Bristol Plein Air Painters – Terms & Conditions

Updated 24 September 2026

Bristol Plein Air Painters (BPAP) is a voluntarily run community bringing artists together to paint outdoors in and around Bristol.

These Terms & Conditions apply to Bristol Plein Air Painters painting sessions, exhibitions and associated community activities. Additional terms may apply to individual exhibitions or events and will be clearly stated when relevant.

Painting Sessions

1. Participation

Bristol Plein Air Painters sessions are informal, voluntarily organised gatherings in public spaces.
Sessions are open to artists of all abilities and experience levels unless otherwise stated. There is no requirement to be a professional artist, and participants are welcome to work in their preferred medium.
Participation is entirely voluntary and at each participant’s own discretion and risk.
Unless otherwise stated, regular Bristol Plein Air Painters meet-ups are free to attend.

2. Public Spaces

Most painting sessions take place in public spaces such as parks, streets, harboursides and gardens.
Participants are responsible for:
- Respecting members of the public and other users of the space.
- Following any rules or restrictions that apply to the location.
- Keeping pathways, entrances and public access clear.
- Setting up equipment safely and considerately.
- Taking all equipment, materials and rubbish away with them.
- Taking reasonable care not to damage the environment, buildings or property.
- Using art materials responsibly and avoiding spills or contamination of public spaces.
Where a session takes place on private property or at a venue, participants must also follow any rules set by the venue or landowner.

3. Personal Safety and Responsibility

Bristol Plein Air Painters does not provide supervision, insurance or responsibility for individual participants.
Participants are responsible for their own personal safety, belongings, equipment and artwork while attending sessions.
This includes making their own assessment of weather, terrain, traffic, water, crowds and other potential hazards associated with painting outdoors.
Participants should bring appropriate clothing, equipment, food, water and sun or weather protection as required.
Any children or young people attending must remain the responsibility of their accompanying parent, guardian or responsible adult at all times.

4. Insurance and Liability

Bristol Plein Air Painters is a voluntarily run community group and does not provide personal, public liability, equipment or artwork insurance for participants unless explicitly stated for a particular event.
Participation is at your own risk.
While organisers will take reasonable care when arranging activities, Bristol Plein Air Painters and its volunteer organisers cannot accept responsibility for loss, theft or damage to personal belongings, equipment or artwork, or for injury arising from participation, except where liability cannot legally be excluded.
Participants should arrange their own insurance where they feel this is appropriate.

5. Respect and Community Conduct

Bristol Plein Air Painters aims to be a welcoming, inclusive and supportive community.
Everyone taking part is expected to:
- Treat other artists, organisers and members of the public with kindness and respect.
- Be considerate of different abilities, backgrounds, identities, experiences and approaches to art.
- Respect personal boundaries.
- Give feedback constructively and only where appropriate.
- Avoid behaviour that could reasonably make another participant feel intimidated, excluded or unsafe.
Bullying, harassment, discrimination, threatening behaviour or deliberately disruptive behaviour will not be accepted.
Where someone’s behaviour significantly or repeatedly goes against these principles, the organisers reserve the right to ask them to leave a session or not participate in future Bristol Plein Air Painters activities.

6. Photography and Promotion

Photography and filming takes place during group sessions for the Bristol Plein Air Painters website, social media, press and promotion.
Where practical, participants will be made aware when photographs or filming are taking place. Anyone who does not wish to appear in photographs or video should let the organiser or photographer know. If you want to let us know in advance, please contact Helena via enquiries@helenatraill.co.uk or the Instagram page @bristolpleinairpainters.
Please also be considerate when photographing other participants and ask permission before taking close-up or individually focused photographs.

Exhibitions

Bristol Plein Air Painters may organise group exhibitions, pop-ups and other opportunities to show work.

Each exhibition is different. Exhibition-specific information – including theme, eligibility, artwork requirements, number of submissions, size restrictions, submission or participation fees, venue, dates, delivery, collection and events – will be provided separately for each exhibition.

Submitting work for an exhibition means agreeing to these general Terms & Conditions as well as any additional terms stated for that particular exhibition.

7. Selection

Submission does not guarantee inclusion in an exhibition unless explicitly stated in the exhibition information.
Where an exhibition is curated or has limited capacity, the organisers may select works based on factors including the exhibition theme, available space, suitability of work, presentation and the overall balance of the exhibition.
Selection decisions are final.

8. Artwork and Presentation

Artists are responsible for ensuring that submitted work is complete, dry, safe to handle and suitable for exhibition.
Artists must provide accurate information about their work, including title, medium, dimensions, price and any specific installation requirements requested by the organisers.
The organisers reserve the right to make reasonable decisions about the positioning, hanging and presentation of work to ensure the safety, practicality and overall presentation of the exhibition.
Any exhibition-specific requirements regarding framing, hanging systems, dimensions or presentation will be communicated in advance.

9. Exhibition Fees

Some exhibitions may have a submission fee, participation fee, artwork fee or other contribution towards the costs of running the exhibition.
Any such fees and what they contribute towards will be clearly communicated in the information for that particular exhibition before an artist submits or commits to taking part.
Unless otherwise stated, exhibition and submission fees are non-refundable once selection or participation has been confirmed.

10. Sales and 15% Administration Fee

Where Bristol Plein Air Painters manages artwork sales through a centralised payment system, a flat 15% administration fee will be deducted from the final sale price of each artwork sold.
This contributes towards payment processing fees and the administration involved in managing sales, buyer communications and artist payments.
The remaining 85% of the sale price will be paid to the artist within 7 days of the exhibition or event ending.
Artists are responsible for providing accurate payment information and for their own tax or other financial obligations relating to income from artwork sales.
Artists may list work as Not for Sale (NFS) unless the individual exhibition specifically requires works to be available for sale.
Payment and collection arrangements will be communicated for each exhibition.

11. Insurance, Artwork and Liability

Unless specifically stated otherwise, Bristol Plein Air Painters does not provide insurance for artworks included in exhibitions.
Artwork is submitted, transported, stored, exhibited and collected at the artist’s own risk.
Reasonable care will be taken when handling, installing, displaying and storing work, but Bristol Plein Air Painters and its volunteer organisers cannot accept liability for loss, theft or damage except where liability cannot legally be excluded.
Artists are encouraged to arrange their own artwork and exhibition insurance where appropriate.

12. Delivery and Collection

Artists are responsible for delivering and collecting their work within the dates and times specified for each exhibition unless alternative arrangements have been agreed in advance.
Artists should package work appropriately for transportation.
Where an artist is unable to collect their work, alternative arrangements must be agreed with the organisers. Bristol Plein Air Painters cannot guarantee long-term storage of uncollected artwork.

12. Participation

For some exhibitions, participating artists may be invited or asked to help with activities such as:
- Invigilating the exhibition.
- Installation or take-down.
- Opening events.
- Talks, workshops or demonstrations.
- Promoting the exhibition through their own networks.
Any participation requirements will be explained as part of the individual exhibition information.
Bristol Plein Air Painters is community-led, and artists are encouraged to contribute where they are able.

12. Images and Promotion

By participating in an exhibition, artists give Bristol Plein Air Painters permission to reproduce images of their submitted or exhibited artwork for purposes directly connected with promoting and documenting the exhibition and Bristol Plein Air Painters.
This may include social media, websites, newsletters, printed materials, press, event listings and exhibition documentation.
Artists will be credited wherever reasonably possible.
Copyright in the artwork remains with the artist.

13. Changes and Cancellation

Occasionally, circumstances outside the organisers’ control may require an exhibition, event, venue, timetable or installation plan to change.
The organisers will communicate significant changes to participating artists as soon as reasonably possible.
Any exhibition-specific cancellation or refund arrangements will be communicated separately where applicable.

Communications and Organisation

14. Mailing Lists

By signing up for a Bristol Plein Air Painters exhibition, submitting artwork, or providing contact details in connection with an exhibition opportunity, artists agree that their contact details may be used to:
- Administer the exhibition and communicate important information relating to their participation.
- Contact them about future Bristol Plein Air Painters exhibitions, events and opportunities.
- Add them to the mailing list of Bristol Plein Air Painters organiser Helena Traill, which may include updates about exhibitions, art, events, workshops and related opportunities.
All mailing-list communications will include a clear and easy way to unsubscribe at any time.
Artists’ personal contact details will not be sold or shared with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

15. Organisation

Bristol Plein Air Painters is a voluntarily run community founded by artist Helena Traill.
Sessions, exhibitions and events may be supported by other volunteer artists, curators, venues and community partners.
These Terms & Conditions may be updated from time to time as the group and its activities develop.

Contact

For questions about Bristol Plein Air Painters, exhibitions or these Terms & Conditions, please contact:

Helena Traill
enquiries@helenatraill.co.uk

Terms and Conditions