Open Studios Network

OPEN STUDIOS NETWORK

	HOME
	MAPS
	FEATURES
	CALENDAR
	AIMS
	CONTACT
	MEMBERS AREA

Open Studios Network Conference
10 April 2008 10am - 4.30pm

REPORT

Morning

Gabriella Smith, on behalf of the OSN Development Team, welcomed delegates to the conference and introduced Bill Crumbleholme, Chair of SWOS (South West Open Studios), who talked about the use of websites and online applications.

download Bill Crumbleholme's notes...

Mitra Memarzia explained about the role of AIR [a-n Magazine] and how its services could be of use to open studio events. In particular, public and products liability insurance for artists.

Caroline Jackman, Surrey Artists Open Studios Coordinator, presented a comparison of organisational structures and event profiles

download Caroline Jackman's notes...

Helen Voce, Craft Development Officer for Dumfries & Galloway Council, charted the development of the region's Spring Fling event, with particular emphasis on audience development, marketing and PR.

download Helen Voce's notes...

Afternoon

The afternoon session was devoted to an Open Space Forum, where delegates decided what they wished to discuss about how a national forum could benefit them. The topics they initially chose to discuss were:

quality control
marketing & promotion initiatives
comparing evaluations
on-line transactions
purchasing power
organisational structure
professional development (CPD)
collaborations
mailing lists: data protection & website protection
"bunting, flyposting & miscellaneous activities"

caroline Jackman speaking at the conference

speakers Bill Crumbleholme & Mitra Memarzia

Helen Voce 's presentation

Report of the ensuing discussions...

comparing evaluations	Use of evaluations The discussion was predicated on the assumption that the collection and presentation of statistics was a valuable tool in promoting the economic and cultural impact of events to funders and partners. The capture of both quantitative data and qualitative testimony can be achieved through evaluations, both by participating artists and by visitors/customers. Therefore the discussion looked at the possibility of applying a basic formula for evaluation, and what other purposes it may have. Purposes of a formula: To establish a baseline, so as to compare and contrast activity across England , and to use as the basis for questionnaires To attract advertisers and business sponsorship To present to funding partners and advocate the benefits of open studios events To provide examples/ exemplars of good practice that could help to improve individual events The national Network would have a key role in collecting and disseminating evaluation documentation, and in endorsing the importance of evaluations in building a national picture to participating artists. Questionnaires Individual event's questionnaires could contain a maximum of four key questions suggested by the network. There is a strong case for keeping questions simple, but questionnaires could be differentiated for participating artists and for visitors. Prize draws could be offered as incentives for visitors to complete questionnaires. Websites could be used for on-line questionnaires, both for participating artists and for visitors. Open Forum events could be held for artists to decide the kind of questions that they think would be relevant for their events.
mailing lists	(data protection & website protection) The discussion recognised the need for individual events and the national Network to develop processes for controlling, sharing and cross-referencing mailing lists and databases. This also requires means of ‘housekeeping' – ways of maintaining and updating.
National marketing & promotion initiatives	Advertise the national Network website with its links to all open studios organisations National editorial for open studios in colour supplements, life-style and tourism publications, and in broadcast media Promote the Network's website as the portal of information about events, and as a register of participating artists Develop a national identity for OSN, and use the Network to negotiate bulk purchasing deals and discounts for Network members Develop a similar profile to farmers' markets Develop a campaign plan that uses succession marketing (following-up stories) Develop a ‘bank' of PRs, images and articles from events that can be shared on the Network website National subscription to Media Contacts by the Network Develop the OSN Google Group as a forum for events' marketing successes and failures Create a national brochure and make it available as a pdf on the Network website. The details of the proposed initiatives would be best sorted at an autumn event, to give a long enough led-in time for the following ‘season'. Other comments that people made were about publicity – is all publicity good publicity? – the usefulness of full glossy brochures, and innovative signage and branding such as use of humour and bunting.
organisational structure	The discussion group amalgamated the related topics of volunteers, membership structures and discounts, and covered the following issues: Constitution – use of a template and a generic form, or create a specific and specialised one drawing on the expertise of members, perhaps including the ability to convert to an SLA (Service Level Agreement) Economy of scale – members V organisational structure (use of paid co-ordinators) Payment of active members – a fixed fee to a budget; use of honoraria, free membership and/or extra coverage. Closely define the paid role of a co-ordinator Membership fees – consolidate within the constitution and define any basis for discounts; consider use of an early-bird fee, and/or collecting after the event. One question was should there be a membership fee or an entry fee, or both? There is a role for the Network to research the current position, taking into account the innate differences of individual events, use of venues and the use of sliding scales. Comparisons could be made by type, such as: • Town • County/ sub-region • With LA support/ without LA support • Selective/ non-selective. This information could be useful for events to introduce changes or modify their membership rates. Further useful information could be gathered by the Network regarding costs and numbers of catalogues/brochures produced, and perhaps some analysis of their cost-effectiveness. Members' benefits should be highlighted, such as entry into brochure, promotion and distribution of publicity, inclusion in newsletter (print and e-bulletin), and networking opportunities. Payment through PayPal on-line could be explored. Appropriateness – the appropriateness of the structure and the nature of its growth should reflect the intrinsic values of the event. Operating as businesses, events need to decide a structure that is best suited to potential funders, including consideration of becoming a social enterprise, a charity or a community interest company. Use of volunteers – provide job-spec's and be prepared to pay. Clarify the relationship between paid staff and volunteers. Divide the work-load by having co-ordinators for sub-groups ( 1:30 recommended). It is likely to be necessary to hand-pick and arm-twist. Provide an opportunity for retired professionals who are looking for volunteering roles. The Network could be promoted through organisations such as Voluntary Arts Network and NCVS (National Council for Voluntary Services). Ownership by artists – guard against complacency by introducing measures that encourage ownership of the event by artists. Accessibility – the need to consider accessibility and disability for participating artists and for visitors. Addendum from Joanna Brendon of London West Artists at Home: ACCESSIBILITY There may not be any legal obligation to make your home fully accessible to disabled people. However, it is certainly in the spirit of AAH that “reasonable adjustment” should be made at every studio. This is as much to do with attitude as overcoming practical restrictions. If your work is not on the ground floor, there is nothing much you can do about that, but if there are just a few steps at the front door, you might be able to provide help to lift a wheelchair. Describing your work to a blind person, allowing them to handle works, being prepared to communicate with a deaf visitor through written messages – these are just a few of the ways you can make the experience as inclusive as possible.
professional development (CPD)	Computer literacy Offering on-line registration to participating artists requires from them an understanding of computer literacy. Quality images & presentation skills The successful marketing of events relies heavily on the quality of images, presentation, and ultimately the brand. Training events To equip artists with the relevant skills might require workshops or other training events. There may be a difficulty in getting artists to attend. A solution may be to offer the workshop to a region. An alternative might be to create and offer a training video. Training and other CPD services could be ‘bought-in' from existing providers. OSN could provide a digest of such opportunities.

choosing the topics

quality control

Selective or non-selective?

The advantages and disadvantages of selective and non-selective events were explored.

Commitment

The most important feature for participating artists is their level of commitment to the event – characterised, for example, by their ability to get their details and images in by the deadline, opening their studios at the advertised times, and offeing a quality experience to visitors. Their level of commitment can be raised through good briefings and advice in advance of the event, and a thorough evaluation at the end.

Quality of ‘whole event'

quality control is about the whole event and not just about selecting artists. Quality control should come at all levels: the management team, design and promotion, pride and ownership by artists and event organisers, presentation of the whole event, how the event is evaluated and developed. Then the event will naturally attract a better more professional body of artists, quality audience, quality media coverage, sales and opportunities for the participating artists.

Quality control could also be directed by the event through its core aims; encouraging events and opportunities for new graduates, conceptual artists and international artists, will influence the event's structure. Events aimed at commercial artists and designer-makers, that create opportunities through professional development, are more likely to attract professional quality participants.

The more professional an event is perceived and organised, the more attractive it becomes to professional artists.

The organisation and ethos of the event can raise the quality of participating artists by:

• Drafting contracts of commitment

• insisting on attendance at briefings and participation in evaluation exercises

• providing standards for images to be used in publicity material

• offering advice and guidelines as well as CPD opportunities

• encouraging them to offer the best quality of experience to visitors

	HOME
	MAPS
	FEATURES
	CALENDAR
	AIMS
	CONTACT
	MEMBERS AREA

DELEGATE LIST

Kirsty	Badham	Beds (Artists Network Bedfordshire Open Studios)
Joanna	Brendon	London West, Artists at Home
Andrew	Brown	Visual Arts Strategy Officer, National Office, ACE
Jules	Cadie	OSN
Karen	Cameron	Beds (Artists Network Bedfordshire Open Studios)
Bill	Crumbleholme (speaker)	SWOS
Susan	Cutts	Chichester OS (Open House Arts Trail)
Emma	Davies	Northamptonshire OS
Wendy	Dumbrell	Hertfordshire (HVAS)
Linda	Edwards	Shrewsbury OS
Amanda	Fitzwilliam	Herefordshire OS
Mo	Gardner	Rutland OS
Raewyn	Greggain	Jersey OS
David	Halliwell	Brighton Artists Open Houses
Emma	Hodge	Cheshire OS
Jill	Hodgeson	Suffolk
Roy	Holley	Rutland OS
Heather	Hunter	Bucks OS
Joanna	Ingerson	York OS
Caroline	Jackman (speaker)	SAOS
Glynne	James	Lincolnshire, Art on the Map
Natalia A	Maude (Photographer)
Helen	Mayer	OSN
Ann	McCay	Shrewsbury OS
Mitra	Memarzia (speaker)	AIR [a-n]
Caryn	Paladina	Oxfordshire Artweeks
Catherine	Sandbrook	Salisbury City Art Trail
Jane	Sanders	Northamptonshire OS
Brian	Sapwell	Warwickshire
Terry	Scully	Sheffield, Open Up
Peter	Shaw	Stroud Open Studios
Maggie	Shaw	Stroud Open Studios
Roger	Shaw	York OS
Gabriella	Smith	OSN
Corinna	Spencer	Warwickshire
Judy	Stevens	Brighton Artists Open Houses
Franny	Swann	SEOS
Dionne	Swift	HOST Huddersfield
Carlo	Verda	East Riding OS
Helen	Voce (speaker)	Scotland NOSES
Jane	Wilkinson	Salisbury City Art Trail
Trisha	Woodcock	Bucks OS