Welcome to the Makers Guild in Wales as an Associate Member. We look forward to meeting you and showing and selling your work.

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1 1 Dear. Welcome to the Makers Guild in Wales as an Associate Member. We look forward to meeting you and showing and selling your work. We apologise for this lengthy letter but it will help you to understand how the Guild works and explain what you need to do to have your membership confirmed. Brief Background The Guild was formed in 1984 to promote quality craft work from Wales. Soon after, the Guild opened a gallery in the Old Library in the centre of Cardiff. Thereafter, we moved to the old Techniquest shed and then to Cory s Buildings in Bute Street. Now, finally, we have moved into our new permanent home in The Flourish. We have therefore been running a successful retail gallery for over twenty years. Since our early days we have grown considerably, not only in numbers but also in reputation. We have grown economically too and now, with the acquisition of our own premises in which opened in 2002, we have had to change our structure to fit. Early in 1996 we considered it desirable to form ourselves into a co-operative company limited by guarantee. This means that although shares are not distributed, we are covered by our limited liability. This arm has since been incorporated with our charitable arm to form a new incorporated charity The Makers Guild in Wales. There is a lot to know about the Guild and how it functions but rather than burden you with more information at this point, below is a list of the Trustees and staff along with their roles. The Makers Guild in Wales - Trustees Chair -Lorraine Barrett; Vice-Chair- Melissa Binet-Fauvel; Bet Davies; Laura Thomas; Helen Murdoch ;Philip Thomas (Treasurer);Patricia Williams; Wayne Cowley; Deborah Hill; Denise Lewis. The Makers Guild in Wales - Voluntary Officers Melissa Binet-Fauvel Chair of Makers Forum melissa@melissawarren.co.uk Laura Thomas Education/Exhibitions info@laurathomas.co.uk Penny Sheard Associate Membership Co-ordinator Susan Smith Full Membership Co-ordinator susansmith.designs@ntlworld.com Maralyn Radford Gallery Review Co-ordinator maralyn.radford@greenbee.net Craft in the Bay - Staff Telephone Simon Burgess Gallery Manager simon@makersguildinwales.org.uk Charlotte Kingston Exhibition/Education Officer charlotte@makersguildinwales.org.uk Cindy Lambert Assistant Manager/Accounts Officer cindy@makersguildinwales.org.uk Jane Nicholls Deputy Gallery Manager Victoria Green Deputy Gallery Manager Margaret Mainstone Deputy Gallery Manager

2 What you need to do to become an Associate Member (please see separate sheet for showing your work at Craft in the Bay) Pay your subscription - this is currently 100 (inc VAT) per annum due (by invoice)on 1st January each year. However as we are mid way through the year you will just need to pay a half of this amount - 50 (inc VAT). Also enclosed is a copy of our Code of Practice which you will need to sign and return with your subscription. Supply us with a selection of three good quality images that represent a cross section of your work. These can be in any format i.e. slides or prints but digital images on a disk or ed to Simon are preferred. Please label these with your name, a short description of the work plus sizes. Also we require a short statement about your work (up to 200) words and a brief CV. We need these in order to procure future exhibitions; to provide a page for you on the Guild s web site; to produce a black and white flyer to hand out with your sales; and to prepare a sheet for the Guild portfolio which helps us to promote your work and possibly acquire commissions for you. As an Associate Member you have all the benefits of being a full member apart from sitting on any committees. Your Associate Membership will last for two years, in order to continue your membership you will then be asked to submit work again for Full Membership of the Guild. You will be expected to be an active Guild member, participating in events and activities run by the Guild. You will be invited to attend our AGM held annually (usually in January). You will also be invited to private views and will get a 10% reduction on purchases in Craft in Bay (certain items are excluded). Please send your cheque made payable to The Makers Guild in Wales, images, statement and CV to the Chair at Craft in the Bay. As soon as we receive them you will become an Associate Member of the Makers Guild in Wales. To display your work in the retail gallery at Craft in the Bay you will need to follow the instructions on the following page. A current list of members is enclosed - we all look forward to meeting you soon, 2 With very best wishes, Yours sincerely Lorraine Barrett, Chair, Makers Guild in Wales

3 Exhibiting in the Retail Gallery at Craft in the Bay 3 Craft in the Bay is one of the largest craft galleries in Wales and is a major tourist attraction. Members work is attractively displayed and we have developed a lively educational programme in a variety of disciplines. Demonstrations and a constantly changing exhibition programme are also a major feature of the Gallery. The Makers Guild in Wales is a co-operative, it could not survive without members input and you will be expected to become a fully active member. Each member is required to pay a one off fee of 50 to display their work in the retail gallery. If you are delivering work for the first time please call first to arrange a convenient time. 1. Opening Hours am to 5.30pm seven days a week 2. Parking - there is a loading bay at the rear of the new building for dropping off stock only. Please ask Simon, our manager for the state of play regarding parking when you are stewarding. Please let the manager know when you will be delivering your work. 3. Stewarding Rota - in order to display your work at Craft in the Bay you will need to steward. If you live within 100miles of Cardiff you will be expected to do 8 days per year; for those in Mid and West Wales 4 days and if, you are in North Wales, 2 days. Stewards receive 10 a day towards expenses. The Guild could not function without the members helping in this way. You can book in your days as and when they are available, but remember that if you want to book days to fit in with your schedule, you need to plan and book them in advance. If you have not done the required number of days by the end of the year, you will be responsible for any fine imposed. Please remember if you fail to keep to the agreement (by not turning up when you say you will) you not only let us down, but also the public. Members who travel some distance may wish to do two days at a time - we may be able to offer members the opportunity to stay with a local member, please let us know and we will endeavour to help. 4. Job Description for Stewards - as stewards we must: a. Despite natural modesty, actively promote ourselves to visitors as one of the exhibiting craftspeople. b. Be friendly and informative about our work and that of others and about the aims and standards of MGW. c. Be responsible for keeping the gallery tidy and clean - there is a daily rota. d. Watch out for shoplifters - be vigilant. e. Be responsible for encouraging sales on behalf of all members - be pleasant, not pushy. f. Stand in for the manager at the sales desk as necessary, using the EPOS system and PDQ terminal - you will be trained to do this. g. Arrive promptly at 10.30am and in the event of your being unable to attend, inform the manager immediately in order to arrange cover. If you want to swap a stewarding day at short notice, it is your responsibility not the manager s to find a replacement from amongst the members. 5. Stock - all work is supplied on a sale or return basis (except postcards). Your work must be marked with the selling price to include commission. As the commission rate attracts VAT the calculation is worked out thus: - All Items attract a commission of 40% plus VAT at the current rate to help you work out your retail price, roughly multiply your wholesale price by (with VAT at 17.5%) To avoid having to deal with too much change, try to round up to the nearest 5p or 50p. 6. Member s Code - each member uses their initials as their code, e.g. Molly Curley is MC, Simon Rich is SR. Your code will be... Each item must be labelled with your code plus a three digit number, e.g. MC 001. Codes (apart from your initials) must not contain any letters as we use an electronic point of sale system. Multiples of the same item must have the same code. If possible, give your best selling items the lowest numbers.

4 4 7. Delivery Note - each delivery of your work must be accompanied by a delivery note listing codes, quantities and retail prices. 8. Postcards - to make life simpler we now buy in postcards from makers at 20 at a time at 25p each. If you have more than one card, you may supply 20 of each. Please provide an invoice made out to the Makers Guild in Wales. 9. Sales - payment for work sold is monthly by direct debit on (or about) the 15 th of the following month. Please fill in the attached form with your bank details. You won't be paid without this! On your stewarding day you can collect your sales sheet which will list your sales for the month. Members who keep their stock replenished and refreshed are always the highest sellers. Refunds are offered to customers (subject to our Refund Policy) under certain circumstances. 10. Insurance - all stock is insured against fire, theft with violence and theft by forcible entry. Unfortunately it is impossible for us to insure against shoplifting, so all work is left at the members own risk - we usually do endeavour to make some compensation towards shoplifted and broken items but not the full wholesale amount, subject to the Terms and Conditions of our Combined Commercial Insurance Policy (available on request). 11. Commissioned Work - we will actively promote your work, putting clients in touch with you as necessary. In return, commissions received via Craft in the Bay attract a 10% plus VAT commission, paid by you to us when the client settles with you. We rely on the honesty and integrity of members, as this small source of income helps to pay for the display space devoted to your work. 12. Quality Control Selling work in a gallery situation means that you have to ensure your work complies with the various Laws that govern the sale of certain items in the UK(please ask us if you want more information about how your work must comply with the Law, we have some sheets that cover some areas) Also to maintain our high standards, there is a Gallery Review panel three times a year. The aim of the panel is to give praise were they feel it is deserved, to ensure compliance with Legal standards (Textile Labelling, Hallmarking to name but two). You will be informed if your work is removed from display with an explanation of the reason why. 13. Stock Life - to keep the display looking fresh, work must be swapped around every six months. This does not include your steady sellers but rather those larger pieces that can dominate the display and look stale if left for too long. 14. Data Protection Act we need to know what information you would like us to hand out to potential customers so please fill in the attached form. Sorry if this is a little wordy - hopefully it will give you a clearer picture of how Craft in the Bay operates.

5 5 Membership Agreement Name Workshop Address Postcode. Telephone.... Mobile... Home Address... Postcode.....Telephone.... Payment details- Name of Bank Bank Account number. Sort Code... In order to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998,we need to know what information you would like us to pass on to customers and give out to the public. This will then be the only way that we allow the public can get in contact with you. Please tick one option:- 1. You don t want any details passed on, contact c/o Craft in the Bay only 2. Your name and address 3. Your name, address and telephone number 4. Your name, address, telephone number and address However, contact details are shared within the organisation and its membership(so we can contact you), but are never passed on to anyone else without your permission. Check List - please ensure you have enclosed the following: Cheque for your subscription of 50 and 50 hanging fee made payable to 'The Makers Guild in Wales' Curriculum vitae Three images Artist s statement The Guild is a co-operative and therefore requires you to sign the following:- I undertake to support and help run the Guild and abide by the Guild s Code of Conduct (See attached). Signed.... Date...