Our membership is created for artists and craftspeople, across a wide range of disciplines, who are working at a high level of quality and demonstrate a commitment to professional development. You don’t have to be a full time artist or maker but should be active and serious about developing your creative and commercial practice. Read our guidance and selection criteria via the link above to find out more about how we select our members.

People recognise our brand as a platform which represents quality art & craft, where they will find a curated selection of local artists, makers and experiences. This is at the forefront of our minds when we are reviewing membership applications as ultimately it is what makes us different from other similar organisations. 

There are many benefits of our membership:

A Supportive Community – our members are talented professionals who are highly skilled and ambitious in their craft. Membership provides the chance to connect with peers, gain inspiration, and exhibit your work as part of a thriving creative network.  

Promotion – this is via our website Artists Directory and dedicated workshops page for those who teach, as well as social media, mailing list and exhibition and events.  We also encourage members to tag us and collaborate on Instagram posts so we can bring your work to a wider audience.

Exhibition and Events – these are open to the membership first at a reduced rate.

Members have been approached by galleries, stockists, workshop participants and event organisers who have discovered them on our website. Find the full list of benefits in the ‘what’s included’ section above.

Join our members waiting list via the ‘Join the membership waiting list’ button below to be the first to know when membership is open.

Annual Membership is £125 per year.  

We also offer annual membership billed at £34 per quarter.

We open our membership applications in January and sometimes in June. You can register your interest at any time, to be notified when applications open via the ‘Join the Membership Waitlist’ button below.

Unlike a lot of other organisations, we try to give feedback to all unsuccessful applicants. We cannot go into huge amount of depth, but will refer to which part(s) of our selection criteria were not met and offer suggestions for improvement.  We will stay in touch via our mailing with any other opportunities for non-Members Artists and Makers.

Yes – although we would strongly advise that you take some time to address any recommendations before doing so. 

Currently our membership selection panel is the same as our management committee, consisting of our two Co-Directors, Georgina Ettridge –  Jewellery Designer/Maker and Elizabeth Hammond – Fine Artist and Educator.  We may choose to consult a specialist in a particular craft discipline about specific applications. 

We are committed to creating and seeking out high quality events and opportunities for members to exhibit and sell their work. These may be subject to change annually and updated on the website events page.  There is either a exhibiting fee or commission charged for participation in these events or exhibitions.

Applications for exhibitions and events are open to the Membership first, at a less rate than for non-members.

Members also receive free or discounted tickets to a number of networking, social and professional development events throughout the year.

No, but we will review your membership every 3 years to check it still meets our criteria. We reserve the right to ask you to terminate your membership. 

It’s really up to you. We don’t expect all our members to take part in everything we do. But like most things, the more you take part, the more you’ll get out. 

An active website and/or social media profile will be one of the ways we evaluate your commitment to professional development and really helps. However we know that there are many talented artists and craftspeople who have yet to develop their online presence and need support in this area. In some cases, and only where we know quality of craftsmanship to be strong, we may choose to accept an application with a weak digital presence as the listing in our Artists Directory can provide this for you. 

Yes, if you feel that you meet our selection criteria. We also advise people to take a look at our current members to see if you think your work would sit alongside theirs. 

Our curated approach to local art and craft is one of our unique selling points. We maintain a hybrid approach, with a mix of on and offline opportunities, but being regionally based allows us to present more opportunities for in-person events and face to face meet ups which are often more rewarding.  

However, if you are slightly outside these areas and feel you would still benefit from the Membership, you are welcome to apply.

Send us an email to hello@artfulcollective.co.uk