Membership
Membership for SOS2027 will be open from 1st November 2026 to 31st January 2027. Return to this page after 1st November to find the link to our online application form.
If you have any questions about SOS Membership, please get in touch with our Membership Secretary by using the Contact Us form on this website, or email them by clicking here: Email Membership Secretary .
Who can join Suffolk Open Studios?
All artists, creative makers and artisans living or working in Suffolk are eligible to become members of Suffolk Open Studios. We also welcome galleries and art groups.
If you live outside the county you may still join SOS as a Full member BUT to participate in the June Open Studios event you would need to hire/share a space within Suffolk. Associate members must reside within the Suffolk county boundary.
SOS members benefit from being part of a great network which is inclusive, supportive and collaborative.
There is no selection process.
All makers of original artwork created “by hand” that displays their own personal creativity can be assured of a very warm welcome to our organisation (this includes digital art but, at present, not AI or NFTs).
There are currently six types of membership :
- Full (£75/year)*
- Associate (£55/year)*
- Young person/Student – opening (£25/year)
- Young person/Student – not opening (£25/year)
- Art Group of four or more members (£120/year)
- Friends of Suffolk Open Studios (it’s free to volunteer)
*Concessions available for artists on a low income – contact the Membership Secretary for more information.
See below for a more detailed description of each membership catagory.
IMPORTANT: As stated above, if you would like to take part in the June Open Studios event, your studio (or the venue in which you will be showing your work) must be located in Suffolk. You should apply for Full, Young person/Student – opening, or Art Group membership. Galleries may join as Full members. Residence qualification: ‘Opening’ members do not have to live in Suffolk, but their Open Studios location must be within the county.
If you do not have a studio, or do not wish to ‘open’ in June, you can join us as an Associate or Young person/Student – not opening member. Among many other benefits (detailed below) Associate and Young person/Student – not opening members are also eligible to participate in the SOS members’ group exhibitions. Residence qualification: Associate and Young person/Student – not opening members must live in Suffolk.
All Full, Associate, and Young person/Student members can participate in any or all of the SOS members’ group exhibitions, where every artist will have a minimum of one work accepted (subject to space). Only members of Art Groups who also hold individual membership can take part in these shows.
Suffolk Galleries form an integral part of the SOS network and benefit from publicity as well as interaction with a large number of artists. Galleries should join as Full members.
Friends of Suffolk Open Studios may be artists or non-artists, but all will share a passion for art, craft and making, and are committed to supporting artists and artisans across Suffolk. Friends of SOS may choose to offer practical, hands-on support at exhibitions and events, or to volunteer their admin skills to the committee. Friends of SOS would not be eligible to show their own artwork as part of events or exhibitions organised by Suffolk Open Studios. As volunteers, there is no membership fee.
Click HERE for further details on the features and benefits of the different categories of membership.
Benefits of Suffolk Open Studios Membership
Professional county-wide arts organisation
SOS aims to bring Suffolk artists, artisans, makers, galleries and art groups together in an organisation, run by a volunteer committee elected from its members, and which uses its collective power to produce a number of events each year where the public can either visit the artists in their studios or see their work in group shows.
Shared county-wide promotion and publicity
In conjunction with the main June event, we also produce the popular printed SOS Art Directory and a digital App, updated annually, both of which have now become really useful, year-round resources for art enthusiasts across the county and beyond.
As individuals, publicizing and promoting work is frequently difficult and expensive; SOS members benefit from paid-for marketing and publicity, complementing the promotions that the members themselves do. The collective power of Suffolk Open Studios allows us to reach further than individual artists can alone – however, this is not a guarantee of visitors to studios or exhibitions. Each artist must also do their own work to generate visitors. All members, non-opening included, distribute as many SOS Artist Directories as possible from April onward, and, together with our own social media team, publicize SOS on their ‘socials’ or through mailing lists. As a collective, we all work to support each other 🙂
Shared exhibition opportunities
It can also be expensive for artists to take part in exhibitions, or they may be difficult to access. As part of Suffolk Open Studios, we aim to organize several members’ group exhibitions each year. The first exhibition for 2026 will be at the end of May in the stunning Holton Lodge Barn Gallery, Halesworth, with more to follow after the June event (details will be announced nearer the time).
Comprehensive online web page with artist biography, links and gallery
All members have their own profile page on this website, which they can manage directly. On this page artists can show a portfolio of up to 20 images and as much information as they would like to share, plus links to their own websites and social media. Some members actually use their SOS Member Page instead of going to the expense and trouble of developing their own personal website, and find it works very well.
Shared events calendar on this website
We also encourage members to promote their own events, workshops, courses and classes on this site, which can then be shared on our social media feeds or to our mailing list of over 700 subscribers.
Community
Above all, members of Suffolk Open Studios enjoy being part of an active, supportive and friendly community of like-minded people. There is a members only WhatsApp group which is buzzing with friendly and helpful conversations plus answers to questions such as…
- I just received this email – is it a scam?
- Where is the best place to get greetings cards printed?
- Would anyone like to share an exhibition space with me?
And much more. Please be aware that conversations in this group are not restricted to art-related subjects – but most of them are. It’s a fantastic place to network and get to know your fellow Suffolk artists.
June Suffolk Open Studios main event
SOS members may choose on which of the weekends in June they wish to open (N.B. Associate members do not participate in the SOS Open Studios events).
‘Opening’ members commit to opening their spaces for at least one weekend in June (Saturday AND Sunday) from 11am-5pm both days, to ensure consistency for visitors. We strongly encourage members to open on one or both of the first two weekends if they can, as these always tend to be by far the busiest, although artists are free to open later in the month – or all month if they wish!
Through the Studio/Gallery Map on our website, as well as our closed members only Facebook and WhatsApp groups, we encourage those who are close geographically to work together to form Art Trails and jointly publicize their Open Studios offerings.
Artists whose studios are in remote locations, and who may feel a little ‘out on a limb,’ are encouraged to work with other members in similar situations or those whose studios are outside of the county, to form Hubs. They would show their work together as a group, which might involve hiring a venue or sharing a large studio space. It is often a good idea to share a space which allows you to demonstrate your process as the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of Open Studios is particularly attractive to visitors. Many use this shared weekend to generate an audience for private, individual studio openings by appointment later in the year.
With over thirty years’ experience in delivering successful Open Studios events across the county of Suffolk, and tapping into the vast collective knowledge of its member-base, SOS can help makers at all stages in their ‘art journey’ to share their work with a wider audience. As well as a dedicated Artist Page on this website, details of members’ work and studios are also featured in the much sought-after SOS Art Directory – a popular, FREE, year-round printed resource that helps art-lovers in the region explore the work of Suffolk’s incredible artists, artisans and makers and in our increasingly popular digital app.
Responsibilities
Suffolk Open Studios is a collective, run by its members for its members. It is important, therefore, that anyone thinking of joining SOS understands that they will be part of a group where every single member contributes to the success of the main Open Studios event in June, the group exhibitions and the organisation as a whole.
As a condition of membership, every SOS member (opening and non-opening) is allocated a quantity of SOS Art Directories to distribute around their local area (as well as keeping some for visitors, if opening). The committee sends members a list of suggestions for a successful Open Studios “June Event” updated annually to reflect feedback provided by participants from previous years, gathered through an important Member Survey which is carried out each July.
A number of A2, A3 and A4 SOS posters in a selection of designs are also provided, which can be displayed around the county to raise awareness of the event and to direct people to individual studios, hubs or exhibitions. If members have any problems with carrying out their own publicity and promotion, the committee is always happy to offer suggestions.
Suffolk Open Studios is an organisation in which you really do get out what you put in. We do not have a secret formula for selling art, but we do have an active community of artists who network, share knowledge, support each other and frequenlty collaborate on projects or exhibitions. You may even find an SOS member in your area who is happy to share a studio with you, or hold a joint exhibition with you in the future. If you put yourself forward, get involved, take part, join in and contribute we are certain you will find the experience rewarding. A really excellent way to get involved is by joining the SOS Committee, you do not need to be a long-time member or have any special skills – your input and energy are all we ask for. It is important to understand that Suffolk Open Studio is NOT an organisation that ‘does things for artists in return for an annual fee.’ Instead, by joining, you become part of an active community that supports its members to do things for themselves and each other.
The Application Process (new members only)
As mentioned previously, there is no selection procedure when joining Suffolk Open Studios. All who apply are accepted, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. Even so, the standard of work has remained consistently high, with visitors to our Members’ Group Exhibitions regularly commenting that they cannot believe the shows are not ‘juried’.
Between 1st November and 31st January next year, a link at the top of this page will take you to the online application form – this is for NEW MEMBERS only – existing members should follow the link in their renewal email.
The application form is quite long, but that is because the data it collects will be used to create your Profile page on this website and your printed Art Directory and digital App ‘Listings’. When first signing up, you may decide to answer only the required questions (those marked with an asterisk *) and skip uploading any images. Then, once your membership is active, you can log in to your listing via the link at the bottom of the home page on this website (yellow footer section MEMBER LOGIN/OUT), edit your profile and upload your images.
IMPORTANT – all information must be complete and at least one image uploaded by midnight on the second Sunday in February as there is a very quick turnaround to get the SOS Art Directory prepared, proofed, printed and delivered by April.
Even though it is tempting to dive straight in, we strongly suggest that you the guidance HERE for more information on how to complete the application form. – experience tells us that ultimately, it will save you time.
A final suggestion for artists intending to take part in the June Open Studios event: If you think you’d like to become part of an Art Trail in your area, don’t wait until the end of January to join. All memberships run from 1st January to 31st December, so joining us in November would actually be advantageous as your studio location will be added to the Member Map within a few days and it allows other members to find you. If there is no existing Art Trail in your area – why not use the member map to reach out to nearby artists and create one?
The SOS Membership Secretary is always happy to answer any questions you may have, but please remember they are a volunteer and their time is precious, so please read the guidance on this website before reaching out. We look forward to welcoming you to Suffolk Open Studios.
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