Artist Information

Welcome

Help make the Wai Art Show continue to be the lovely, friendly art show it has always been.

The Wai Art Show’s un-paid management team are Anna-Marie Kingsley, Ngaire Kearney and Jo Lysaght. Anna-Marie manages the overall running of the show, writes press articles, averts disasters, hands out tissues and hugs, and squints myopically at the computer getting artist payments right. Ngarie is our talented social media whiz. And Jo is our brilliant graphic designer and clever wrangler of the web site.

There is a 15% commission on sales that goes towards Wai Art Trust activities supporting and promoting Wairarapa Artists.

Changes for 2024

Panel set up starts at 10am on Monday 9th September. Cherryl Norman gets the ceremonial first pick of where she would like her panel – a continuing reward for courage under fire in 2022. We tragically had a very small number of helpers for plywood panel take down last year, so they get second dibs at choosing where their panels are situated.

All 3D (three dimensional) art including all ceramics (even if they can be hung on a wall), jewellery, sculpture, and furniture, has been moved to the Rangatahi Hub (within the same building). If a 3D artist has 2D art as well, this will be displayed in the Rangatahi Hub on panels.

Only fine art, prints and photography will be displayed in the main auditorium. All ceramics are to be displayed in the Rangatahi Hub.

There is no youth awards this year, however space will be allocated for youth art.

General

Panel prices are $60 per panel for 2D artworks and per 3D space, for Wai Art Group members. Subs are $20 and can be paid on the day. Non-member prices are $85 per 2D panel and per 3D space.

Registering and requesting panels is from 1st July, only on this website. You will receive an email saying your registration was successful. Please don’t send messages, email or phone us requesting panels be held for you. You can request up to 4 panels per artist, we will allocate the panels on August 1st and let you know via email how many panels you have been allocated.

You will need an artist biography (250-words max), and another 250 words describing your artwork and at least two images of your artwork (photos need to be at least 2M) to upload when you fill out the panel request form. Have these items ready before attempting to start filling out the request form.

You only pay for your panels on the artwork set-up day. EFTPOS is available. There is no credit card facility.

In the unlikely event of you having to cancel your panel booking – please let us know as soon as possible so we can reallocate your panels. (Phone Anna-Marie on 021 55 2112.)

The panels are 1.2m wide by 2.4m high. When working out your artwork placement on the lounge floor at home; remember that you need to be aware of artists beside you. Be kind and aware of your neighbours; don’t encroach on their space or go right to the edge of your panel.

As it is a cash and carry show, the artworks are taken by the buyer as soon as they have been paid for. You will be alerted via text that your artwork has been sold and you can replace it if you wish. We have very limited storage on site so we cannot hold extra artworks, you will need to hold them off site or in your car and replace as and when you wish.

It is very tempting to cram as many artworks onto your panel as possible, but this is actually detrimental to not only the look of your panel, but also potential sales. Try to give each artwork enough space to shine.

Youth artwork panels

There is no award for youth art this year. However, there will be panels set aside for artists under 21 years old who would like to exhibit one or two artworks. $5 per artwork, maximum size is 50cm by 50cm. Artworks can be replaced if they sell for no extra cost.

Youth artists (under 21 years of age) do not need to provide the biography or the artwork description, but they do need to register with the number of artworks they intend displaying so we can allocate panels. Youth artworks can be dropped off with entry payment on Wednesday 11th between 10am and 5pm in the Event Centre foyer.

3D artworks

Three dimensional artists are in the Rangatahi Hub down the hall a bit. This format allows the 3D artists more room to display their artworks, gives a more cohesive vibe to the show and allows more artists to participate, also it is so much easier to unload heavier artworks. Head down the lane between the grey clock tower and the ITM building to the back of the Event Centre. Do not accidentally venture through the mesh gates into the council yard, and please treat the Event Centre or Council staff with respect.

3D artists spaces are floor area of 1.2m by 2.4m for the same prices at panels for 2D artists. You can request up to 3 spaces. If you are a 3D artist and you have 2D art as well, all your art will be displayed in the Rangatahi Hub on plywood panels provided by Wai Art.

You will need to bring your own display tables, plinths, and extra lighting if you require it. Black cloth underneath artworks, if you have access to it, often shows up artworks beautifully.

3D artists can choose to work within their space if they desire; this not only intrigues visitors, engages them with the artist, but it also helps with sales.

Remember to label all artwork appropriately with a business card label with your name, artwork title, medium and price on it. A sticker with just a price or your initials is no help to us on the sales desk.

Exhibition panels are entirely self-managed by participating artists. Couriered artworks cannot be accepted. Artists hang their own artworks, and it is up to you how you hang your panel. All artworks must have an accompanying label that is placed relative to your artwork so that it is blindingly obvious to volunteers that it is the right label.

Artwork labels must be business card size, and comply to the following format:

(DO NOT use decimal places, for example use $65 not $65.00. Using the decimal places is not only redundant it is also confusing.)

Alternatively you can download an A4 sheet of labels here.

We suggest you keep your artwork labels quite simple. Decorating them with little silver stars or stickers might look lovely, but it confuses the public. A confused public is not a buying public.

As the artworks are sold, they are brought up to the sales desk with the corresponding label by a volunteer – if you don’t have a label with your actual name on it, then we have no idea who to attribute the sold artwork and consequently (and rather importantly) payment to. It helps enormously if you have the artwork details on the back of your artwork. Often the price on the label is different to the price on the back of the artwork. If there is a discrepancy, we will always use the price on the label.

The main auditorium is reserved for two dimensional artworks only.

Artwork set-up

Absolutely no food or drink (including your takeaway coffee) is allowed in the auditorium during set up. Yes, we have had artworks damaged from spilled coffee, no it couldn’t be fixed, yes there were tears and copious amounts of soggy tissues.

You will need to bring a battery powered drill with a square-head driver to hang your artworks, and (unless you are 6 foot 4) you will need to bring a step ladder as well. Please only use the screws provided. Do not hammer anything into the panel as you risk knocking off artworks on the other side of your panel. Every single year we get some artist that gets it into their head to use their own screws or God forbid nails or staples! Please do not to do this it drives us absolutely nuts to have to find a different screw-driver head to undo a panel of phillips head screws. After artwork pack up, please remove the screws and return to our boxes.

Sale of cards, prints etc

If you wish to sell cards or prints you will need to request at least three panels, this allows space to set up a teeny tiny table without encroaching on either walking space or your artist neighbour. Please make sure your cards and prints are clearly labelled with a business card size label stuck on with blutac on the back with your name and price to make sure we can enter the correct sales details.

Lighting

Other than you helping with the plywood panel set up on Monday 9th September and choosing your own panel placement, there isn’t anything we can do about lighting in the main auditorium. The spotlights are adjusted by the event centre staff at night via this enormous scissor-jack-lift when we aren’t in the building.

Pricing

What you price your artworks at is entirely up to you. If you are unsure, have a look at another artist’s work that is comparable to your style and ability and make your decision based on that. As far as I am aware buyers look at artwork prices and go “I love it! AND I can afford it!” I have never, ever heard any buyer say “I love it! But I won’t buy it because it is too cheap.”

If you are a first-time exhibitor, and price your artworks to sell, and if you sell out this year – Yipppee! Put your prices up a bit next year. Remember that your relatives and friends will be hoping to support you – don’t make it too expensive for them to do so.

Artwork sales

As soon as an artwork is sold and paid for, it is removed from the wall and wrapped up in bubble wrap for the buyer. All sold artworks need to be out of the building by 5pm on Sunday. We have no provision for later payment, storage or collection after 5pm on Sunday.

Artist opening night

Kicks off at 5.30pm on Thursday. This is a very casual wine and cheese event for artists and their families to get together and celebrate their magnificence and bask in the glory of their gorgeous artworks. No boring speeches to endure, and no cost to artists or their financially long-suffering supportive families. This event goes a tiny way towards making up for all those late dinners and piles of unfolded laundry while you were in the creative mood.

Yes, you have the opportunity to buy each-others artworks.

Punters taking photographs of your artwork

Yes, potential buyers are allowed to take photographs of your artworks – they are usually doing it for spousal approval. No, they are not stealing your ideas – they could do that off your website or facebook page. Please don’t shout at them.

Replacing sold artworks

To keep the exhibition looking good, feel free to replace and rearrange your panel during the exhibition if your artworks sell. We have a couple of helpers who can rearrange your artwork up to fill in gaps on your board. There will be a designated helper who will text artists as their artworks sell so if you wish you can nip in and replace them. There will be a battery powered screwdriver and step ladder available at the front desk if you need it.

Red sticker lines beside your artworks

Yes, we are well aware that they do this at the NZ Art Show. It is a pain in the bum for us, so we don’t.

Pack out

We are open till 5pm on Sunday so be respectful to the buyers and organisers. Do not start pulling your artworks off the wall, or packing up, or sitting there with a stack of suitcases or boxes waiting. Chill out and relax.

Plywood panel take down

Almost as big a job as putting them up, except we are all shattered after a week on our feet. Starts at 9am on Monday September 16 and depending on the amount of help we get is usually all over by lunchtime. All help very much appreciated.

Artist support

Wai Art is a mostly laid-back friendly art show, staffed and run by the participating artists. We try very hard to be accommodating, but we have limits. The above rules are for good reasons. Come talk to us if you have any issues. Remember to be kind, charming, helpful and considerate to your fellow artists.

It can be very stressful for some artists to put their art out in the public; some have described it as a bit like exposing your baby on a mountain for the wolves. So, we understand if you are finding it a bit stressful. We are here to help; pop up to the front desk for a hug or reassurance that all will be well.

Rest of the small print

There is no selection process of artists or artworks. However, the committee reserves the right to remove artwork if it is deemed inappropriate for whatever reason. Artworks that have been previously exhibited are perfectly acceptable.

Artworks must not be subject to copyright and must have been completed by the exhibiting artist. Artworks by other artists, cannot be on-sold. Participating artists must be currently alive; we cannot sell artworks from deceased artists.

Insurance

Insurance for artworks is always solely the responsibility of the artist, during transit and while on exhibition. All reasonable care will be taken of artworks, but the committee cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage during the exhibition, or set up, or in transit.
And to save you the time of actually checking this out – you can’t actually insure your unsold artwork for anything other than the cost of materials until it is sold.

Helpers

We can’t do the show without you! We need lots of help with the panel set up on Monday September 9th starting at 10am, and panel take down on Monday September 16th starting at 9am.

There will be a roster at the front desk for helpers during the show that can be filled out when paying for your panels/spaces. Feel free to stay longer than your scheduled shift – it is a great show to help at and has a lovely buzz and energy.

Best wishes for a fantastic Wai Art Show – we are really looking forward to it.
Anna-Marie, Ngaire, and Jo.