HOW TO APPLY TO EXHIBIT AT THE SWA 165th EXHIBITION

Information for NON MEMBERS

NB Terms and conditions can be found at the bottom of the page. Please read before submitting work.

Submission Procedure -

Submissions for selection to the 2026 exhibition will be open from the 1st December 2025 to the 7th March 2026. Submission will only be accepted digitally via https://societyofwomenartists.oess1.uk.

The whole selection process will be online. There will be no physical selection.*

NOTIFICATION OF FINAL RESULTS  To find out if you have been successful, you will need to visit the SWA website on 30th March 2026. 

Successfully selected works need to be delivered to the Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, on the 12th & 13th of June 2026. All works must have a label on the back securely attached by glue or tape. This can be printed off from your OESS account here, where you submitted your work  https://societyofwomenartists.oess1.uk/

Submitting digitally enables artists to submit works without transport and framing costs unless selected.

Works delivered for selection must be exhibition-ready, but with no fixings at all to the back because fixings damage other works when stacked. Please read our updated terms and conditions before submitting. 

Very Important! Please note that the information you enter on the online submissions site will, if you are successful, be used for the catalogue entry and labels, so please fill this in carefully. Amends requested after selection will incur an administrative fee that the artist will be liable for.

Exhibition Dates

Online Submission are open: 1st December 2025 – 7th March 2026 midnight

Artists visit the SWA website to see if they have been successful: 30th March 2026

Delivery of all work to the Mall: 12 & 13th June  2026, 10am to 5pm. 

Exhibition opens to public: 23rd June 3pm to 5pm

Special (YPAI fundraising) Preview Evening:  23rd June 2026 6pm - 8.30pm

Private View: 24th June 2026, 10am to 3pm (12.00am Award Ceremony) 

Charity Evening: 24th June 6pm to 8.30pm (Private event) 

Exhibition Open To Public: 23rd June to 27th  June 2026 (various times please check SWA website)

Collection of unsold work:  1st and 2nd July 2026, 10am to 5pm. 

Any uncollected works picked up by Picture Post: 3rd July 2026 

Categories of work

Categories of work which are acceptable: painting, pastels, drawing, mixed media, sculpture (in all media) ceramics, glass and metal not of a utilitarian nature, fine art printing methods accepted (not giclee or large volume print methods). Photography is not accepted. 

Young Artist 

Please ensure you add your DOB, particularly if you are entering and eligible as a Young Artist (35 years and under at the time of exhibition) category. There are specific awards for this group.

*The council reserves the right not to hang any works that are poorly framed, do not adhere to framing and glazing instruction or where the image submitted is not a true reflection of the actual work or if the work has been changed since the image was submitted.

Minimum Pricing

Please ensure you price (including commission is not lower than the minimum price allowed, which is generally  £350, or £150 for one-off prints, etchings or lithography or drawings, or £200 for 3D works. Any work lower than the minimum for its category will be put up to the minimum price without consultation with the artists.

SUBMITTING WORK FOR SWA OPEN EXHIBITION and GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS 

These conditions apply to all exhibitions administered by the Exhibition Administrators. The term ‘Exhibition Administrators’ means The Society of Women Artists Ltd.

1. Submission Procedure - Artwork can be submitted here at  (https://societyofwomenartists.oess1.uk). from the 1st of December 2025 to the 7th of March 2026. Once you have completed your application, you will see a notification of this on screen. 
You will need to visit the SWA website or visit https://societyofwomenartists.oess1.uk on or after the 30th March 2026 to see if you have been selected for this year's exhibition.
If you have been successful, please take or send the work to the Mall Galleries on the requested date to:
Mall Galleries for SWA Exhibition
17 Carlton House Terrace
London
SW1Y 5BD

There is strictly no parking on the Mall to deliver works via the gallery entrance.
All works must be delivered via the office entrance at the above address. There is a small forecourt that drivers may use while dropping off their work.
All works must have a label on the back (attached by glue or tape). The label can be printed off from this website when you sign back in.

Packaging must be taken away once work has been delivered due to limited storage facilities.
Details of couriers that frequently deliver to the gallery are listed on our website below and on the Malls website.

2. Imagery - The quality of the images uploaded are integral to work being selected because these are the images that will be used in the online Exhibition. Please ensure the images are sharp and cropped appropriately. Image files should be JPG or PNG and no larger than 5MB. Upload time will depend on your internet connection speed so please be patient. If you are having problems uploading your images, please use image editing software to resize your image to approximately 1600 pixels wide and then save as a new file. Image file names should not be too long and should not contain any invalid characters such as ' " & % * ( ) < > / \ ~ # + = The Royal Academy have produced an excellent guide to aid you with photography. This is a link to the video   https://summer.royalacademy.org.uk/Information/9       This is a PDF of the RA Guide How to Photograph your work 

3. Submission fee - Submission fee for non-members is £20 per work, irrespective of size or medium, to be paid at the time of submission. Young artists (age 35 years and under at time of exhibition) submission fee is £10 per work and members entry is free.

4. Number of works & Membership - Up to 6 works may be submitted but a maximum of four works can be displayed. If you wish to be considered for associate membership or full membership, you must enter 6 artworks.

5.  Frames, Presentation and Sizes Frames and mounts must be of good quality and complement the work. Works on canvas do not need to be framed as long as they are neat and exhibition-ready, which means presentable and finished. If work is glazed, the glass should be non-reflective picture glass. Glazing that is reflective can spoil the overall look of the work and exhibition as a whole. Perspex is inadmissible. Metal or clip frames are inadmissible. Please do not attach any fixings to the back of your frame. Mall Gallery technicians will attach mirror plates for you.

Size - There will be a maximum submission size for paintings and sculpture this year of approx 200cm. 

6. Eligible Media - Categories of work which are acceptable: painting, pastels, drawing, mixed media, sculpture (in all media), ceramics, glass and metal not of a utilitarian nature, fine art printing methods accepted (not giclee or large volume print methods). Photography not accepted. Original unique printing is acceptable, Etchings must show their plate indentations. Commercially printed line work or photographically/digitally reproduced work printed with commercial machines (such as giclée work) is not admissible.      

7. NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS -  All work will go through digital selection. All works will be judged by merit. Artists will be able to find the results of final selection on the SWA website on the 30th of March 2026.  Successful entries will need to be handed in at 17 Carlton House Terrace, for inclusion to the exhibition. 

8. Sale Price & Commission - The price of works supplied by the artist should include the commission of 45% for non-members and 40% for members. On the Charity evening the SWA will donate 5% of the sale price to the Charity. All work must be for sale, except by prior consent from the SWA. Minimum Sale prices for works: £350, and £150 for Original prints, etchings, lithography or drawings, £200 for 3D works. Any work lower than the minimum for its category will be put up to the minimum price without consultation with the artists. 

The aforementioned is also applicable on commissioned work arranged through the Exhibition Administrators. Any sale effected by the Exhibition Administrators will have priority over a sale effected by the artist. Please note that artists liable to VAT are responsible for paying their own tax.  

Once work has been submitted to the SWA, any sale effected by the Exhibition Administrators before or during the course of the exhibition shall take precedence and supersede a sale made privately. Any private sale will incur the normal commission.

9. VAT Registration for Artists Not Resident in the UK - Our open exhibition is open to artists in the UK, EU, and outside the EU. Artists who are not resident in the UK have a responsibility to register for UK VAT with H.M. Revenue & Customs.  

Artists without a UK residence are classified as Non-Established Taxable Persons (NETPs) and must register with HMRC (HM Revenue + Customs) for a UK VAT number before they can exhibit artworks in our Online Exhibition. A valid UK VAT number is prefaced with the letters “GB” . We can not accept VAT numbers from other countries

You must enter the retail price of your artwork when entering online but you can wait to see if your artwork is accepted before you register for a UK VAT number.

If you are normally eligible for UK VAT you must provide us with your UK VAT number before the exhibition. If you do not, we will not be able to enter your selected artwork(s) into the exhibition.

NB. An application for a VAT number can take around 30 working days, although the process may take longer, so please allow enough time.

If you need more information about UK VAT registration, it can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-notice-7001-should-i-be-registered-for-vat 

If you have any questions, please contact HMRC directly on their VAT Helpline Telephone for UK 0300 200 3701, or from abroad, +44 2920 501 261. You can register online for free at: https://www.gov.uk/vat-registration/how-toregister

10. Commercial carriers - can be used to deliver works where necessary. Please see the list of trusted experienced carriers below. These are not part of the SWA and must be contacted and dealt with directly.

11. Press Photographs - Unless otherwise stated in writing by the artist, it will be assumed that works exhibited may be used for Press purposes in connection with the Exhibition.

12. Copyright -  The copyright of all works, other than commissioned work, remains the property of the artist. Any enquiries for copyright will be referred to the artist.

13. Sales of Work and Notification - All work accepted and included must be exclusive to the SWA for the duration of the exhibition. If the work is sold through another platform or by the artists during the exhibition, the SWA's commission will still be payable.  If work in the Exhibition is sold, exhibitors will be notified by email as soon as possible (always before the close of the exhibition).

14.  Invitations and flyers - Digital invitations or flyers and a press release will be emailed to all selected artists to forward to buyers, collectors, press and any other contacts they would like to see the exhibition. ​Hard copies can also be picked up at hand in.

15. The SWA reserves the right to disqualify any work if the artist has failed to adhere to these Terms and Conditions and the relevant rules. Works previously exhibited with the SWA or at the Mall Galleries are not eligible for entry.

16. Care of Works - The Exhibition Administrators will not be liable for any damage or loss of works sent for exhibition occurring in the ordinary course of handling, whether such damage or loss is caused by the negligence of the Exhibition Administrators or their staff, Mall staff or otherwise. The Society of Women Artists strongly advises artists to insure their own works.

17. Collection of Unsold Work - All works should be collected on the 1st and 2nd July 2026 from 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1. Please note that works not collected by 5pm on this date will be collected by Picture Post Art for storage. Works will be reunited with artists at a later date. There is a handling fee for this service at the artists expense.  No accumulating storage charges. Picture Post Art Tom - 07833 450 788 Sarah - info@picturepostcompany.co.uk

18. Collection of Bought Work - Works purchased during the exhibition should be collected on the 2nd and 3rd July 2025 where possible from 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1.  If for any reason this is not possible please ensure you let  Mall Galleries know.

Agreement
By submitting to the exhibition you are deemed to accept and agree to the following:

The decision of the Selectors on all matters is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

You understand that The Organisers reserves the right to make such changes to the exhibition arrangements and these Terms & Conditions as may be deemed necessary by circumstances.

You authorise The Organisers to process, store, and utilise the data in your submission and agree that, if selected for exhibition, images of your work can be used by The Organisers, The Gallery and associated organisations for promotional and publicity purposes.

All information provided by you is true and accurate and that the work submitted is wholly of your own creation.

You have read and understood these terms and conditions and by submitting work accept and agree to observe all the Terms And Conditions therein.

The SWA reserves the right to amend the terms at any time.  Affected parties will be notified.

Exhibition Sales Terms & Conditions 
These conditions apply to all exhibitions administered by the Exhibition Administrators.

Gallery Sales 

Please refer to Mall gallery sales terms and conditions.

Online Purchase
On purchase the SWA will contact the artist and buyer to agree and confirm delivery method and costs (where not stated previously) as well as confirmation of whether work is framed or unframed work.

It is the buyer's responsibility to pay any import or export duty, if required, both in relation to the UK or any other country.
It is the Artist's responsibility to determine whether VAT or other similar sales taxes on the sale to you apply and to collect, report and remit the correct tax, as applicable, to the appropriate tax authority.
 

Delivery - Where no postage costs are included on the webpage additional costs for postage and packaging may be added to this price. These costs will be agreed between the buyer and the seller. The seller will be wholly responsible for safe delivery of the artwork.
The Exhibition Administrators will not be liable for any damage or loss of works when posting or delivering sold work.
Once the Buyer and Artists have agreed any additional costs the buyer will pay SWA. This agreement is a contract between the artist and the buyer.  The SWA, acting as agent, will hold the money until the buyer has received and accepted the artwork.
If the artwork is not accepted it is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure its safe return to the artist and to pay any costs incurred before any refund is initiated. 
Once the artwork has been accepted the SWA will pay the artist less the commission as set out in the entry terms and conditions.

Carriers

(The Society of Women Artists will not be responsible for damage to or non-delivery of works) Information on VAT and UK entry procedures may be obtained from HM Customs and Excise General Information Branch, New King’s Beam House, 22 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PJ. The companies below are ones used by the Mall Galleries and have an excellent reputation.

Picture Post Art 

Tom & Sarah Challoner, 

Doncaster, DN9 3GY  Tom - 07833 450 788 Sarah - info@picturepostcompany.co.uk

Picture Post receive and return artwork worldwide.
Contact Picture Post Art for any quotations, reservations, studio collections, appointments or any other information about their collection service.

Art Moves of Chelsea

Please contact for details. Tel/fax: 020 7352 7492, artmoveschelsea@aol.com

Delivers to: Bristol, Kent, London, Surrey, Sussex
Art Moves of Chelsea have a limit for works of 2 metres for paintings on the longest side. Contact Art Moves of Chelsea for quotes.

​

Nick McNally

Mid Wales Freight

Mobile :  07866 731400 Email :  sales@midwalesfreight.co.uk

SME BUSINESS AWARDS 2019 - MID WALES FREIGHT

Transport Awards Courier Company of the Year 2019

Europe Award for Excellence in International Art Delivery Services 2019

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A S Elvin Transport Ltd  

info@elvingroup.co.uk        Tel: 01502 677025

Delivers to: UK-wide delivery for direct road transport of artwork, including small to medium-sized sculptures.

A S Elvin Transport Ltd are based on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

Please Note: The above terms and conditions are provided by the exhibition organisers.

For terms and conditions which apply to the use of the OESS entry system please view below:
OESS Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy