Sunday, September 29, 2024

Call for Entries: Royal Institute of Oil Painters

You've got less than a week left to submit an entry to the Annual Exhibition 2024  of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters at the Mall Galleries which opens on 28th November 2024.
I'd normally writing about this in August - but as regular readers will know I was on a lengthy break for various reasons.

So the first thing I need to tell you is that the deadline for online entries - to to submit your digital image of your artwork / form / fees ONLINE only - is Friday 4 October, 12 noon 



The ROI Annual Exhibition typically exhibits around 300 artworks by both members and those selected via the open entry. 
The ROI is the only major British art society that promotes and exhibits work of the highest standard exclusively in oil paint.
This blog post covers this Open Exhibition - and:
  • who can enter
  • what you can enter
  • how to enter

Call for Entries - ROI Annual Exhibition 2023

You can find the official and FULL Call for Entries here on
Plus this is the link to the Full Details, Entry Terms & Conditions

Below is a Summary of the different aspects of the Call for Entry - plus MY COMMENTARY.
I would love to see more artists having the chance to exhibit alongside us at this prestigious event. When I had my first chance, I was over the moon and just being associated with this society has really boosted my career in the most positive ways.
Adebanji Alade - President

WHO can Enter

Artists are invited to submit work for exhibition alongside members of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters at the ROI Annual Exhibition 2023. ROI Exhibition Page
  • The competition is open to all artists over the age of 18
  • It is also open to international entries - you don't even have to be live or work in the UK. 

What you can enter

Portraits of people in oils
at the ROI Annual Exhibition 2023 (East Gallery)

SUBJECT MATTER

Artists may submit work on any subject matter.

ORIGINAL ARTWORK NOT PREVIOUSLY SEEN

Basically NEW to the Mall Galleries and less than 3 years old.

ALL artwork submitted MUST
  • have been completed within the last three years and 
  • must NOT have been previously exhibited at the Mall Galleries (i.e. if you've submitted it to one of the other art societies that exhibits at the Mall Galleries - and it was selected for exhibition you cannot submit it to this exhibition)

ACCEPTABLE MEDIA


I declare victory for common sense!  Last year and the year before in my Call for entries posts, I had a go at the ROI and the Mall Galleries for what was clearly confusing advice as to eligible media - which IMO bordered on being in conflict with mandatory regulations re marketing - and this year it has been sorted!!

I'm really pleased to acknowledge that the ROI is truly exclusive to entries in oil paint.

The definition of acceptable media is now as follows (with my choice of highlighting for what is now EXCLUDED!)
Oils. The ROI promotes and exhibits work of the highest standard in oil paint.

Water-soluble oil paint is acceptable if framed as an oil, so as not to spoil the general appearance of the exhibition.

Acrylic is no longer accepted
Most of the selected works have always been in oil paint i.e. high 90% so this shouldn't be an issue for the look of the exhibition

However this change may well affect all those artists submitting via the open entry in acrylic who will now need to find alternative exhibitions to enter - or start painting in oils.

NUMBER OF ENTRIES

A maximum of six works may be submitted - of which a maximum of three works may be selected.

I recommend artists save their money and submit their best three.

SIZE OF ARTWORK

  • Works should be no larger than 2.4m along the longest dimension.
  • The combined total of the longest dimension of each painting accepted will not exceed 8 feet maximum per artist.
TIP TO ROI / MALL GALLERIES: These points need explaining a lot more clearly!
  • WHY are you mixing scales?  One talks about metres and the second talks about feet
  • WHY have you separated the requirements about size. i.e. that's what causes this type of problem.
  • The second requirement is opaque in the extreme. 
    • Do you mean that the total length of all selected paintings cannot exceed a specific length? 
    • (e.g. the member artist can choose whether to have fewer larger paintings or more smaller paintings).
    •  It's a very sensible idea - but it needs to be explained much more carefully.

ARTWORK FOR SALE

  • Work must be for sale, unless portraits.
  • The minimum sale price is £500.
  • All prices must allow for the deduction of commission @45% plus VAT %20% on the commission sum and the cost of the frame and shipping (there and back if unsold).

FRAMING


There are a number of requirements about framing which you would be very wise to observe closely

Artists are encouraged to frame their work. 
  • Artists are advised to use plain, simple framing in a light or medium colour. (NOTE: They are not recommending black frames. Lots of people don't like them)
  • Unframed work may be accepted if on a well-presented box canvas.
  • Wide mounts between the painting and frame, as in watercolours, are not acceptable.
  • Picture glass is not encouraged.
  • Frames or stretchers should be sufficiently substantial to withstand mirror plating with 12mm (size 6) screws.
  • Metal frames, unprotected glass edges and clip frames are inadmissible.

DELIVERY


All artwork selected for exhibition MUST BE:
  • completely dry at the time of delivery.
  • delivered unwrapped with the relevant form and labels, which are downloadable upon notification of selection.
  • All packaging must be taken away at the point of delivery.

Financial Aspects

PRICING REQUIREMENTS

There is a minimum price per work of £500.

Unless otherwise advised, the gallery will charge a commission on the total price paid for works, including commissioned works, before, during, or as a result of the exhibition.

The price submitted should be the selling price, which should include commission, and is the price at which the work will be sold.

The price of works must include commission of 45% +VAT. If an artist is registered for VAT, then the VAT due on the selling price of works should be included in the price submitted.

MY TIP ABOUT PRICING


This is based on my constant review of all the exhibitions by art societies which exhibit at the Mall Galleries - and subsequent analysis of prices and sales (which I have written about many times)

I continue to be extremely concerned about the minimum price of paintings and repeat here what I said last year.

I'm very concerned that the minimum price has been raised to £500 for a number of reasons. I can only assume this is the product of some misplaced notion that eliminating very affordable art will increase sales and income. This is WRONG. It only serves to reduce sales and total income from sales.

If anything the emphasis should be on making artwork more affordable.




Key Pricing Points - based on analysis of actual data:
  • there is very good evidence that, even within current economic constraints, impulse buys are still occurring within the £300-£500 price range. 
  • Indeed in most shows at the Mall Galleries about 20-25% of work in this price range sells -WHEN IT EXISTS IN THE EXHIBITION!!
  • there is ample recent evidence that the inclination to purchase above £1,500 dies off fast - see NEAC 2023 Annual Exhibition METRICS which is a show in which many reputable NEAC members sold absolutely nothing. This blog post contained a very big message which all art societies should be very mindful of.
    • below £500 is the price range for small oil paintings - typically submitted by open entrants - which takes up little space when hung together.
    • overpriced small paintings do not sell - which is typically why open entries have done better than members' paintings in the below £500 price bracket in the past.
    • pricing all artwork above £500 means all artists will probably submit larger paintings - which likely means fewer will be selected for hanging from the open entry. It does NOT guarantee more sales/income.
One day, the organisers are going to get the message. I've yet to see any proof that the current strategy works.

THE COST OF AN ENTRY

There is a non-refundable submission fee of 
  • £20 per work for all artists aged 35 or more
  • or £14 per work for artists aged 35 or under.
Plus there are the costs of framing, transport - and collection and transporting you if you hand deliver and pick up.

Key Dates


The most important date is the first one - THIS FRIDAY!
After that you need to make time to get your artwork to the Gallery if selected - and then pick it up again if it does not sell.
  • Submissions close: Friday 4 October, 12 noon
  • Notification of selection: Friday 25 October, 12 noon
  • Receiving Day (if selected) i.e. get the artwork to the Gallery: Saturday 16 November, 10am to 5pm
  • Private View (invite only): Wednesday 27 November, 2pm to 8pm, official opening at 3pm
  • Collection of unsold work: Tuesday 17 December, 10am to 5pm

What's in it for you


The ROI suggests the following as potential benefits of being selected to exhibit!

Successful applicants can expect:
  • To have their selected work included in the ROI Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries, in the gallery, and online
  • Eligibility to win prizes and awards
  • An invitation to the Private View (that means another trip to London if you don't live in London!)
  • The chance to sell their work
  • To be part of a network of exhibiting artists dating back to 1882 when the ROI was founded
  • The possibility of election to membership (for more information about becoming a member, please visit the ROI website)

I'd suggest another simpler perspective. 

Potential benefits include the chance to:
  • get your work exhibited at a prestigious art gallery in London - situated on The Mall
  • sell your artwork - BUT only if you get the pricing is right!
  • win a prize - which always helps with the CV and impresses art galleries
  • get noticed by those art collectors and art galleries who visit such exhibitions looking for new talent! This is the one which really matters. You're never going to make progress unless your artwork gets seen by the right people - again and again.
  • get highlighted by me as "an artist to keep an eye on"!
If you've applied before and never been selected, you seriously need to ask yourself whether you have produced new artwork this time which might make it more likely you will get selected

If you've never visited the exhibition before - to see what sort of artwork members produce and select from the open entry - I highly recommend you do BEFORE next year's Call for Entries.
  • Exhibition opens: Thursday 28 November, 10am to 5pm daily
  • Exhibition closes: Saturday 14 December, 5pm

ROI on Making A Mark - REFERENCE:


I've been reviewing ROI Annual Exhibitions since 2008 - and counting sales for some years. Below you can find my past posts about the annual exhibitions of the Royal Institute

2022
Review: Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition 2022
Prizewinners at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition 2022
The Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition 2022 & Events
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition 2022

2020 and 2021
the ROI experienced the worst luck possible of having both its 2020 and 2021 exhibitions in the Galleries clobbered by the pandemic.
Posted by Making A Mark on Sunday, September 29, 2024
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