Two long weekends of Open Studios
:
24-26 MAY and 30 MAY-1 JUNE : 11am to 5pm daily
FAQ
Q. Why should I agree to a co-branded sponsorship board at my open studio venue?
A. Because it will benefit you in three important ways. Firstly, a co-branded COS sign board will help visitors find your studio more easily. It will be installed and removed for free, so you have no hassle or expense in creating your own sign.
Secondly, these sign boards will be attractive to a sponsor, especially an estate agency. They will create brand awareness for their business across Cornwall, with the positive associations with COS.
Thirdly, the sponsorship money raised will re-invested in the promotion of Cornwall Open Studios, adding to our campaign’s positive impact on visitor numbers.
We hope the large majority will support this strategy and following the registration process we have opted everyone in. However, there will be some who are prevented from having a sign board for understandable reasons such as their landlord’s rules, and we appreciate they will need to opt out. They can do so on their web page.
These sign boards have 'Deemed Consent' under Class 3D of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.
Q: What are my key deadlines as a new Member?
A: Provide the key image of your work and the text for your entry in the brochure by 6pm Friday 24 January 2025. Populate your web page by 6pm Friday 31 January 2025.
Q: How will you ensure we get our brochures in good time?
A: By setting a print production timetable and key image deadline for artists that will enable the delivery of brochures to each member at least four weeks before the start of COS on 24 May 2025.
Q: How can you assist me if I have problems with my web page?
A: Tony Clout is running our help desk. He’s supported by Hazel McNab, one of the artists who have participated in our beta trials. Please use our contact form to seek help. We also have continuing support from Alastair Cassels who created our new website.
Q: Why do I need to provide a high-res image for the brochure?
A: Because we must be able to achieve top quality reproduction of your showcase photo. We've set the artist page parameters for all brochure images as 40mm x 40mm square to achieve the best-looking and most cost-effective design.
Q: How are you going to ensure the brochure is of high quality?
A: Four printers have quoted and quality as well as price will be taken into account in our final decision.
Q: Why do I need to put both my home and studio addresses on the application to join COS?
A: Because we know that artists and makers move from time to time, and we want to build a long-term relationship. So, if you change studios, or where you live it means we can still get in touch. It also helps us make sure that all our Members are from the County.
Q: How did you decide on £125 as the subscription for Founder Members?
A: From experience of running a similar organisation. The £125 subscription for 2025 is a special one to reward early adopters for their support.
Q: Why isn’t www.cornwallopenstudios.co.uk a full e-commerce website?
A: Because COS does not want to get involved in any financial transactions between Members and their buyers. COS takes no commission on sales, unlike many other organisations which represent artists.
Q: How will my £125 payment be made?
A: There’s a payment button visible once you’ve completed the application form on the ‘How to join’ page. It will be processed by Square and you’ll receive a receipt.
Q: What happens after I've paid?
A: Once your payment has been received in the COSL bank account at NatWest your web page with the information and images you've posted there will be made visible to the public.
Q: Can I apply for a refund if I’m unable to take part in open studios?
A: Yes you may as long as we receive your request via our contact form by 24 January 2025. This is so we can remove your brochure entry, re-draw the map, and remove your page from the website. We will need to provide your online banking details by e-mail. Your refund will be less any transactions charges incurred in using the Square payment service.
Q: How many images of work do I have to upload before the deadline of 31 January 2025?
A: We recommend at least eight pieces of work with additional images of each. This will make your page look good and engage people. Every Member doing this will give visitors to the COS website a good impression and increase the likelihood of in-person visits. As you know you can add up to 60 works to your web page as you build up stock for open studios. And you can update your page at any time all year to show your work and provide any new information for visitors and potential buyers.
Q: Why do Members participating in Cornwall Open Studios have to be open 11am to 5pm on Saturday 24, Sunday 25, and Monday Bank Holiday 26 May and Friday 30, Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June?
A: Because we must make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for visitors to select the artists and creators they wish to see and to plan their itineraries. We must avoid the possibility that they arrive at a studio, perhaps after a bit of a journey, to find that it’s closed. We need to simplify the communications, both online and offline, so that everybody knows what the opening hours are. And consistent opening times also save administrative and production costs.
Q: What's the thinking behind the three optional weekdays between the mandatory long weekends of Cornwall Open Studios?
A: To be as inclusive as possible while still delivering a great experience for visitors. Our research suggests that 40 to 60 artists may not participate if the nine-day opening is mandatory. Many of them are part-time artists who have other employment during the week; or single parents and guardians who find it hard to secure child-care for a whole week; or those who don’t receive enough visitors for it to be worth them being open weekdays as well as weekends.
Q: What will the subscription be for 2026?
A: The 2026 subscription will be set in the context of our experience in 2025 but is likely to increase to cover costs and build up a prudent reserve.
Q: When is this key image deadline?
A: The Member’s key image for use in the brochure and brief text must have been received by 6pm on Friday 24 January.
Q: How will I get my brochures?
A: We will send a pack of 50 to your home/studio address by parcel post or courier.
Q: What if I need more than 50 brochures?
A: If you’re sure you can distribute them effectively, then we can send you another box of 50 at no extra cost.
Q: How do I price my work?
A: There are many online resources to help you answer this question – just search and you’ll find articles like this one: https://artquest.org.uk/how-to-articles/pricing-your-work/
However we would offer two pieces of advice:
- Don’t put POA (price on application). Research shows that almost nobody asks – they assume it’s too expensive for them.
- Exbibit work across a range of price points to catch the eye of different sorts of buyer.
Q: Why post more than one image of a piece of work on my web page?
A: To give the customer the best possible idea of what it’s like in real life. So often it’s impossible to tell online how big something is, so provide the viewer with a context image to show them.
Q: How do I add extra images to one of the works on my page to give visitors a better idea of what it's like?
A: It's easy and well worth doing. On your artist’s account page, go to “Add/update artworks”. Next to the artwork in question click “Extra images”. There you’ll be able to add the extra ones. If it’s a painting, it’s good idea for the first image to be unframed. Then show it framed if that’s how you’re selling it (but make this clear in your description). You can show it hanging on your studio wall or in your home to give a sense of scale. Some artists download free room set backgrounds and drop in the image of their work. This helps potential buyers imagine how it might look on their wall. The same goes for 3D work such as jewellery or pottery. In theses cases it’s even more important to include a hand, a wrist, a piece of fruit, or another recognisable object as the size reference.
Q: Can an individual artist working in a complex or other multi-occupancy studio or renting temporary premises be a Member of Cornwall Open Studios?
A: We welcome artists who work in shared spaces if we can avoid the ‘free rider’ problem. If only one or even a few artists working in shared studios are Members, but other tenants are not, then there’s a risk of unfairness. So, we’d like to meet with the landlords of such spaces, and artists’ representatives, to work out a mutually acceptable approach to Membership.
Q: Why can’t a studio complex or multi-occupancy space get a group discount on the subscription?
A: Due to fairness. An individual artist showing solo in a studio located in the countryside has to work much harder to promote themselves and generate visitor traffic. Why should they pay more than an artist in a group location who benefits from the footfall due to critical mass?
Q: Can an artist or maker be a Member if they show their work during Cornwall Open Studios in a shop, café, restaurant, bar, or other commercial outlet?
A: The essence of the event is for visitors to have the experience of seeing the artist or maker’s work in the context of the place in which it was created and the environment which inspired it. So, the venue needs to be a studio or other creative space. Otherwise, the commercial premises benefits from the footfall which COS Members' subscriptions and promotional efforts generate, but without contributing to the costs involved.
Q: What's the plan for the mentoring scheme?
A:COS wishes to encourage the mentoring of young Cornish artists aged 18-26. We are researching best practice to learn from the experience of others. Members interested in the idea are invited to contact us. We hope to announce the details of our scheme during 2025 for implementation at COS 2026.
