Registering for the Artists Open Houses
The Artists Open Houses (AOH) has two festivals each year: one during the city’s May festival season, the other in the lead up to Christmas.
This year the May festival is moving to June, ensuring maximum safety for all our participating artists and audiences. The festival will run weekends 29 May – 20 June.
June 2021 AOH Festival weekends:
May 29,30,31 (Bank Holiday)I June 5&6 I 12&13 I 19&20
Registration is open from 5th January – 22nd March
Special Early Bird Rates until 7th March
Refunds
Full refunds are available right up until the end of the registration period. Should it become necessary for the festival be moved to a later summer month, full refunds will be offered to anyone who no longer wishes to take part. In the unlikely event there should be a further lockdown during some part of the festival, the AOH Festival will go ahead as an online festival during that period.
Taking part
Anyone who lives within the 01273 telephone area is eligible to register an Open House in the AOH Festival.
Those living outside the area may also take part as a guest artist exhibiting their work in someone else’s Open House. You may like to sign up to Artist Seeking Houses so that host venues can see your work and invite you to exhibit with them: http://artists-seeking-houses.aoh.org.uk/
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New free features to your Open House listing this year include:
Online Gallery:
You will receive a dedicated gallery showing six images of your/your artists work with a link to your email, phone number, Etsy or website, so that visitors to the site can buy work directly from you.
Video link:
You will also be able to make and upload a video to your listing, showing samples of work, the processes of making and ideas behind your work.
Gallery images and video links can be updated at any time up to and including during the festival period.
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Online-only listings
Due to the current circumstances, this year in addition to regular Open House listings, we are also offering Online-only listings for artists who prefer to open their house ‘virtually’ this time. Online-only listings will receive an eighth page brochure listing as well as full online presence. (After registration closes on 22nd March Online-only listings will remain available until 29th May, when the festival starts, but will not include a brochure presence.)
As well as an image and listing description Online-only Listings comprise:
Online Gallery:
Online-only Listings offer a dedicated gallery showing twelve images of your work with a link to your email, phone number, Etsy or website, so that visitors to the site can buy work directly from you.
Video link:
You will also be able to make and upload a video to your listing, showing samples of work, the processes of making and ideas behind your work.
Galleries images and video links can be updated at any time up to and including during the festival period.
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June 2021 AOH Festival weekends:
May 29,30,31 (Bank Holiday) I June 5&6 I 12&13 I 19&20
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Timeline for the June 2021 Festival
For more info see the AOH Guide to Opening Your House
Find Guest Artists
See more Frequently Asked Questions
AOH May 2021 COVID-19 Guidelines for Venues – AOH will require all venues to follow guidance for Covid-compliance. Venue and visitor guidelines will be produced in accordance with the relevant Government guidance and law at the time and these may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation and best practice. Information about the current guidance can be found at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus