Information for Craftspeople
» click here to download an application for membership
» click
here to download a printable pdf version of the following information
Village Arts is dedicated to the promotion of fine quality
craft, following in the tradition of European guilds. The
organiztion is made up of Canadian craftspeople; members'
work covers the spectrum from cottage industry to one-of-a-kind
artisan. Craft encompasses traditional and contemporary design,
and covers a wide range of media including - but not limited
to - textiles and fabric, glass and metalwork, pottery and
woodcraft. The store prioritizes the profiling of local and
regional artisans’ work. Additionally, outreach to other
artisans in Canada takes place as required to ‘recruit’
specific media so as to ensure a balanced and representative
array of products in the store.
Village Arts is incorporated as a non profit society and
operates as a collective of artists: all income generated
by the store is shared between the artisan members and the
organization; the store's share of income is applied directly
to the store’s operating costs. Village Arts is financially
supported by memberships and commissions on sales. It is managed
by a Board of Directors elected by the membership at an Annual
General Meeting. Working members run the gallery shop and
any special events; employees are hired as required to staff
the store and assist with managerial duties.
In July 2006, the Village Arts Society incorporated
as a non-profit society around the following objectives:
To operate, on a not-for-profit basis, a retail shop of high
quality standard in Invermere, British Columbia. The store
sells fine craft products, thereby providing artisans with
a professional venue to sell their handcrafted work.
To support artisans’ ability to earn a livelihood from
their craft by providing a professional showcase for their
work and by promoting the store so that it is well known.
To educate the public about fine craft; to provide an opportunity
for the public to view and purchase handcrafted work and interact
with working artisans.
To support opportunities for artisans’ advancement
including professional development opportunities, gallery
exhibits, education and training.
To encourage community economic development by creating work
for artisans and creating local jobs.
Membership has its privileges!
You must be a member of the organization in order to sell
or display work in the Village Arts store.
Members are also entitled to:
- vote at the Annual General Meeting
- stand for election to the Board of Directors
- receive a Members’ Newsletter
- a presence on the Village Arts web site www.villagearts.ca
Village Arts is dedicated to progressive marketing and active
promotion of fine craft, and to the education of members and
the public.
In order to maintain Membership , you must:
- be a resident of Canada;
- have your work reviewed by the Selections Committee twice
each calendar year;
- pay annual dues of $75.00 which includes GST, by March
1 each year.
Selection Process:
Village Arts is looking for artisans whose work has a personal
direction, is unique and of consistently superior craftsmanship.
At the present time, Village Arts does not ‘generally’
accept the following:
- hobby crafts
- flower arrangements, pressed flowers or potpourri
- plants
- decorated stones, sea shells or other found objects
- transfers, decals, decoupage
- liquid embroidery
- work made from kits, commercial patterns
(as from pattern books or magazines)
- work made with a commercial product as the focal point
- work made with commercial moulds
- prints, paintings, graphics
- tolework
The Director’s elects a Selections Committee which
juries new work. Please see our “contact
us” page and email us for a Jury Application and the
date of the next Selection Committee meeting.
Four to five samples of your work are required for jurying.
Digital photos emailed as JPEG files are acceptable as a portion
of the applicant’s submission and are often submitted
as a ‘preview’ prior to sending actual pieces
for jurying; a minimum of three actual pieces are required.
Please enclose funds or return postage. A resume, retail pricing
and technical description is required along with the Jury
Application Form.
The Selection Committee awards points on a seven point scale
in the following categories:
- Aesthetics and design
- Technical competence
- Originality
- Presentation
- Retail potential
Once the work has passed through the Selection process, the
craftsperson is informed in writing as to whether or not the
work has been accepted for sale in the store.
We ask that craftspeople contact the store to arrange delivery
and pick up of their work in recognition of our very limited
storage space.
Please note that no critique is given of work submitted
for jury. Only work of the same type and quality
as that passed by the Selections Committee can be sold in
the shop. Members submitting new work must go through the
Selections process, although current members are not required
to pay jurying fees for new items.
Once an artisan’s work has passed Selection and membership
dues are paid, the work should be brought into the store as
soon as possible. There is a six month probation period for
new members. All members’ work is subject to a six month
review process by the Selection Committee in order to ensure
that the display space allotted an item is justified by sales
volume.
Village Arts’ commission is currently 40% for non working
members and 15% for working members. Cheques and sales records
are mailed to members by the 20th of the following month.
More detailed information is given to new members at the time
of joining Village Arts.
|
