Membership Costs July 2008

Oxford Printmakers has a variety of membership levels to suit a range of needs. If you are interested in joining please come and discuss membership with a technician during our opening hours.

We may request newcomers to bring a portfolio of work.

All new members must do a probationary 20 hours first, which costs £2.00 an hour plus materials.

FULL: Experienced printmakers: 24 hour key holder access: £38 a month. All Full Members start with an initial period as a standard member. Minimum membership of a year is required.

STANDARD: for less experienced printmakers who may require technical assistance, there are set times when technical help is available, see opening times: (18 hours access a week), £28 a month. Unwaged/students: £24. Also 60p an hour studio charge.

ASSOCIATE: for those who may have print facilities elsewhere but wish to be affiliated to us: £52.00 a year. Associate Members may use facilities as an hourly or day Member during technician times, rates: £12.50a day or £2.50 an hour.

DAY/HOURLY: for non members who occasionally need to use our facilities, access is during technician time: £25 day rate or £6.00 an hour.

Full, Standard and Associate Members have the right to participate in OPC exhibitions, hold work in our portfolios and in our slide library, and attend our committee and annual general meetings. All members become share holders when joining the workshop. Shares are non returnable. All new members will undergo a probationary period of three months.

FUNDING

Income is generated mainly through membership. Those running courses pay a percentage of their earnings to the workshop. Commission is taken on work that is sold through our exhibitions. An annual printsale and similar ventures raise extra money. A limited amount of core funding comes from local authority, which has been reduced some years due to cuts from Central Government.

Such a drop in income means that more effort and time is spent fund raising, especially when equipment needs repairs and updating. Anyone familiar with print workshops will know how much there is to keep in good running order and how necessary it is to be well stocked with materials and print papers. Despite this the workshop has maintained its same opening hours and level of service and morale is still good.

At the moment core funding comes from Oxford City Council. The National Lottery awarded us money to purchase equipment. Occasionally project funding has come from Cherwell District Council and Southern Arts.