Victoria Place-based ArtHouse Galleries CIC is recruiting new artists. Having successfully renegotiated their lease, they are looking to add new talent to their core team.

The gallery, run by a community interest company, seeks to provide affordable space for local artists to display and sell their work.

ArtHouse Galleries can be found at Wolsey Walk in the large corner unit on Jubilee Square, and is home to about 18 painters, glass and wood workers and ceramicists.

Now ArtHouse is looking for painters, print makers, ceramicists or sculptors to join them.

Most of the artists at ArtHouse Gallery studied art in some form and some are full-time artists. However, ArtHouse also has self-taught artists to whom art is a passion. You don’t have to be a professional artist to apply.

“We would love to welcome a sculptor to the gallery,” says founder Kate Winskill. “We have two artists who work in wood but nobody working in stone or metal , so sculptors are very welcome.“

The gallery tries to ensure styles of work and subjects are not duplicated.

“We have space for some abstract art, some traditional landscape or marine art, floral and botanical drawings and paintings and fantasy/comic book art,” Kate adds, “but we are happy to look at other subjects and all mediums – oil, acrylic, collage , watercolour and print.”

ArtHouse Galleries is run as a co-operative with the costs being split between the artists according to how much space they take up. Spaces are rented out for four-week intervals, so it gives customers a chance to discover new talent.

Each artist has to have their own card reader so any sales they make go directly to the artist. The gallery is manned by the artists, so preference, and reduced rental rates, is given to those who can work one or two days a week in the gallery.

“It may feel daunting to some artists to sell in a gallery, but as long as you are friendly and happy to talk about everyone’s work, it’s a skill that can be learnt. We understand that not everyone has unlimited free time so we can be flexible on days which people work,” says Kate.

“We are open 10.30-5.30 daily (11-5 on Sunday) and always try to have two staff in, three on busy days. The customers love knowing they are talking to the people who make the work.”

Artists have to provide their work framed, or wrapped in cellophane and are able to design and hang their own space . They also need business cards and a Sum Up credit card reader. Help is on hand with advice on presenting and selling work.

“By negotiating affordable rents on temporarily empty retail units and splitting these costs, we are able to offer affordable, accessible space to artists,” says Kate.

Artists interested in joining should send a short email with either a couple of representative images and details about their work plus a link to their website or social media where their work can be viewed to [email protected]