Membership
Becoming a member of VASW’s network means that you’re joining a community of individuals and organisations that strongly support the visual arts sector in the South West and beyond. It gives you the ability to contribute to our website and profile art events, exhibitions and opportunities where you are.
- List an unlimited number of events, exhibitions and opportunities
- Request to have your events, exhibitions and opportunities highlighted on our social media
- Be visible to organisations and collaborators across the South West
- Benefit from VASW's reach, with over 64,000 annual website users
- Be featured across the directory, homepage and communications
- Connect with VASW's network of artists, organisations and partners
- Support VASW's work, including programmes such as Curator Bank and Make Space
Payment
- Independents - Free
- Optional annual donation - £10
Eligibility
Visual arts practice spans many disciplines, including performance, installation, painting, sound and sculpture; and often overlaps with other creative fields such as theatre, music, film. This membership is for individuals to share public-facing arts activity, jobs and opportunities. If your activity sits more clearly within other creative disciplines (such as illustration, theatre, circus, craft, for example), the platform might not be the right fit.
We do not list individual artists, artist collaborations or commercial enterprises in our South West Network directory.
If you are an individual or business offering services for hire, please see our Arts Workers directory.
Approvals process
All new accounts are reviewed by the VASW team before publication to ensure suitability and site security. New accounts are checked weekly. Once approved, payment will be taken from the account details provided. Once your account is activated, you will be able to list all activity without further approvals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be a VASW member?
Becoming a member of Visual Arts South West means that you’re joining a community of individuals and organisations that are part of the visual arts sector in the South West and beyond. It gives you the ability to contribute to our website and profile your visual art events, exhibitions and opportunities through our What’s On and Opportunities pages, and if you’re an organisation, create a profile which will be visible in our Directory.
Do I need to be a member to publish listings?
Yes. Only people who have signed up as a member can share their events and opportunities on the VASW website.
Do I have to pay to add events or opportunity listings?
If you are an organisation or group in receipt of funding, you will need to pay to join our network. We have a range of membership options tiered to suit different scales of operation. If you are an individual or independent group without funding, it is free to join, but we ask that you consider making a donation when you list activities supported by funding.
How do I join?
The only way to join our network is online. Payments can be made monthly or annually by card through our secure Stripe checkout.
When will my account be approved?
All new registrations are reviewed by the VASW team. You can sign in straight away to complete your profile and prepare listings, but nothing appears publicly until your account is approved. We are a small team of part-time staff and this may take up to a week, we’ll email you as soon as your account is live.
How do I log into my account?
To log in, click the account icon in the top right corner of any page. Here you can log in using the email address linked to your account and your personal password.
How long will it take for my listing to be live on the website?
Once your account has been approved, listings you publish appear on the VASW website straight away. While your account is awaiting approval, published listings are held in Drafts and go live once VASW approves your membership.
How do I edit or remove a listing?
You can edit your listings at any time. From your dashboard, open Events or Opportunities to see everything you’ve submitted, then select the listing you’d like to change. The Edit button opens the listing form, where you can amend any content; the Delete button removes the listing from the website.
How do I update my details?
You can update your details at any time by logging into your account. It’s quick and easy to manage your information and preferences.
Can I change the email address my account is registered to?
You can change the email associated with your account by logging in and choosing Settings from your account menu. Changing your email sends a verification link to the new address.
I think someone is using my account without permission. How can I stop this?
The best way to stop unwanted access to your account is to change your password. Log out of your account, return to the login screen and click ‘Forgot your password?’ to reset your password.
Can I get a refund?
If you’re not satisfied with your membership please send a refund request to [email protected] within 14 days of your purchase. Refunds requested after this period are given at VASW’s discretion.
Cancelling your account
We’re sorry to hear that you’re considering leaving. If you pay monthly, you’ll need to cancel your membership before your next payment is due; if you pay annually, cancel before your next renewal. To cancel, log in, choose Billing from your account menu and select Manage billing — you can cancel your subscription in the secure Stripe portal. If you have any trouble, contact [email protected].