready for buyer collection from 2pm
Last Sunday
2pm Raffle prize draw.
4.45 exhibition closes, craft artists pack their work
5pm All artists collect work
5.15pm Dismantling team commences.
EXHIBITION PAINTING SELECTION
All paintings, except Life Members’ work, go before a Selection Panel made up of two non-members and three members. Members only are guaranteed to have a minimum of one work hung.
Events Calendar
You can add The Annual Summer Exhibition dates to your own calendar by clicking the link below.
PAINTING DISPLAY
The screens are templated to display the work to its best advantage with a mix of artists’ work on each screen.
Preview Evening
A Preview Evening, from 7 – 9 pm, to which previous buyers and all artists are invited, is held on the Monday night, before the exhibition is open to the public on Tuesday.
The exhibition is advertised locally and in Art publications and we get visitors from a wide area.
PUBLIC VOTE
BEST IN SHOW
At this exhibition we have a public vote for Best in Show and the winning artist’s work is published in one of the national art magazines.
THE GRAND DRAW
There is also a Grand Draw with good prizes, open to all visitors and members.
The 2024 winner for ‘People’s choice’ award is Amy Lovell for ‘Sunset Waders’.
Previous winners
Best in show 2023
Susi London – Sunlit Glade
Joint Best in Show 2022
Sandy Herz – Incoming Light
Joint Best in Show 2022
Alison Pink – Fox
Best in Show 2021
Sarah Cox – The Hunter