Please read the following carefully, especially if you are a first-time participant. This is all you need to know to take part.

NEW! Venue Monitoring Form Online

This year, we change the way we collect data from you through Online Venue Monitoring Form. Please go to the link here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5CZXTH6 and fill it in after the event. Deadline to fill in your form will be 10 October. To help you to record the visitor data, we provide a Visitor Record template in Excel format (fill in on your computer) and pdf format (print out and fill in by hand). To download the document, please go to the bottom of this page.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Guide Distribution (19 July)

Dear all participants,

We have started to distribute the guide now! Please contact your area reps to collect your guide if you have not do so. We are distrubuting the following at the same time:

- two boxes of guide (112 copies for each venue)

- 6 road signs (We regret that we can not allocate extra signs as you indicated in the registration form. We are calling previous participants to send us signs in the past and most of them are able to be reused. Please contact SAW office or your area reps)

- Visitor Feedback Form (35 copies for each venue)

- Venue Monitoring Form and Disclaimer can be downloaded from the link below.

Should you have any problem, please contact the office.  Otherwise, see you in September, hope you have a good summer and wish all the best for the Art Weeks.

KEY DATES (2012)

End of Janurary - Registration Deadline (paper)
End of March - Registration Deadline (online)
1 May - Full list of participants on SAW website (main contact only)
15 May - Main contact will receive GUIDE PROOF by email or post.
1 June - Deadline for Advertising
15 July - Art Weeks Guide available. Venue information goes live on SAW website.
16 - 20 July - Guide Collection from Area Representatives
13 September - Art Weeks Launch.
15 - 30 September - Art Weeks Open Studios Event
15 October - Deadline for the return of the Visitor Feedback Form & Venue Monitoring Form

USEFUL DOCUMENTS

The following link to the information of the following:

1. Road Sign Usage Guideline
2. Family Friendly Guiding Principle for Art Weeks Event
3. Area Representatives Contact (SAW membership login required)

The following can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this page:

1. Health & Safety Note (available NOW)
2. Risk Assessment Template (available NOW)
3. Press Release Template (available NOW)
4. Note on Marketing & PR (available NOW)
5. Art Weeks Open Studios Event 2012 Logo (available NOW)
6. Cluster Group Marketing Payment Form (available NOW)
7. Visitor Feedback Form (available NOW)
8. Venue Monitoring Form (available NOW http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5CZXTH6)
9. Event Disclaimer (available NOW)

CHECKLIST

Before the Art Weeks…

Check your Guide Proof

The printed Guide Proof will be sent to your main contact by post. Please check it carefully and follow the instructions attached to the proof. You are requested to send back to us the return slip attached to the Guide Proof.

Distribution of Guides and other Publicity Materials

Participants are expected to actively distribute guides locally. Once the guide has been received by you, please make sure you distribute them to artists in your venue and others who may be involved in your event, including the venue owner and organiser.

Remember: Your help in distributing the Guide is important as this will ensure the event is visible in your local area.

Health and Safely Check

The Health and Safely Note and Risk Assessment Template can be downloaded at the bottom of the page. Please make sure you have your PLI in place together with the Risk Assessment note. If you are using premises other than your own home or studios, please get in touch with your venue, as they may already have risk assessment in place.

Remember: You need to ensure the Health and Safely checks are in place as your venue will be open to the public. It is required by current legislation.

Marketing Your Venue

Participants are also expected to make contact with local press as well as carrying out their own marketing. Please forward copies of any publicity you propose to use to the SAW office.

Remember: All press releases must mention your participation in Somerset Art Weeks. The SAW logo is downloadable from the bottom of this page or can be requested from the SAW Office.

Placing Road Signs 

Imagine you are driving on a road you have never driven down before, make sure that your markers are clearly visible from all directions. Consider putting up an extra display board or flags outside when you are open.

Remember: Place the sign in appropriate locations according to the GUIDELINE and remove them within a week after the event. Or we will be in BIG TROUBLE from Highway Departments.

During the Art Weeks…

Commit to your Opening Time

By agreeing to take part, participants are asked to make a commitment to be open on the days and times that are published in the main guide and on the website.

Remember: Many venues’ opening dates and times are the responsibility of the venue owner and organiser, but as lead contact of the event, please make sure you communicate them to your venue.

Display the Disclaimer

A disclaimer will be enclosed when you collect your guides in July.  Please make sure you display them in eye-catching places, and make copy of the disclaimer if you need several of them in a larger venue.

Remember: You are required to display the Disclaimer when you agree to take part in the event. This will ensure the public safety of your venue.

Display the Guide

Make sure you display and distribute the Guide, Visitor Feedback Form, promotional leaflets and Friends of SAW leaflets. This information is important to help the visitors to enjoy the event and to promote SAW’s work, which offers benefits to SAW members.

Remember: It is expensive to produce printed promotional materials, so please don’t waste them!  If you are not going to be present in your venue, please make sure you communicate to your venue to distribute them actively during the event.  

Record the Visitor Number

We ask participants to keep a visitors book to record visitor numbers and sales figures for evaluation purposes.  Evaluation is an extremely important part of the event, and as such we require artists to send in a complete and accurate record of their visitor numbers, sales figures and feedback/comments. A template (on the back of your Venue Monitoring Form) is available for download at the bottom of the page to help you to record the number.

Remember: A Monitoring Form will be sent to all participants to fill in and return to SAW Ltd. after the event. Use the template on the back of the form to record your visitor figure.  

Distribute and collect the Visitor Feedback Form

This year, we include the Visitor Feedback Form in our Family Friendly Leaflet, which will be delivered to you in August. Please make sure you distribute them in your venue and actively encourage visitors to fill it in during the visit. We ask visitors to send the completed form to the venue, so please make sure your venue is aware of this and sends it to us after the Art Weeks.

Remember: Encourage visitors to fill in the Visitor Feedback form (provide pens if necessary), collect the forms and return them to us after the event

Emergency contact during the Art Week:

Someone will be available in the office from 10am to 3pm Tue to Thur during the Art Weeks. If you have any problems during the week, please contact us and we will do our best to resolve the issue.  Alternatively you can email artweeks@somersetartworks.org.uk, and someone will check this email on a daily basis. Please make sure you leave your contact details when you contact us.

SAW Office contact: 01480 253800

After the Art Weeks…

Remove your Road Sign (by Monday 1st October)

According to the guideline, you should remove all the Road Signs by the 5 October.

Return the Visitor Feedback Form (by 15th October)

Please collect the forms during the Art Weeks and return them to SAW office as soon as possible after the event before 15 October.

Return the Venue Monitoring Form (by 15 October)

Please fill in your Venue Monitoring Form after the Art Weeks and return it to SAW office by 15 October.