ARE YOU AN ARTIST?
SOBA Artist Membership Opportunities
Are you interested in renewing or becoming a member of The Society of Bluffton Artists?
The Society of Bluffton Artists manages the SOBA Gallery and Art School for the benefit of our members and the Bluffton community. The Society welcomes everyone to become a member. You can join us even if you are not an artist by becoming a supporting member and taking advantage of supporting member benefits. Artists may also join as exhibiting members. We look forward to meeting and nurturing new members.
Benefits of a SOBA Supporting Membership:
- May attend Wednesday morning Open Studio sessions at no cost
- Hone your skills with member discounted classes taught by award-winning instructors
- Receive discount prices on events that are open to the public
- Attend member only events, lectures, meet and greet events, etc.
- Eligible to become a member of the Board of Directors or Chair a committee
- Join in the fun and camaraderie of our creative community
Benefits of a SOBA Supporting Exhibiting Membership:
All the above benefits plus:
- Receive a listing in our member artist directory on our website
- Display your artwork in Bluffton SC’s most eclectic art gallery, the SOBA Gallery
- Sell prints and cards of your artwork
- Display your artwork for sale in our satellite galleries
- Become a Featured Artist and exhibit your artwork in an exhibit promoted by a professional marketing agency
- Participate in special boutiques, pop-up shows, member events, and fundraisers
- Receive 65% commission on sales.
Membership Options
Exhibiting Membership
We welcome most mediums to our gallery! Some of the mediums that our artists submit are oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, pencil, collage, and mixed media. We do offer a limited number of photography memberships on a first come, first served basis.
Membership runs from September 1st-August 31st. If you register in July or August, SOBA gives you those two months free and your membership is good through August 31st of the following year. If you register any other time of the year, it will be necessary to RE-REGISTER by August 31st to continue your membership uninterrupted.
PLEASE BE SURE TO REVIEW OUR DISPLAY GUIDELINES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL BE ACCEPTED ON CHANGE OF SHOW DAY.
To ensure that our exhibits are always professional, every artist must adhere to framing requirements as well as size limitations.
3-D Memberships may include, but are not limited to; jewelry, ceramics, pottery, stained glass, woodworking. We do not accept fiber arts.
3-D Memberships are conditional to a yearly jurying process for both existing memberships and new memberships.
3-D Applications may be made any time during the membership year; September 1 – August 31
In the event that display space becomes available, 3-D membership may be reviewed and juried in during the membership year
If the maximum number of 3-D artist memberships are currently filled then applicants are put on a waitlist and a Review and Jurying process is conducted in August, prior to the next membership year by the Board of Directors
Please contact our Membership Director, Marianne Thatcher for further information on becoming an exhibiting 3-D Artist
Supporting & Exhibiting Memberships Registration
All members are considered Supporting Members. Members may purchase a Supporting Membership alone if they wish to support our efforts to fulfill our mission as well as reap benefits of a SOBA supporting membership.
Members wishing to have all the benefits of a Supporting Membership as well as the additional benefits associated with exhibiting in the SOBA Gallery or SOBA satellite galleries should purchase one of the Supporting Exhibiting Membership options.
- Supporting Membership $75
- Supporting Exhibiting Membership with staffing – $175 ($75 + 100 to exhibit and staff 1 time per month)
- Supporting Exhibiting Non-staffing – $275 ($75 + $200 to exhibit without staffing)
Required to staff the gallery 1/2 day per month during the months that you exhibit (unless exempted)
