Site Festival Open Studios 2023 : 10th-11th June and 17th-18th June 2023
Mair Hughes in the SVA studio, by Kazz Hollick
2023 Open Studios : Registration Open until 14th February 2023
It’s our 27th year and we’re really excited for the new ideas.
If you haven’t seen it yet, watch the 2022 film - it really summarises why we do what we do, and inspires us to keep going!
There’s an updated registration form, updated fees, new job roles in the Payback Scheme, and new ideas being developed.
As well as watching the 2022 film for inspiration, you can find the ‘Benefits of Open Studios’ further down this page.
Want to Take Part?
Approximately 13,000 copies of the Open Studios Directory are printed annually and distributed across the South West and beyond. The directories are often kept for years to come, so it can be a really valuable way for people to discover and remember your work (or collective, organisation or venue) long after Site Festival has finished for the year.
To have your information in the directory you can :
How to register for Open Studios
You will need to provide us with all of your information and images, via the online registration form.
Gilson Pereira at Site Festival 2021 by Simon Pizzey
You can find all the information in the Open Studios Guidelines to help you prepare the text and images in advance, and we recommend reading below about the updated form for 2023.
Here are the information pages (or find them in the menu at the top):
You will then be ready to register for Open Studios!
Deadline: 14th February 2023 [12 midnight]
Zed MacDonald by Simon Pizzey
New Ideas for 2023
A simpler registration form
The Payback Scheme - we have created specific roles that artists can apply to do, so that roles and expectations are clear for everyone. Find the Payback Scheme page for more information.
A Site Festival app for visitors, to make the directory and festival programme more interactive - for example, being able to search for artists by medium/art form and planning routes in Google maps.
A Parrot Trail - developed by Adam White and Jo Casling, you can see the initial ideas on the Parrot page!
Benefits of Open Studios
DANGERVITCH & NEPTUNE @handlewithcare.pls, SVA studio artists
Community
For 2023 the focus for the Site Festival will be on community again. We are continuing to work hard on inclusion and accessibility as part of the planning process.
“I’ve taken part in Site Festival 3 times and I absolutely love it. I can share the space, share conversations with visitors and other artists.” - Alice Sheppard Fidler
“Being part of Open Studios is being part of a community. You’re letting people in which you don’t do most of the time.” - Chris Bingle
“It’s always lovely because you meet other artists, and you feel part of something” - Sally Hampson
Watch the 2022 film to hear from more artists.
Artists Network website for members
By participating in Open Studios you will also be an SVA Member and your work will be publicised on the Artist Network website throughout the year.
Anybody that is a visual artist and an SVA Member can have their profile on our directory, meaning that there is an online source of information for other artists and for the general public.
You can choose the image to include, and the information to include, and it’s another great way to add to your online presence. You can find more information about SVA membership at www.sva.org.uk.
THE WAAS : A Validation by the Officials from the Bureau for the Validation of Art by Simon Pizzey
Openness
Since 1997 it’s been really important that SVA was not just about the building but about the community of artists who lived out in the five valleys, working away in their spare rooms, sheds and kitchen worktops as well as the more formal studio spaces.
The word OPEN not only reflects the open studio door welcoming curious visitors to discover the wonderful world of the artists studio but also it reflects SVA’s OPENNESS to all artists of all backgrounds, ages, disciplines and experience.
Open Studios is not selected and we welcome conversations with artists who may be held back in their practice.
Updated Registration form for 2023
We have updated the registration form to make the process easier.
New parts to the form include:
You can save the session and complete the registration form in stages if you wish
It’s all on one form, so all artists will complete the same form, and select the relevant options.
People taking part as a group will do the form individually, and pay individually.
There is a discount code for Young Artists to enter into the form, so you will also use the same form. You’ll need to give us some information first in order to get the discount code.
We’ve added another question to the form where you can say you need to find a studio, and also if you have a studio to share. We plan to connect those people together in a simpler way.
Other optional questions such as asking if you want to take part in the Parrot Trail!
If the form is a barrier for you, please contact kazz@sva.org.uk. We will be arranging specific times in January where artists can come into SVA and complete the form with one of us, so if this would be helpful for you, contact kazz@sva.org.uk.
Questions?
Haven't got a studio to open?
Let us know if you are having trouble finding a studio as we might be able to help. We are working with lots of different artists and partner organisations and there may be a space for you in a mill building, empty shop or another artist's studio.
We’ve added another question to the form where you can say you need to find a studio, and also if you have a studio to share.
How much does it cost?
It varies depending on your situation. The registration fees are in a tiered system to give artists more opportunities to take part with discounts for groups of artists and young artists. Open Studio Fees range from £41 to £220 depending on discounts and support work offered.
See full details of Registration Fees here. Also see our FAQ page for frequently asked questions.
Want to know other ways you can take part?
You can also register for a Listing and Feature : you can register your exhibition or event, and have your information in the Open Studios directory. You will need to be open 11am-6pm on both weekends. The prices range from £265-£415. The deadline for submissions is 28th February 2023. Find out more about registering for a Listing and Feature.
Have a Display Advert : A display advert is suitable if your exhibition, event, talk or workshop is being organised for a time that doesn’t fit within Site Festival, but you would still like to take the opportunity to promote it. Or if you have a local business that promotes local artists in some form. It can cost between £150 and £430. The booking deadline is 28th February 2023. Find out more.
Want to know more about Site Festival and SVA?
You can see previous Site Festival programmes on the Archive page. For more information about SVA and other previous programmes, find the SVA Archive page at www.sva.org.uk.