Hereford Art Gallery Exhibition Policy

• Heritage Services Mission Statement
  Heritage Services will promote the care and understanding of the heritage of Herefordshire's communities and provide a cultural, educational and recreational resource for local people and visitors.
• Mission Statement for Access
  Heritage Services embraces the philosophy of access for all and will endeavour to provide engaging, enjoyable and inspirational learning and recreational opportunities for local people and visitors that are sympathetic to their specific access needs.

Policy Aims

Hereford Art Gallery will offer a varied programme of temporary exhibitions, which will contribute to the city as a cultural centre both in local and regional terms. It will exhibit fine and decorative art and at the same time try to encourage new audiences with a wide range of exhibitions on other cultural themes not necessarily restricted to art. In order to broaden access to the visual arts, we will aim to provide stimulating interpretation for each exhibition

The content and programme will be devised by the art gallery exhibitions panel, currently consisting of:-

• Principal Heritage Services Officer (Heritage Services).
• Design and Display Officer (HS)
• Collections Officer: fine and decorative art or Collections Officer: collections care (HS)
• Heritage Learning Officer or Community Heritage Officer (HS).
• Visitor Services Officer or Museum Assistant representing the front of house team (HS).
• Arts Officer (Cultural Services).
• Chairman of Friends of Museum & Art Gallery.

We aim to:

• Create exhibitions that are enjoyable, inspirational and offer stimulating learning opportunities.
• Engage visitors through innovative interpretation methods that help relate the exhibitions to their lives.
• Produce exhibitions that encourage repeat visits by our existing audiences and develop new audiences in line with the Herefordshire Council's policies and commitment to 'social inclusion' and 'community development'.
• To offer access to Heritage Service's rich reserve art collections which currently do not have dedicated display space.
• To forge links with the Herefordshire community.
• To work in partnership with other bodies to contribute to the Council's cultural strategy.
• Generate or commission exhibitions that include local artists as a way of supporting their development.
• Work to best practice standards in conservation and security within the gallery environment.

Strategy to achieve aims

• Art gallery exhibitions panel to meet twice yearly in March and September to assess applications from artists for the future exhibitions programme.

  The panel will select from slides, photographs and/or other images and where possible from original examples. The work of each artist will be evaluated according to the following selection criteria:-

  1. Audience Appeal - attractiveness and relevance to perceived audience and panel.
  2. Quality - standard of work appropriate to the nature of the proposed exhibition.
  3. Cost implications - any potential cost implications for the gallery:- hire fee; insurance needed; transport costs.
  4. Practicalities - consideration of any practical difficulties in hosting exhibition:- does it need collecting? size of exhibits? etc.
  5. Links - including a Herefordshire connection. Evaluation of local relevance and educational potential for workshops or events associated with the exhibition. Links with the museum's collections. Potential for partnership with local organisations.
• The selection panel may invite artists to apply to be added to the shortlist to complement or complete a programme.
• Organise 6/7 temporary exhibitions when possible per year with a minimum duration of 4 weeks.

  These will normally consist of:-

  1. One exhibition a year using the museum's permanent collections.
  2. One summer exhibition with appeal for families.
  3. One craft-based exhibition in November/December with selling potential to complement the Contemporary Craft Fair.
  4. Exhibitions selected on their individual merits in relation to their appeal to specific audiences that the service wishes to maintain or attract.
  5. Exhibitions working in partnership with members of the community.
• Plan exhibition programme at least two years in advance.
• Produce an agreement to outline the responsibilities of the exhibitors and the Heritage Services staff.
• Create a display space for children and young people within the art gallery with an activity area for children/families when deemed appropriate by the Heritage Services staff.
• Provide interpretation specifically designed for the target audience.
• Evaluate how successful exhibitions have been, both in quality and quantity of visit, in reaching targeted audiences.
• Host community exhibitions.
• Support outreach exhibitions which serve the wider community.
• Involve local organisations and societies.
• Produce high quality publicity material that is in line with our access policy guidelines on access for all.

The Gallery states that:

• Work delivered for exhibiting to be the same or similar to that chosen by the panel. The panel reserves the right to withdraw any material unless the exhibitor has already confirmed any changes with the gallery staff.
• The intention of the art gallery is to provide a service to the public, and therefore the emphasis will be towards exhibiting rather than sales, however, the gallery considers the sale of exhibits to also be an important part of its function.
• In the event of sales during the exhibition, it is preferred that exhibits will not be removed until after the closing date unless exceptional circumstances prevail, e.g. tourist on a day trip purchases an item.
• Any works sold during the exhibition including postcards, greetings cards, books etc. are subject to a commission charge, currently 30% of the purchase price.
• Whilst the Art Gallery Exhibitions Panel will not shy away from exhibiting works of a contentious nature, we reserve the right to exercise our discretion when choosing exhibits which will be displayed in a public gallery.
• Artists to be encouraged to include tactile imaging and audio for their exhibitions and if they cannot produce it themselves, we could do it for them, and charge them for it.
• The decision of the Art Gallery Exhibitions Panel is final.