It is important to us to support all our members to exhibit and sell their work. We try to make that happen by offering different ways for you to do so with SPW, depending on your membership level.
Exhibiting your work
By exhibiting, we can share different approaches and techniques with other printmakers as well as promoting printmaking as the accessible, inventive and exciting artform it is.
Whenever possible we offer ALL* members the opportunity to exhibit their work in the Drawing Room – our studio exhibition space. Whether is an end-of-year exhibition of work, or through a project or other programme events.
* Eligibility to enter an exhibition may be subject to conditions
In addition, Full and Key holder members are eligible to hold a free annual solo or group show (with other Full or Keyholder Members) in The Drawing Room or digital Gallery. Please contact us with any proposals.
We also maintain links with galleries in Wales, UK and further afield. Through SPW, artist-members have been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally. You can see some of these in our website archives. They include exhibitions at Rhondda Heritage Park | Edinburgh Printmakers | Nant y Coy Arts | Pembrokeshire |Alhambra Arts Centre | Lahore | Pakistan |Nomad Gallery | Islamabad | Pakistan |VM Art Gallery | Karachi | Pakistan |Oriel Ceri Richards | Swansea | St Donats Arts Centre | Vale of Glamorgan |Oriel Washington Gallery | Penarth |Oriel y Bont |University of South Wales.
Where possible we also facilitate members to take part in international print events. Opportunities like these will be notified through our newsletters and on the Members’ Noticeboard LINK.
In 2020, during the COVID pandemic we set up a dedicated Digital Exhibition Website
As well as exhibitions featuring our different print processes we also showcase individual artists with some of their current work. Accompanying articles also give insight into the different approaches and individual practices of featured artists.
Alan Figg | 58 years of dedicated designs celebrating Christmas.
Catch up with Alan Figg’s amazing lino blocks
20 Years of printmaking at Swansea Print Workshop
See the fantastic range of techniques and approaches demonstrated through 20 years of printmaing
Propose an Exhibition
We encourage you to get in touch with us with any proposals or suggestions for a solo or joint exhibition in the Drawing Room or online. See Keeping in Touch for who to contact and how.
By taking part in workshops, Open Access and events such as our Group Print Days and exhibitions we hope that you will see work by and meet other printmakers that you would enjoy putting on an exhibition with.
If you are taking part in an end-of-year show and are new to exhibiting your work, we can advise you about what is required. We want to support you to gain experience and enjoy it too!
Selling work in the Studio
All members can sell work (e.g. prints, cards, handmade books) in the Studio Art Shop and browsers.
You should bring any work for sale to a booked Open Access session or by prearrangement. See our Keeping in Touch page for who to contact and how.
- Work should be wrapped in cellophane for protection, with a stiff window mount or as backing.
- Work should be labelled on the back to include: name of the artist, title of piece, medium and price. Any notes on the print can be attached on the back. You can also give contact details for any buyer to contact you directly if you wish.
- You will be notified of any sale and you will need to provide SPW with an invoice. Payment will be made by BACS.
- The OA supervisor will talk you through the system for sales and payments for cards. Cards should be packaged and labelled. You can take a look at the cards on sale in the Studio for how best to do this.
- For any sales made online, SPW will notify the artist who will be expected to liaise with the buyer directly to arrange delivery. There is an option online to add postage & package. You will need to invoice SPW less commission, see below) and payment will be made by BACS.
Commission
SPW takes 20% commission for work which is sold through SPW so you should take this into account when pricing your work for sale.
As a not-for-profit organisation, these funds go towards the running of the Studio and the services and activities we offer.
Some members have donated artwork for sale which we are able to sell for ‘bargain’ prices as part of our fundraising. Look out for these in the Studio and online.
If you wish to donate work to us, we are always pleased to hear from you! Please see Keeping in Touch for who and how to contact us.
Life Drawing
Life Drawing is rarely the subject of an exhibition but at SPW we support Life Drawing through our lively groups and encourage our Life Drawing members to both exhibit and sell work through us. Eligibility will be subject to your membership level. On our online exhibition site, Swansea Printmakers, we celebrate the long history of Life Drawing at the studio in our exhibition, Drawn from Life.