The idea
20+ Local artists and makers will show a wide variety of work and skills free to visitors in homes, studios and public spaces in the SE6 area on the weekends 24th/25th Sept and 1/2nd Oct 2016.
We intend to make this a popular annual event similar to those in neighbouring areas highlighting and developing our wonderfully diverse artistic and creative community and create a buzz around art in the area.
We have a core group of volunteers with experience to organise the event and a number of exhibiting spaces already offered free of charge.
The artists taking part will pay a fee to do so funding will be partly provided by all those involved. In order to create the right impact and publicity to make a successful and respected event we need some extra funding for the start up marketing and publicity.
What we'll deliver
- Coordinate the applications from artists/makers to take part, actively seeking diversity and wide involvement
- Design a website and social media pages with agreed branding for the Catford Open Studios
- Produce and display posters/banners and organise advertising
- Produce and distribute fliers for the event
- Liaise with local groups and organisations e.g. schools, churches, local busnesses, cafes etc on using spaces,
- Run the event over one or two weekends (dates tbc) and survey feedback for future planning.
Why it's a great idea
Whether you feel you are artistic or not its always inspirational and fun to go around artists open studios events and it often makes you feel differently about an area knowing what great talent lies behind those closed doors. Living in Catford I think its a shame we don't have an event here when many of our neighbouring areas do.
My own one day open house event I've run for the past 8 years has become so popular, that I feel the idea is now ready to grow. Many Catford based artists and makers already exhibit in the other nearby events and further afield so I think its time we had our own!
There's an amazingly, varied and rapidly growing amount of talent in Catford so I think we should come together and not only celebrate it but make sure everyone around knows about it too.
This event will provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the talented, artistic and creative side of Catford and bring together many individuals and groups, both as participants and visitors.
Steps to get it done
- confirm roles and reponsibilities of core team members to deliver on tasks and agree dates
- coordinate advertising and distribution
- Coordinate close down of event and feedback.
- design branding and develop website and social media pages
- design leaflet, posters and banners and coordinate printing
- liaise with applicants and public spaces to confirm involvement, assess suitability & health & safety issues
- provide all participants and venues with pack containing all information and materials to run their venue
Catford has such a rich and diverse community that can be showcased so effectively through the skills of its artists and makers. We hope this event will be a great asset to the area raising the profile of art and providing opportunities for both established and new artists to show their work in a variety of accessible settings in their own local community at a small cost. Members of the core team are all experienced participants of other such events so we are hoping to bring that learning and incorporate all the best ideas to make our event a great success and promote Catford as a place of artistic initiatives.
