Application Process

The application is in two parts; an artist information section and an artworks section.  Below is a step by step manual to help guide you through the application process:

Artist information section

This section will first use your email to check if you have applied in previous years.

If you have, we may ask you to confirm a couple of points but you do not need to enter any other information. You'll receive an email later to review and change any of the information we have on file (eg your artist statement, address etc).

If you haven't, do not start your application until you have:

  • your artist statement (a description of yourself and your practice) ready, in accordance with our style guide. You can see the style guide and example statement here.

  • a picture of yourself (profile image) for use in marketing should your application be successful - see article #6 in these Notes ready to upload

Your application is subject to Imprint Art Fair’s Terms and Conditions. You can read these here.  Before starting your application, you'll be asked to confirm that you have read the Terms and these Notes.

At the end of this section, you'll be asked to confirm how many artworks you wish to submit, followed by payment (by credit card or PayPal).

After we receive your completed submission and payment, we'll send you an email with a link to upload your artwork(s).

  • This should be the address you want to use for all correspondence related to the Fair. We will never share it with third parties without your consent.

    If you've applied to the Fair before or have taken out a Woolwich Contemporary Artist Membership, use the same email address as before if you can so that the system can locate your records.

  • We need an image of you for catalogues and marketing. It must be in PNG, JPEG or JPG format and less than 4MB in size. It should be a mid-length shot of you either with a simple background or in front of your artwork/in the studio. Please do not include written slogans or posters. Please note: your profile image will not be shared with the panel during the selection process. This is simply used for marketing your profile should your application be successful.

  • This tells us how to address you in communications and also how to label, attribute and market your works.

    You can create an 'Artist' name (attribution) that is different to your legal name if you wish. Artist names must be unique: if we later discover that your artist name is the same as another earlier applicant, we'll get in touch and suggest an alternative.

    When entering artworks, we'll apply your attribution automatically. However, if a particular work is a collaboration, you'll be given the opportunity to create a specific attribution (e.g. 'Jane Joiner and Robert Reunion') for that work.

  • This should be the address where  you can receive any required correspondence or artwork deliveries relating to the Fair. We will never use it for marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

    Your nationality information is optional but recommended; if your application is successful this will help us to identify funding opportunities for you to apply for in order to support your exhibition costs. We will not use this information in any way to assess your application.

    If you're registered for VAT, check the box and enter your VAT number. Make sure you have it to hand before starting your application.

  • We may need this for urgent enquiries related to your application or for Fair logistics. As with all your personal data we will never share it with third parties without your consent.

    Select the country in which your mobile is registered; this will fetch the required international dialling code.

    Please enter your mobile number without the international code and omitting the initial 0 (if there is one). For example:

    • 7234123456 (UK format example)

    • 65412312345 (US format example)

    Note that here and throughout the form, you may receive an error message saying that your input should be in the format '####'. This means that the input in question is expecting numbers only and no other characters.

  • Please enter a description of yourself and your practice (approximately 200 words maximum). This information will be available to the judging panel. We recommend preparing your statement BEFORE you apply. You can then cut and paste it into the form.

    Statements must be in the third person. Please refer to this example for guidance on structure and content.

    The tagline is a brief summary of your statement/CV, using less than 175 characters. This may be used in marketing channels where space is limited. For example:

    Jean Artist (UK, born 1905) trained at Sal Paraiso College of Art. Her work focuses on the interplay of colour, light and space, while maintaining a playful sense of humour.

    Judges will be able to see both your statement and your tagline.

  • Discounts are available to students in full time education.  If you previously attended art school or university, optionally providing that information can assist us in marketing your work. We will not use this information to assess your application.

  • This information is required for marketing purposes only. It is not used to assess your application.

  • Providing links to your website and social media channels can be useful for collectors who want to see more of your work. This is not used to assess your application.

  • Please choose a preferred location now even if you expect to use Woolwich Contemporary Framing (which includes onward delivery to the Fair). This helps us to improve our service and estimate demand. If successful, you'll be able to change your selection later. 

    We aim to cover as much of the country as possible, if you feel you would benefit from a drop off location closer to your studio then please let us know using the 'Alternative location' section. This will be based on demand.

  • The information in this section is optional. We may use it for cultural reports and assessments in the future or to monitor the backgrounds of applicants in order for us to reach all audiences. We will not use this information to assess your application.

  • You'll be asked to specify how many works you'll be entering and then to make the appropriate payment. The submission fee is £35 inc VAT for one work. Each additional work costs £5.00 inc VAT. You can submit up to six artworks.

    If you have problems paying by debit/credit card:

    • make sure you have entered the correct postal code (if asked) ; it must be the same postal code as your card's billing address

    • try another card

    • try paying by PayPal instead - click on the PayPal logo and then on the orange PayPal button below the "Connect to PayPal to continue with payment" message.

    If you need help with payment, make sure you SAVE your form so that you can retry payment later.

Artworks section

You'll be able to enter information for each artwork, depending on how many you specified and paid for in your artist application form.

Before you start, make sure you have the required images and dimensions - see elsewhere in these Notes for information on what's required.

  • If you do not enter a title, your work will be labelled 'Untitled'. Multiple untitled works will be numbered e.g. 'Untitled #1'. 

    You can change the default attribution for each work; for example, if you want to add a collaborator's name. If you specify a collaborator, you'll be asked for their email in case we need to get any rights clearances from them.

  • All dimensions must be expressed in centimetres. Make sure you enter the dimensions as a number. So not, for example, "20cm": just enter 20 or 20.5 etc. 

    For all 2D works, you will be asked for both the size of the image AND the dimensions of the physical media it is printed on eg paper, canvas etc.  Depth measurements are required for 3D works only.

    Do not include the frame unless it is integral to the work - we'll make allowances for frame sizes when planning the hang.

  • Please ensure you have your edition strategy worked out for each work before applying. Once declared, edition sizes cannot be changed later!

    You will be asked for the main edition size: this is the total number of works printed (or to be printed) in the edition (excluding artist proofs etc). Edition sizes are NOT the same as the number of prints available for sale, which (if accepted) you'll be able to specify before the Fair.

    The category of 'Unique Work' is reserved for monotypes etc. Don't select it just because:

    • you're entering a single print from an edition just because you only have one left!

    • the works in your edition have variations (eg hand finishing/colouring) making them 'unique'.

    If the latter is the case, you should select an edition type of 'Varied Edition' and enter additional notes about hand-finishing and other variations in the section provided.

  • 3D works will not be presented with this section. 

    If you specify the work as 'Unframed Only', we'll ask you for brief technical information on how the work should be hung. Works must arrive ‘display ready’ ie.  they are ready for the technicians to install immediately. Any hanging methods beyond a simple screw in the wall must have all fittings and technical instructions provided.

    All 2D works (including reliefs etc) should be professionally framed for hanging. We recommend using Woolwich Contemporary Framing Service.

    Frame costs and/or framed prices can be updated before the Fair if needed: please enter your best estimate of the cost if you do not already have it confirmed.

  • If your work is a freestanding 3D or 2D piece, we need technical information on how the piece should be installed. If your work is a concept proposal, please indicate and also provide a breakdown of the budget required to construct it. Please note that at this stage we cannot commission any works directly. We can however help to identify funding avenues for new work. 

  • Imprint takes 40% commission (plus VAT) based on the unframed label price of sold 2D works (there's no commission on frame costs unless the frame is integral to the work). 

    For 3D works, Imprint takes 40% commission (plus VAT) based on the label price. 

    If you are submitting a work to be sold 'framed only', we will ask you for the cost of the frame itself, so that we can calculate how much to pay you. 

    Imprint will continue to support portfolio values by providing extended provenance support for clients, including blockchained Certificates of Authenticity and inclusion of works sold in the National Arts Archive, filed at the British Library. £5 may be added to the label price to cover the cost of this service, which also provides your collectors with free online accounts to view and manage their works online.

  • The Estimated Receipt is the amount you will receive in respect of:

    • an unframed work excluding any artist VAT (the VAT on WCPF commission is included here but if you are VAT registered you will be able to reclaim it);

    • a framed work - this is based on the estimated framed price/frame cost you provide at this time

    • a** 3D work**, excluding any artist VAT (the VAT on WCPF commission is included here but if you are VAT registered you will be able to reclaim it).

  • We ask for three images for each work:

    • 'content only' - an image cropped to show just the content of the work, so no paper borders, plinths etc if at all possible.

    • 'full image' - showing the entire work, including any borders, frame etc.

    • 'detail' - showing either your signature or some other significant detail that conveys something about your practice with respect to this particular work.

    Of the above, only the 'content only' image is mandatory.

    Your images are the most important part of your application. Make 100% sure that:

    • Your uploads are JPG, JPEG, or PNG format. We do not accept HEIC or other formats. Be absolutely certain that you have exported the image to one of the allowed formats. If you're working on a Mac and saving your images as HEIC files, you can convert them by following the instructions here. Please do not edit the file extension simply to force the system to accept your upload!

    • Your artwork images must be no more than 3Mb in size. To be of sufficient quality, it should have at least one dimension larger than 300px (pixels). Be patient: images may take a while to upload on slower connections.

    • Image filenames must ONLY contain letters, numbers or spaces; no commas, hyphens, " or other non-alphanumeric characters. Please check carefully: your application may be held back if your files do not comply with this requirement.

    Don't hesitate to get a technical friend to help if you're uncertain about image formats and conversions.

    In order to maximise your chances of a successful application please ensure that your images are:

    • taken straight on, and not at an angle;

    • taken in good light, without incident shadows;

    Once loaded, you may have to wait a few seconds for the image upload process to finish, before you can continue.

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