Call for Entries: Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2019

The Society of Women Artists (SWA) published its brand new website today - just prior to the start of the digital submissions to its 2019 Annual Exhibition

The website is a huge improvement and continues the upward trajectory of the SWA's performance in recent years.  The History section in particular has been well researched and is very interesting.

The society holds various exhibitions throughout the year, culminating in the annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. The exhibition consists of works by members and non-members, which are selected by a panel from an open call for entries.

The 158th Open Annual Exhibition will this year be held in the Main and North Galleries of the Mall galleries.

Last year there were 448 artworks - paintings and drawings in all media, fine art prints and ceramics, sculpture & 3D works - across all three galleries - so I'd expect fewer works hung this year.

Dates are as follows

• Preview Evening: 24th September (by invitation)
• Exhibition Opens: Tuesday 24th Sep at 4.00 
• Private View: 25th September, 10am to 8pm - the 158th Exhibition will be officially opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent on Wednesday, 25th September at 11am.  
• Exhibition Closes: Sunday 29th September 
• Hours: 10am to 5pm daily, closing at 1.00 on Sunday 29th September

Entry is digital and the Deadline for Online Entries for the 2019 Annual Open Exhibition of the Society of Women Artists is Noon on 20th June 2019.

A total of 15 prizes will be awarded at the 2019 Exhibition - and some involve some generous sponsorship (see below)

In this post you can find:

• who is eligible to enter
• what types of artwork are eligible
• how to enter - with key dates
• details of the exhibition
• details of the prizes

Who can enter

• There is no stated restriction on who can enter. However this is an exhibition of work by women artists!
• Women artists under the age of 35 are judged to be young artists and can submit work at a reduced fee

What you can enter

Categories of work which are acceptable:

• paintings, pastels, drawings;
• mixed media
• sculpture, in all media;
• Original unique printing is acceptable e.g. engraving, lithography. Etchings must show their plate indentations. Commercially printed line work or photographically/digitally reproduced work printed with commercial machines (such as giclée work) is NOT admissible.
• ceramics, glass and metal not of a utilitarian nature.

Submission Fees for non-members are:

• £15 per work payable at the time of registering online
• or £8 per work for artists aged 35 or under.

How to enter

This is the General Terms and Condition Sheet for Non-Members (PDF)

• ENTRY: 
• Entry is digital and online by the deadline for entry. 
• Digital submission opens on 28th February
• Artists may upload images of their work online at https://mallgalleries.oess.uk/default.aspx
• deadline for entries is noon on the 20th of June 
• INITIAL SELECTION: Pre-selection is online.
• Online pre-selection enables artists to submit works for initial consideration without transport and framing costs.
• Works that are pre-selected are not automatically accepted for the exhibition.
• You next to get your work to London for the final selection process
• HANDING IN: Saturday 28 July, 10am - 5pm at the FBA Offices 17 Carlton House Terrace.
• The Society of Women Artists entry schedule (pdf) must accompany all works on receiving day.
• all work must be labelled at the back using the approved labels for the exhibition
• Works delivered for selection must be exhibition ready, but with no fixings at all to the back

You need to print the pdf form and labels and complete by hand. You can actually type straight in to the form and the labels by inserting the cursor - but it's not obvious. Just keep clicking until a box comes up with two blue dots either side

• FINAL SELECTION: 
• The selectors will choose works for the Final Selection on Sunday and Monday, 28th and 29th July 2019, 9.30am - 5pm
• The works selected for exhibition will be published on 1 August
• PRICES: All work must be for sale (unless commissioned).
• Prices should allow for commission charged at 40% for members and 45% for non-members.
• There are specific minimum prices for different types of work
• £350 for all hanging works
• £350 for 3D works.
• £150 for framed etchings or lithography or drawings.
• PRESENTATION: All pictures must be securely framed, although well presented box canvases are acceptable. All frames must be wide enough and stout enough to accept the mirror plates (which are supplied and attached by the Mall Galleries) which are screwed in at the back of the frame for hanging purposes. Terms and conditions prohibit specific types of frames.
• STORAGE: Note in particular arrangements re. storage and storage charges for entries and exhibits not collected at the correct time.

158th Exhibition of the Society of Women Artists (SWA)

The SWA Exhibition Ladies - who organised and hung the exhibition in 2018.

The 158th Exhibition opens to the public at 4pm on 25th September. It will be officially opened the next day by Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent at the Private View on 25th September at 11am.

• Venue: the Main and North Galleries of the Mall Galleries in the Mall, London
• Dates: 10am to 5pm daily - EXCEPT it opens at 4pm on the 24th and closes at 1.00 on Sunday 29th September
• Admission:
• £4 or £6 with an exhibition catalogue,
• 50% off for National Art Pass holder,
• Free for Friends of Mall Galleries and under 18s

See the blog posts below for more about past exhibitions

• Review: Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2018
• VIDEO Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2017 - which highlights pieces which caught my attention
• Review: Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2017 - which highlights changes made to the exhibition
• Review: Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2016
• Review - Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2015

Prizes

• Princess Michael of Kent Award A signed certificate
• The SWA Fine Art Award £500 
• President and Vice Presidents’ Award A signed certificate 
• The SWA Special Fine Art Award £2000
• Karin Walker Young Artist Award £1000
• Derwent Special Fine Art Award £1000 (Art Materials)
• Sennelier Fine Art Award £500 (Art Materials)
• The Great Art Award £500 (Art Materials)
• The Premium Art Brand Award £500 (Art Materials)
• St Cuthbert’s Paper Mill Award (Saunders paper)
• The Artist Editor’s Choice Award - Feature in The Artist
• The Cavendish Venue Sculpture Award - £300
• The Rosemary and Co Award £100 (brushes)
• The Barbara Tate Memorial Award - Silver Ingot
• Jackson’s People’s Choice Award

More about Women and Art

I've written a fair few blog posts about Women and Art in the past, including

• Women and Art - a compendium of links to a wealth of television and articles online about Women and Art.
• Why women succeed at representing artists 12 Oct 2006 Called "Space Women", it's about why women are successful at running galleries and dealing in the contemporary art world.
• 500 years of female portraits in western art 31 May 2007
• Three women artists win Threadneedle ... 16 May 2011 No - these were female professional artists in mid career between the ages of 35 and 50 for whom the Threadneedle Prize was an important stage in the development of both their art and their career.
• Shortlist for Threadneedle Prize 2011 dominated by women ... 08 Sep 2011