Exhibitions

Information for Exhibition Applicants

Welcome to the Environmental Arts Exhibition Programme. We host many exhibitions each year. All our exhibitions are held in sealed glass display cases located on the main Hospital Street.  The information that follows helps to inform you about the many aspects of exhibiting here at the hospital.

Environmental Arts does not charge any fees or take a commission for exhibiting, however we do ask for a donation of around 15% of any artworks sold.  These donations help us to maintain our display facilities for the future.

Our Exhibition Programme has been established to:

  • offer a vibrant, changing and positive point of focus for our patients, staff and visitors
  • allow the opportunity for artists and organisations to exhibit and sell their work
  • offer the best quality environment for our patients, staff and visitors


Exhibiting at the Hospital is a very different experience from exhibiting within a gallery setting; the Hospital setting is entirely different.

If you are interested in exhibiting

Our exhibition programme is managed well in advance. How and what we select is reviewed regularly. Presently we are selecting artists and organisations by direct invitation rather than via open submission.  This is mainly due to the diverse nature of Environmental Arts. If you are interested in exhibiting and would like to join our Register of Artists we request that artists, organisations and community groups applying to exhibit submit:

  • 4 images, preferably by email, low resolution, JPG format
  • A Curriculum Vitae or brief information on your organisation or community group
  • A brief statement about the artwork
  • Completed Artist Register's Consent Form obtained from the Environmental Arts Office.

Contact with the Arts Office

Please feel free to contact the Environmental Arts Coordinator with any queries concerning application.

The Environmental Arts contact details are as follows:

Emma Jarvis
Environmental Arts Coordinator
Environmental Arts
Facilities Department
West Annex 1
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Colney Lane
Norwich
NR4 7UY

Tel: 01603 287870
Email: hospitalartsproject@nnuh.nhs.uk

On being selected to take part in our exhibition programme we request that you read and adhere to our Exhibition Information.  This will help us to achieve a programme together that will run smoothly for both parties.

About our Display Facilities

  • Our facilities are designed for two dimensional artworks.
  • The exhibition cases are located on levels 1, 2 and 3 of the main Hopsital Street on the East, West and Centre Blocks.
  • The backs of each case are covered with a neutral natural off-white felt.
  • These display cases are located along the length of the Hospital Street. An exhibition will normally consist of 8 to 10 paneled areas.
  • Owing to the depth restrictions of the cabinets we are unable to exhibit artworks which are framed.
  • We request that all artworks are presented in card mounts only.
  • The display cases have been recently re-furbished and mounted artworks do look impressive inside them.
  • Artworks are fixed in place simply by the use of dressmaker's pins around the outside of the mountcard.
  • The cabinets each have secure locks.
  • The cabinets are double-sided wall-mounted display cases.
  • Measurements are as below.  Each cabinet is approximately 1.5cm deep.

What we exhibit

  • We exhibit a wide range of arts and crafts including photography, textiles, embroidery, drawing, painting and mixed media.
  • We do not exhibit certain subject material due to the unique nature of our hospital environment.
  • It is required that all exhibitions are positive, engaging, beautiful, encouraging and respectful.
  • All exhibitions are in line with Trust Policy with regard to safeguarding, health and safety, confidentiality, child protection, infection control and information governance.

Appropriate work for display

  • As this is a hospital setting, care and regard for patients is paramount.  Their stay must be as comfortable as possible, and patients can be vulnerable and from different backgrounds.  Therefore art work has to be considered always with this in mind.  As a result realistically we are unable to show art expressing fear, horror, anger, threat or intimations of violence.
  • We also cannot consider art that would be contrary to public health policy such as representations of smoking.  All things need to correspond to these improtant guidelines so as to provide a consistently therapeutic environment to patients, family and staff.

Exhibition timescales

  • The duration of each exhibition is approximately five to six months.
  • We tend not to set exact dates as this does tend to vary somewhat.
  • We dicuss potential dates with each artist/group prior to their exhibition going on display and coming down from display.

Installation

  • Who actually installs the work varies.  Sometimes we request that the artists install their own exhibitions.  Our volunteer team can also assist with installing exhibitions.
  • The time for installing will be discussed and agreed with the Environmental Arts Manager.
  • Owing to the nature of Environmental Arts, the exact installation and who will install the work, be it the artist or the volunteer team, is also confirmed at this time.

Packaging

  • We request that exhibitors bring packaging.
  • We have no storage facility for packaging therefore this needs taken away from staff site after an exhibition is installed.
  • We will supply packaging for the artworks that have been sold.

Insurance

  • Exhibitors will be responsible for insuring works on display and whilst in transit.

Information that accompanies exhibitions

  • Exhibitors will be responible for insuring their works whilst in transit.
  • We request that exhibitors provide their own text panels (incorporating exhibitor name, any logo's, contact details for sales, brief information, website, addresses, blogs etc).
  • Information needs to be clearly presented, brief and clearly articulated.
  • We request that exhibitors provide their own lable; including price, title etc.
  • We request that exhibitors provide copies of price lists to be held in the Environmental Arts Office.
  • We cannot permit for sale displayed works if the price is over £150.  In the event that prices are higher please make clear the sale prices are available on application directly through the Environmental Arts Office.
  • Draft press releases may be presented.  Draft press releases will be presented to and agreed by our Trust's Communications Team before release.

Sales, commission and information

  • We do not charge or fee or commission, however it does ask for a donation of 15% from all artworks sold. Donations assist with the maintenance of our display facilities.
  • We request that all artworks sold remain on display for the duration of each exhibition. Information on how to purchase artworks is displayed alongside each exhibition, price lists are available on application.
  • It is Environmental Arts Policy not to show worrk with a price labelled £150 or over alongside exhibits.  This is due to security reasons.
  • All requests for sales are directed to the Environmental Arts Office.
  • We forward all requests for sales to the artists and request that they adminstrate their own sales.
  • Please provide a clear list that corresponds with labels on the artworks.
  • Sales from our exhibition programme are varied.
  • We do not advise artists on prices.

Private views

  • We regret that owing to the specific nature of the hospital environment we are unable to accommodate private views though artists are often invited to give lunchtime talks for staff, patients and visitors.

Publicity and listings

  • Environmental Arts publicises exhibitions internally.
  • We are not included in external listings as we are not classified as a gallery.
  • Our exhibitions are frequented by many patients, staff and visitors which amount to many thousands of viewings.
  • We warmly welcome exhibitors to publicise their own exhibitionss however we do not function as a gallery but as Hospital Environmental Arts.
  • We request that you provide use with a low resolution jpeg of one of your exhibits to be used in publicity.
  • Exhibitors are often included on our web site with links to artist's own web pages (with artist's consent), however dates are not included in this information.
  • Our exhibitions are frequented by many thousands of patients, staff and visitors owing to the nature of a very busy open hospital setting.
  • We are currently working on our website and hope to include Exhibitions Features in the future.

Our Register of Artists

  • We hold a register of artists. All artists who have been selected for the exhibition programme will automatically be included in this register on receipt of a completed Register of Artists Consent Form (opens a new window listing all Environmental Arts documents).