FAQ

This page covers the most frequently asked questions and also have some resources for the exhibiting artists.

Get in touch if you have questions that are not covered here. Thanks!.

Are the Open Calls FREE to submit?

Yes! 

Only the artists who get selected will be asked to pay the participation fee in order to cover the expenses

Why do you charge a Participation Fee?

We are an artist-led, self-funded, independent arts organisation and we work hard to create opportunities for artists. 

We have been expanding and our projects are successfully growing. We have been applying for funding and hopefully in the near future we can lower the participation fee. Until then, we just need to keep the lights on.

We prefer to share the costs of the exhibitions with the artists instead of charging for a 'Submission Fee' that artists often pay just to be rejected.

 Also, for emerging artists is quite difficult to get selected when there are a lot applications. This way, artists can apply and invest only after being selected. 

See the different kind of fees below.

What is the difference between 'Submission/Entry Fee' and 'Participation Fee'? And why the amounts are so different?

Submission or Entry fee - Artists pay to submit their work and have no guarantee of being included in the show. The fees are usually from £10-£40 and paid upfront together with the submission for the exhibition.

Entry fees are like a lottery. Artists have to pay to have someone look at their work, even if they are rejected. 

Participation fee - Artists pay only after submitting their work and after being accepted. The fee covers the costs of the show and in Europe the average fee is £250, with some places charging more than a £1000. 

Some institutions even charge both.

We prefer to share the costs of the exhibitions with the artists through the 'Participation Fee''. That way, artists can apply and invest only after being selected.

How is the money spent?

Our goal is to be honest and transparent with our fellow artists.

So, let's break down each participation fee:

  • 30% - print and mount for each artwork, print labels, marketing material and office supplies for the exhibitions
  • 30% - venue costs and the Private View costs (food, drinks, etc)
  • 40% - services, marketing and taxes

Every Open Call has a list of itens the Participation Fee covers. 

For example:

  • Exhibition space
  • Curating and organising the exhibition
  • Translating the texts from English to Portuguese
  • Printing each artwork
  • Framing each artwork
  • Hanging the artworks
  • Digital Catalogue (part of this website)
  • Print material (poster, labels, etc)
  • Marketing and promotion
  • Private View (refreshments, bartender, etc)
  • Pictures of each artwork work in the venue
  • Pictures of the Private View 

How is the Selection Process?

All submissions will be reviewed and selected by the curator Juliana Lauletta, or in some cases a guest jury.

Artworks can be selected before the deadline.

Please note that the decisions are final and we are unable to offer feedback.

How do I send my high resolution image?

All the images for the exhibition have to be:

- Retangular size: 30 x 40 cm (or 3543 x 4724 pixels)

OR

- Square size: 30 x 30 cm (or 3543 x 3543 pixels)

- Resolution for printing: 300dpi

- No borders or watermarks. Small signatures are fine.

- .jpegs or .tiffs


We kindly ask the artists to crop their images according to the guidelines above, otherwise the printers will crop them as as they see fit.


*** If you don't know how to do this just make sure that you photograph your artwork in a good lighting and with the highest resolution available on your phone or camera (check the photo settings).

Import the photo to a free photo editor like PicResize and crop it using the numbers above.

There are also many resources online that can help with that. A couple of good ones:

- How to photograph art

- How to photograph your art with your phone


Will I get photos of the exhibition?

Yes! 

We will take many pictures of the Private View and upload them to the website for the artists to use as they wish.

Also, there will be a picture of each individual work on the wall.

You can check the pictures of our previous exhibitions and our new Instagram account.

Will I receive a certificate of participation?

Sorry, no. 

But there will be a poster and a webpage with all the artists names and also a lot of images of the Private view and the artworks on the wall.

So there will be plenty of documentation of your participation.

You can check the pictures of our previous exhibitions and our new Instagram account.

Do you charge Commission on Sales?

No! No commission on sales.

We are artists ourselves and we know the importance of connecting the collectors with the artists. 

Buyers can pay the artist directly by PayPal and the curator will arrange the pickup with the buyer after the exhibition is over.

What is your Refund Policy?

There are no refunds after making the deposit. As we work with the 'Participation Fee', the artists only pay if they are interested in participating.

After being selected and making the deposit, the artists will be part of the show and we will hold their spaces. If an artist cancel close to the date, it is nearly impossible for us to schedule another artist in their place. 

What are the Payment Methods for the Participation Fee?

Only the selected artists will receive the payment link by email and will have 3 days after selection to pay the participation fee and secure their spot.

Payments can be made through PayPal, Credit/Debit Card and Mercado Pago (Brazil).

Do you have any advice on how to price my print?

This advice was taken from the Printspace 'Selling Art Online' guide. For more info: https://www.theprintspace.co.uk/how-to-price-your-online-art-prints/

Whether you are new to the art-selling industry, or an accomplished artist wanting to verify the pricing of your artwork, you should always take into consideration the cost of materials, labor, the size of the artwork as well as researching similar artists selling. The advice that follows is based on the values we have seen achieved by various artists who print and sell their work with us, through our 11 year history in the art world and our research and surveys of the art buying public. 

Please bear in mind this guide only relates to our experience in online sales of art prints (not originals), and we appreciate that everyone will have their own perspective and experience on the subject.

We have categorised our advice about pricing in relation to the career stage you are at:


Starting Out - If you have not had any media coverage or solos shows yet.

  • A3 size - £80

Rising Star - Your art have been featured on art blogs or in art magazines a number of times, and you have had at least one solo exhibition.

  • A3 size - £150

Established - You have had group and solo exhibitions and press coverage over at least a five year period. And you may have won awards or other industry accolades/recognition.

  • A3 size - £500

Knowing when to raise your prices of your artwork can also be a challenge. When your work is selling well consistently over a period of time, there is a demand for your art and you have established your brand and identity, then you would be able to justify increasing your prices. Additionally if you have recently received any awards or have taken part in a successful exhibition, you could consider raising your prices.

Can I send my original artwork for the exhibition?

Only if you are in Brazil.

Customs in Brazil is a nightmare. So to avoid any issues we only accept original work from inside the country and the artists have to bring it to the venue one week before the exhibition starts. Please contact us directly to arrange that.

What will happen to my print after the exhibition if it's not sold?

We will keep the print in our archive for future opportunities. 

Some future exhibitions will be only for artists that we have already worked with and their prints are in our storage.

The prints will be individually wrapped in cellophane sleeves (labeled and with contact info) and placed in an artwork rack for the next couple of exhibitions.
After that, they will be safely stored in the curator's studio. 

If the artist prefers not to keep it in our storage, we can destroy it.

Can you ship my print to my country after the exhibition?

Sorry, no.

We tried that in the past and it didn't work out. International postal service from Brazil to overseas is expensive (around £50) and unreliable. It tracks only inside the country. So we are not offering that option anymore.

If you would like to have a fine-art print of your work, we recommend The Printspace in London. Good prices and they ship internationally. 

Can I choose where my print will be hung?

Unfortunately, no.

The artworks are allocated based on style, orientation, technical specifications, colours, etc. 

The curator carefully plans the placement of each work to ensure consistency throughout the show. 

Please note that the decisions are final and not open for discussion.