Thank you for applying to the 14th Mundaring Hills Open Studios.  This will be held 21-29 October 2023 between 10-5 pm.  You may open on all or selected days.  You and your guests must be open for the days you select for the allocated time.  You must also be open both weekends.

We welcome accomplished visual artists of any genre who have a studio and reside in the Shire of Mundaring.  Artists can invite guest artists to collaborate at their studio and they can come from anywhere.  We encourage main artists to invite well-known artists from around WA to encourage visitors to come to the event.

In addition, galleries can apply as an entity on a separate form.

Examples of last year's artists can be found on our web page www.mundaring-hills-open-studios.org.au and also on our Facebook and Instagram pages.  A brochure is produced every year, and together with posters and flyers, used to advertise the event.  Promotion of the event is also by online events, radio and newspapers etc.  We will be looking at expanding this in 2023/24.  We have had 4000 people visit the studios over the period.

The aim of this event is to encourage and support artists in the Mundaring Hills region, and to foster public interest in those artists.  Artists are reminded that respecting these aims, other artists and the public is a prerequisite for the acceptance of applications.  It is expected that a spirit of co-operation and goodwill will be shown by all those participating so that the event will be successful and enjoyable for all.

MHOS retains the right to reject any application that it deems unsuitable.

Studio Requirements

The average number of visitors per studio is about 500 over the period but can reach 2000, with more on the weekend than in the week.

You should be setting up your studio in a professional manner, as people expect to be able to see where you work as well as your art.  A table in a car port is not acceptable.  

You should make sure that you have sufficient parking facilities.  Also, it is advisable to have assistance with wrapping and taking payment.  It is highly recommended, if essential, that you have facilities to take credit card payments, eg PayPal or Square.

You can provide refreshments but cannot charge for them as this would then bring you under the food acts.  You can request a gold coin donation for charity though.

It is important that you provided a safe environment for the public visiting your studio, especially with regards to hazardous materials, trip hazards, sharp equipment etc.

Please let your neighbours know of the event.

Covid Requirements

Participating artists are expected to abide by Government Covid regulations in force at the time of the event. The Core Team will send out information in this regard prior to the event if required.   We recommend at least having hand sanitiser, on hand.  

Main Artist Requirements

Artists will need to have their own studio.  The application fee for each artist covers the cost of brochures and advertising. Each artist's bio and photo will be 1/3 of a page in the brochure.  The studio will also have a map location.  Artist's details will also be on our website with links to their social media and websites.

New studios will need to purchase a main sign for outside their studio and roster signs to direct people to their studios at an additional fee for the main sign and each roster sign.

It is a requirement of your application that you hold Public Liability Insurance that is valid for the duration of the event.  PLI should cover this type of event and all artists at the location.  See section below on PLI.

Guest Artists

We have found in the past that studios with more than one artist are more often frequented by the public. 

Guest artists will need to be a guest of someone else's studio. The application fee for each guest artist covers the cost of brochures and advertising. Each artist's bio and photo will be 1/3 of a page in the brochure. Artist's details will also be on our website with links to their social media and websites.

Guest artists need to be covered by Public Liability Insurance as well as the main artist.  See the section below on PLI.

Gallery Requirements

A gallery is defined as an entity that represents multiple artists on a commercial basis and is open to the public.

Gallery's application fee is for a 1/3 page advert in the brochure.  The gallery will also have a map location.  If you would like a larger advert, then this is possible at an increased fee.  

Copyright

We just want to remind people about copyright laws with respect to using other art or photographs as references for your painting and artwork.   Unless the images are specifically on” free to use” sites, you need to get permission to use them in your artwork.   Here are a couple of useful information sites for your clarification.

https://www.artslaw.com.au/legal/raw-law/what-is-copyright/ 

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/may-i-make-a-painting-of-a-photograph-2573673

Although this is up to the individual artist to comply with, as a group we need to make sure that we don’t publish any images on the MHOS website, social media or brochure that may infringe copyright.  

Feedback

We require each artist to give us feedback after the event. Info will include number of visitors per day, sales info and other.  We will provide each studio with a counter to record the number of visitors.  

This year we are considering a competition for visitors where they can give info about their visit.  We will advise what this is later.  

Promotion on Online and Social Media

We want to emphasis that promotion of the event is important and everyone can help with this.  In particular we'd like to see everyone’s studios/work promoted evenly so if artists can provide work-in-progress shots or finished work that will be part of their display it will enable us to capture visitor's attention. Everyone is encouraged to put as much as they can in their own social media pages and we will also try and cross promote from that.

Online media love stories about artists and their work so please provide any info on that as well.  Details are given below.

General

MHOS will hold an event for all participants before the event.  Also, we will hold a debrief for new participants to bring them up to speed.  Dates will be emailed to you. 

A small team coordinates this event and we have a number of volunteers responsible for different areas.  If you would like to help out during the event, then please volunteer in the appropriate section below.  Feedback is also welcome and you can add this to the form below or bring it up during the meetings. If you have any queries please email mhos@outlook.com.au and we will answer you as soon as possible.

Applications close on 2nd June 2023.