Spotlight

9 - 24 June and 20 - 22 July 2012
An annual visual arts opportunity for the public to visit studios, meet artists & makers, view demonstrations, buy artwork, enter our free prize draw, view taster exhibitions and take part in creative workshops.
www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk

Surrey Artists Open Studios (SAOS) is a not for profit organisation offering artists the chance to profile their work direct to the public either online or in our annual summer Open Studios event. Here the public can visit studios, meet artists & makers, view demonstrations, buy artwork, enter our free prize draw, view taster exhibitions and take part in creative workshops. We offer this opportunity to studios throughout Surrey and around its borders.

Look out for the orange Open Studios flags and balloons or pick up a brochure at your local library or arts venue.

What's new for SAOS and our summer Open Studios summer event?

We now offer a bursary scheme for emerging and non-commercial artists, this is to make our event as inclusive as possible and to offer a more diverse and exciting range of art to the public. In 2012 we had three lucky bursary winners: Amy Gagahan (recent graduate specialising in architectural print design and textiles) Joe Szabo (glass artist) and Angela Thames (book artist and printmaker). The deadline for bursary submissions for the summer 2013 Open Studios event is early January 2013.

For the first time we will be offering an additional weekend to the established June event. This will be 20-22 July to coincide with the Olympic Torch coming to Surrey.

We will also be hosting an additional prize draw: Any member of the public that visits more than three studios on bicycle during the June event and has their loyalty card signed by the studios they visit will be entitled to enter our extra free prize draw for cyclists! We are hosting this extra prize draw in celebration of the Olympic Road Cycle races coming to Surrey on the 28 and 29 July.

We also feature all of our open studios artists and more on our online resource Find a Surrey Artist, available throughout the year. Here you can search for Surrey Artists, each of whom has an individual web page showcasing up to 12 images of their artwork; listings of their exhibitions and workshops and many indicate that their studio is open by appointment throughout the year.

Why is SAOS such a vital resource to artists?

Surrey Artists Open Studios has re-evaluated the needs of its artists and now offers an annual membership scheme, including a dedicated web page for each member that is profiled on Find A Surrey Artist. Alongside the member offer are training and networking events taking place throughout the year and monthly e-bulletins providing access to opportunities and events taking place in Surrey and the South East Region.

The future of SAOS and Surrey Open Studios

We always strive to develop this organisation and the Open Studios event, our focus will be on establishing a Christmas Open Studios event; to offer residency opportunities for artists to work in schools as part of the Open Studio scheme and to continue with our partnerships raising our profile and arts development opportunities.

www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk
Call 01483 519285 for a brochure
Studios open 11am-5pm, Thursday evenings 6-8.30pm. All studios will be open on Sunday 17 June, otherwise open days may vary.

First published: a-n.co.uk April 2012