Anglian Potters, as an organisation, holds 2 major open exhibitions per year. These are an opportunity for ALL members to show their work and offer it for sale to the public. Exhibitors are not selected and work will only be refused if it is considered unsafe (eg: sharp glaze spikes) or impossible to display (eg: it will fall over easily). Places are confirmed on a first come first served basis. For these, we use the display ‘furniture’ held by the organisation, (at a lockup near Thetford), which is delivered by professional movers on the first day of setting up.
Anglian Potters’ Spring Exhibition
Undercroft Gallery, Norwich, NR2 1ND.
Proposed dates – 27th March to 13th April 2025. Setting up – 24, 25 & 26th March, Taking Down – 13th April
Cost – £20.00 plus 33.3% of your sales
Number of Exhibitors – approx 60
Contact – Andrea Morton – [email protected]
Exhibitors are requested to assist with setting up, taking down and invigilating during the 2 weeks.
Anglian Potters’ Christmas Exhibition
All Saints’ Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8BP.
16th November to 8th December 2024. Setting up – 13, 14 &15th November, Taking Down – 9th December
Cost – £20.00 plus 33.3% of your sales
Number of Exhibitors – approx 60
Contact – Andrea Morton – [email protected]
Exhibitors are requested to assist with setting up, taking down and invigilating during the 3 weeks.
There are also several smaller exhibitions held throughout the year:
Ferini Art Gallery, Pakefield, Lowestoft, NR33 0JL
26th April to 27th May 2024; 4th October – 3rd November 2024.
Cost – £20 up front publishing contribution plus 33.3% commission on sales.
Approx 25 exhibitors supply 17 items; all work is displayed.
Exhibitors are requested to supply catalogue ready photos of some show items and an artists statement 3-4 weeks ahead of the show, and the gallery prints a catalogue.
Work is to be delivered on set up morning, the Tuesday before show opening, and unsold items are to be collected at the end of the show. No invigilation required.
Contact Ruth Gillett – [email protected] – in the first instance, to discuss if your work is suitable.
RHS Hyde Hall, Rettenden, Essex, CM3 8ET
2nd to 5th May 2025
Cost – 24% of your sales
Number of Exhibitors – 20.
Tables (6 foot) and chairs are provided but exhibitors are required to bring everything else – tablecloth, packaging, small plinths etc; and ‘man’ their table each day for the duration of the event.
Contact – Andrea Morton – [email protected]
Walberswick Village Hall, IP18 6UP
Last weekend in July each year (27 & 28th July 2024)
No pitch fee or sales commission, BUT, participants are asked to provide 5-6 pots for a tombola which covers the cost of hiring the hall.
Number of Exhibitors – 14 tables inside, 14 gazebos outside (these need to be provided by the exhibitor)
Contact – Andrew Eastaugh – [email protected]
We are at present investigating the possibility of holding events at –
Saltgate Arts Centre, Beccles, August Bank Holiday weekend 2024; Ickworth Hall, October mid-term weekend 2024; The Minories, Colchester, February 2025.
If you are aware of a possible venue please contact Andrea Morton – [email protected]
The exhibitions process works like this:
An Invitation to Participate (ITP) is sent by email to all members about 8-10 weeks before the event. Exhibitors are invited to submit UP TO 25 pieces of work, each labelled with their AP membership number, the pot number and a price. These are listed on their Sending In Sheet.
Pots are delivered by the exhibitor (or as arranged with other members offering to act as a collection point), preferably during the first 2 days of setting up, and checked in by another member at the venue. A ‘stockroom’ is created at the venue in which each exhibitor has their own space. The curators of the exhibition select items from here to be placed on stands and plinths, or hung. It makes a better display if an exhibitor’s work has some coherence in style, colour etc. The body of work appears as one person’s output and will contrast with others.
Wall pieces have to be hung in place before any other work can be arranged on the stands so it is important that these are delivered on the first day or early on the second day of setting up. It may not be possible to hang wall pieces that arrive later. The curators’ aim is to display everyone’s work to the best advantage while at the same time making the overall effect of the exhibition as attractive as possible. Large or dramatic pieces are likely to be displayed individually on plinths while complementary pieces from two or three different makers may be arranged together in booths. Each exhibitor should have at least 5 pieces of work on display at the beginning of an exhibition and we aim to show as much work as possible without overcrowding.
During set-up the exhibitors assemble all the stands and lighting, paint the plinths, put together the banners and signs that go outside to indicate that we are there and, with the curators, start to bring pots from the stockroom to the display area. The ITP contains a section where an exhibitor can indicate their availability to assist in setting up, taking down and invigilating. Once the list of exhibitors is known a further form will be emailed to establish specific dates of availability.
During the exhibition, as work is sold, it is replaced from the stockroom. AP provides all wrapping material and also manages publicity including magazine advertisements, posters around town, social media and sending the information and poster to our external mailing list which numbers some 1,500 addresses. The posters and information are also sent to exhibitors and to the AP membership at large.
All sales are taken by Anglian Potters and exhibitors are paid for their sales, less 33.3% commission, after the show is taken down. This amount is set to allow the event to break even overall so that AP is neither profiting from the sales nor making a loss.
Pricing is set by the exhibitor but advice is always available from the exhibitions team or from other members. My BASIC formula for pricing: (this is what I use to give me an idea of a cost price) :
Cost of clay used for item + time taken to make (including decorating) x an hourly rate that you select
+ cost of glazing/decorating + cost of firing + proportional cost of submitting your items + percentage of your sales.
I then mark up according to my feeling about the piece.
During the exhibition, 3 members invigilate each day. A rota is set up to do this with each exhibitor’s availability being asked for in advance. Typically each exhibitor might be present for 1-2 days over a 2-week period.
Any new members who might be considering exhibiting would do well to come along to the setting up days or the exhibition itself, to meet people and take part in the process. You would be very welcome and it’s a great way to get to know other members and talk about your work. If you are not confident about work being suitable to display at a selling exhibition, please contact any of the exhibitions team to ask about it and/or send photographs. Team members will soon be able to direct you to the right person or place to get advice or may be in a position to help you themselves.
Do you have experience in or an interest in assisting with the organisation or curation of the exhibitions? Please contact Andrea Morton – [email protected]
