Gallery Handbook

Gallery Handbook 2022

gallery_handbook_june_2022.pdf
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Information about exhibiting in the Mangawhai Artists Gallery

This document has information you need to have a successful exhibition. It outlines your duties and responsibilities, so please read it through.

Contacts
We are here to support your exhibition. Please find the appropriate person on this list and feel free to phone them either before or during your exhibition.

Gallery support - curation: Nicola Everett 021 856 267
Gallery support - lighting: Howard Esler 027 463 7117
Gallery support - roster & opening night: Kay Airey 021 982 722
Gallery admin/emails: Wendy Leach 022 653 5288
Sales finance support: Raewyn Vague 021 751 859
Media and posters: Belinda Vernon 027 557 0845

General

Mangawhai Artists Incorporated (MAI) is a not-for-profit organisation, and members of MAI volunteer to make the Gallery a success. Only MAI members can book the Gallery for exhibitions. MAI does not (usually) take commission from work sold at exhibitions.

The Gallery operates a schedule of two-weekly exhibitions throughout the year, with a break in July. The exhibition season runs from August through to June. The season is finalised early in the calendar year. To exhibit at the Gallery you need to have booked a two-week slot. Expressions of interest for the new exhibition season are usually called for in December for the season starting in the following August.

Your first point of contact for anything related to your exhibition is the gallery coordinator, Wendy Leach, who can be contacted on gallery@mangawhaiartists.co.nz. She will send out exhibition related emails to you, starting 3 months in advance of your opening night. In these emails you will find templates for staffing roster, sales sheet and health and safety form. Please feel free to call Wendy with any questions about the exhibition process and timing, if you are unsure.

If you are part of a duo or group exhibition, one person must be the ‘lead’ coordinator who will be the main liaison point between the gallery coordinator and the exhibiting artists. Each exhibition is the collective responsibility of all the artists involved. Dual or group shows mean the artists will need to work together to cover the gallery hire costs, manage the gallery and have a successful exhibition.

Our first communication to you (after your exhibition slot has been confirmed) is approximately three months ahead of your exhibition. If you need to cancel your exhibition slot please let us know as soon as possible so we can find a replacement.

MAI will promote your exhibition through the website, social media, printed media and e-newsletters. You are encouraged to promote your exhibition within your own circle.

Please be aware that any alterations in the Gallery (eg hanging work from the ceiling, building structures, painting walls, doors etc) must be approved in advance by the committee. If you have any plans, it is important to let us know in due time so it can be discussed at a committee meeting.

Summary of duties and responsibilities

Update your artist profile page on the MAI website (email content to: admin@mangawhaiartists.co.nz)

Make sure the exhibition fees are paid. First payment is due following receipt of invoice following finalisation of the exhibition season schedule; final payment is due following receipt of invoice three months in advance of your opening date direct to MAI bank account: 12 3094 0185213 00.
Have a short description of your exhibition and photos of you (and co-exhibitors) ready for media release purposes
Decide on the presentation of the artworks. What will you need to present your work?
Have labels ready to hang next to all artworks or use numbers and make a catalogue of the works
Decide on which work/s you wish to be used in the poster used to promote your exhibition/opening. We will prepare the poster based on the images you send to us.
Fill in a gallery duty roster sheet.
Plan your opening night: hours/date; catering etc (you are responsible for the opening event)
Fill in and sign the Health and Safety form and bring this to the gallery when you set up.
Have wrapping material available for sales.

Access

For access to the Gallery there is a lockbox on a pole to the left of the information box next to the front doors.
The code for the lockbox will be advised to you by email. To open the box, enter the code, pull the black lever down and towards you. To close the box you need to punch in the code again. Please put the key back in the box by the end of the day as others may need to enter the Gallery or use the Workspace. Do not remove the key from the premises. Don’t forget to tell your co-hosts the code.

Setting up

You have access to the Gallery from Wednesday afternoon 3pm. Make sure all your work is ready to hang, this includes D-rings etc. Everything is provided to be able to hang your works. Plinths are available for 3D works.

If you are inexperienced in curation or hanging your work we have volunteers available to assist you in the process. Let us know in advance. We will arrange the lighting for your exhibition.

Have your sales sheet ready to be inserted in the Sales Sheet Folder.

Please bring a signed copy of the Health and Safety form.

Opening night

Opening night is a very important part of the exhibitions at Mangawhai Artists Gallery. Opening nights are a fabulous time for family, friends, fellow artists and (most importantly) YOU to celebrate your achievement.

You are responsible for organising the opening event for your exhibition.

You may use the Workspace kitchen to prepare your food, from 5.30pm (or earlier if the Workspace is not being used by another user). However, if you want to use the Workspace as part of your opening event you must book it separately and pay the hire fee ($25 as at June 2022).

The Gallery/Workspace kitchen has wine glasses for your convenience. You may choose to provide drinks and nibbles. Catering and the provision of beverages is your responsibility.

The Gallery operates a responsible host policy which you must comply with. If you provide alcoholic drinks you must:

provide non-alcoholic beverages
not serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 or who is inebriated, and
provide food to accompany alcohol.

Opening hours and staffing

You are responsible for staffing the Gallery during your exhibition. Gallery opening hours are daily 10am to 3pm and can be extended if you are prepared to staff it.

You will need to be either in the Gallery yourself during opening hours or arrange for others to share the duty with you.

This can be done in two shifts: 10am to 12.30pm; and 12.30pm to 3pm.

You are required to fill in at least 90% of the staffing roster. We have a small pool of volunteers that we can turn to if necessary to fill the remaining 10% - or, if we are unable to cover, then the Gallery will close for this time.

Make sure a copy of the Staffing roster is in the Sales Sheet folder.

Opening up

Unlock the Gallery (use key from the lockbox, replace the key afterwards).

Turn on lights, set out the flag (in the hold in the square concrete to the right of the gallery doors, and the ‘open’ footpath sign (insert into the black base in the between the footpath and road).

Familiarise yourself with the sales process and documentation.

Keep a tally of visitors in the diary. Record any queries or issues we should be aware of in the diary.

Facilities

Tea and coffee making facilities and toilet facilities are available in the kitchen are in the Workspace. If the Workspace is being used by another party, please consult with them over access.

Light switches are located behind the reception desk and outside the storeroom. Please make sure all lights (and especially the storeroom light) are turned off before you leave the gallery. Only use the fluorescent lights when setting up your exhibition.

Selling artwork during an exhibition

FOR ALL SALES

Record all sales details on the Sales Sheet in the Sales Sheet Folder. This is irrespective of how it is paid for (direct to artists or via the EFTPOS system).

Write an invoice for the purchaser. This is their proof of purchase when they return to collect their work. Be sure to fill in all the required information (including pick up time, usually between 12am and 3pm on the final Wednesday of your exhibition, ie during your ‘pack up’ time).

Make sure your bank account number is filled in on the Sales Sheet.

Please note that a fee of 2.5% will be deducted from any credit card sales. This will be deducted from each artist’s total sales when reimbursed following the conclusion of the exhibition.

It is standard practice NOT to allow the purchaser to take the work before the closing of the exhibition. However, this is your call. If you risk losing the sale, then let the work go. Just make sure it has been paid for in full.

EFTPOS sales

Follow instructions under FOR ALL SALES (ie fill in Sales Sheet and an Invoice)

Record the EFTPOS transaction # on the Sales Sheet. Write the artist’s name on the top of the merchant copy of the EFTPOS receipt. Staple the merchant copy to the Sales Sheet. Write EFTPOS in the appropriate column on the Sales Sheet.

Internet Banking Sale (to your bank account)

Follow instructions FOR ALL SALES and arrange bank transfer to your account. This is the responsibility of each artist. Write DIRECT in the appropriate column on the sales sheet.

Cash sale

Follow instructions under FOR ALL SALES and, if you are the artist, take the cash with you. If you are not the artist, put cash in cash box on the shelf at eye level in the storeroom. Write CASH TAKEN or CASH BOX in appropriate column on sales sheet.

Take down/pack down

You are required to leave the Gallery in the same as (or better) condition than when you took it over. Assess in advance how much gallery repair is required and allow time to dismantle the exhibition, fix the gallery walls and floor to be completed by 3pm on the Wednesday. Everything you need is provided including filler, paint, sandpaper. We can give you advice on the most efficient method of repairing the walls.

Make sure you have made arrangements with the purchasers for pick up or delivery and (if payment has been direct to you) check that payments have been made. Works should be collected at the conclusion of the exhibition. Works can be stored for a short time in the storeroom for pick up but must be labelled clearly with the name of the purchaser and PAID.

Lock up and return the gallery key into the lock box. Make sure the Gallery door and lockbox are locked before you leave.