FBA Calls for Entries could be improved and a lot simpler
I think the FBA Method of communicating Calls for Entries needs a rethink and revamp.
The method currently used for
- communicating Calls for Entries
- for the Annual Open Exhibitions of Societies
- belonging to the Federation of British Artists (FBA)
- needs, in my opinion, a complete rethink
- to improve communication with artists and generate more entries.
I’ve made a point of writing “calls for entries” posts for all FBA societies each year – for very many years – because of the issues I know arise with:
- artists not understanding what they need to do
- artists locating part of the information – but not all of it
- artists not having one document they can print off and read at their leisure
- and/or use as a practical fail safe checklist when submitting their entry
I’m currently writing a post about the Call for Entries for the 2023 Annual Open Exhibition by the NEW English Art Club – which is very popular.
To do so I’m having to refer to three seperate websites – which all say things slightly differently – with some of the really important information buried on another website.
This is because:
- The art society “owns” the exhibition and is responsible for selection. Plus promotes the exhibition on its own website.
- The FBA and its commercial arm – the Mall Galleries – are responsible for:
- the legal contract around the call for entries and making sure everything is done properly
- has a Call for Entries Page – which does NOT provide
- either all the “need to know how” information on one page
- or in one document
- processing the administrative aspects
- receiving the artwork
- hanging the exhibition
- processing sales
- making sure unsold work gets collected
- The FBA / Mall Galleries also contract out the digital submission side of the FBA Call for Entries to OESS – which is the third website
To be perfectly honest, I go round and round in circles trying to work out whether all the website sites say the same thing – and trying to make sure I’ve not missed anything.
Mostly it stays pretty much the same from year to year – but changes do occur – BUT ARE NEVER HIGHLIGHTED i.e. there is no “what’s different this year” – which is one of the things I try to highlight.
PLUS Links to really critical bits of information can be very easily missed i.e.
- way down the page – often near the bottom
- links are NOT highlighted or capitalised or bolded in any way.
I don’t think this is good enough. I think it could be done much better.
My challenge to the FBA is to have a think about how they can make the Calls for Entries better for artists for the benefit of all concerned.
The Bottom Line
I do NOT understand why the ALL the “Call for Entries” information is not made available in
- ONE DIGITAL / DOWNLOADABLE DOCUMENT
- which is identical AND available and PROMINENT on all three websites i.e.
- NEAC – as sponsor of the exhibition
- FBA/Mall Galleries – as organisers of the administration and hangers and host of the exhibition
- OESS – contracted to process the digital entries and notify artists about outcomes
- Incorporating a complete ‘failsafe’ checklist for artists to use as they prepare their submission
- Plus the roles of ALL relevant agencies – and who to contact about what – spelt out very simply and clearly in the digital document.
In my opinion there’s
- just far TOO MUCH legalese and rolling over of longwinded documents – without a proper review of whether this form of communication is working effectively (i.e. the documents rarely change much – and yet could be constructed much better) and
- far TOO LITTLE consideration given to the fact that a significant number of artists are dyslexic and/or struggle with
- written documents
- small print
- very pale links to very important information.
I’d very much like to see
- A RADICAL OVERHAUL OF CALLS FOR ENTRIES
- to deliver one coherent, consistent document – reviewed and updated every year
- which is easily accessible by all artists
- as one document – on all relevant sites.
Is that too much to ask?
Anybody else think this has got to be an improvement on the current process?