Oxfordshire Artweeks is an artists' organisation (a not-for-profit members company) which provides opportunities for Oxfordshire artists and designer-makers with a flagship event in May. This is a festival of open studios and pop-up exhibitions across the whole county).
- It is an artist's responsibility to find and organise a venue for their Artweeks exhibition that suits their ethos.
- Only Artweeks members may exhibit at Artweeks venues. (You are only required to be a member in the years you exhibit.)
- Membership is non-selective, and open to all artists living or working in Oxfordshire or are members of an established Oxfordshire-based art group, society or guild.
- All work must be original and made by the exhibiting artist.
In May 2025 the festival dates are as follows:
Oxford City May 3-11 (4th Bank Holiday)
South Oxfordshire 10-18
North Oxfordshire 17-26 (26th Bank Holiday)
What does Artweeks do for you?
There is wide-spread recognition of the strong Artweeks logo which, when signposting an exhibition, gives the public the confidence to venture into studios and pop-up events. Artists choose a venue to best suit their needs: some artists participate to give as many people as possible a chance to see and/or buy their work; others prefer to demonstrate and discuss their art in a more intimate setting.
Each year 50,000 copies of the Artweeks festival guide & artist directory are distributed throughout Oxfordshire and beyond in April and May. It is also widely shared in pdf and flipbook formats. In addition, Artweeks mounts an effective publicity campaign, placing Artweeks features in the media and promoting the festival as a whole on social media to reach a wide audience.
The details of all Artweeks members' May exhibitions are also presented on this website.
Annual Artweeks membership includes an online member's portfolio where you can upload an image of yourself at work, 12 additional images of artwork, and in which you can include additional information, an exhibition catalogue, embedded videos, and other details.
To help to you best take advantage of Artweeks 'umbrella marketing' and other opportunities, we offer a series of free Zoom workshops in early February for additional support and offer extra opportunities where possible throughout the year. This includes a Christmas Season when we give our members' festive events an additional marketing push via this website.
Many Artweeks members who exhibit as part of the May festival also hold or participate in other shows throughout the year: details of these can be entered in an individual's artist portfolio. Artists can also include on the website workshops held all year round.
What are your responsibilities as an Artweeks member?
As a member, you are expected to distribute a minimum of 25 festival guides, to put up posters locally, to exhibit your work appropriately, to signpost your venue clearly, and to offer a warm welcome.
The website offers a year round search facility by name/artform. The Artweeks website also hosts a spring and winter on-line show for members and, in November-December, a listing of Christmas events in which Artweeks artists are participating.