Gallery Hire Terms & Conditions

VICTORIAN ARTISTS SOCIETY 

Gallery Hire Terms & Conditions 2025 
 
*PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY. PAYMENT OF A DEPOSIT IS INDICATIVE OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE HIRE TERMS 
 
 
Bookings/Deposits 
Reservations must be confirmed by a VAS Gallery booking confirmation letter and a non-refundable 30% deposit and staffing subsidy. Confirmation including payment must be received within 14 days of receiving the contract or the reservation may be given to another hirer.  Additional costs for evening exhibition openings or additional staff services requested will be invoiced separately.  
 
Booking Period 
VAS accepts one- or two-week bookings for all general exhibitions. Gallery weeks run from Tuesday to Monday inclusive. The booking week commences at 10.00am on the first Tuesday for delivery and installation. Closing / dismantling is to be completed by 3.00pm on the final Monday. Please advertise your exhibition dates with allowance for installation and dismantling.  
 
Gallery Hours of Operation 
Weekdays 10.00am to 4.00pm 
Weekends 11.00am to 4.00pm 
Public Holidays 11.00am to 4.00pm. Usual closures Good Friday and Christmas week.  
 
Exhibition Openings  
No additional rental charges but charges for the gallery staff will apply. Openings can take place outside of VAS normal operating hours. All openings must be booked in writing with the gallery staff.  
 
Cancellation 
Deposit payments are non-refundable. Other payments may be refunded for cancellation up to 8 weeks before a booking or subject to filling of the booking period.  
 
Gallery Assistants 
VAS requires two staff at all times. Additional costs apply to cover staffing on openings, weekends, public holidays and additional gallery hours when required.  
 
Exhibitions 
The hirer(s) may exhibit only original paintings, graphic art, photography, digital art, sculpture and pottery except with the agreement of VAS Manager and VAS Council. Work must be the artists own original creation. 
 
Gallery Presence 
The Hirer (or representative) is always the best person to host an exhibition and is expected to be present for the duration of their exhibition including weekends.  
 
Sales 
Hirers are responsible for all sales made during private exhibition. A Square card reader can be supplied to facilitate card payments on request - hirers should set up their own Square accounts. VAS Gallery Staff are not able to process sales in your absence unless suitable arrangements have been made.  
 
Curation and Installation Services 
Curation services are available upon request at an additional cost.  Requests must be submitted well in advance before your exhibition to allow for arrangements to be made.   
 
Promotion and Advertising 
The VAS will include your exhibition details in all possible publications under our banner including the VAS magazine, email newsletter, VAS website and VAS social media platforms.  VAS requests a photo, biography and brief of the exhibition for the promotion at least 4 weeks ahead of each exhibition to allow for inclusion in promotion.   
 
The VAS does not design or print invitations or exhibition materials as a standard inclusion. These services are available for an addition fee on request.  The VAS does not photocopy exhibition catalogues or CVs.    
 
Telephone/Computer 
Use of VAS Telephone/Computer is not included in the rental. 
 
Catering/Kitchen 
Access to the VAS kitchen is available for events.  Please label bottles with the name of the exhibition/hirer when using the fridge. Fridge use is limited to the day of each event. Any kitchen items used must be left cleaned. 
 
Storage 
The VAS has limited storage space. Hirers must make suitable arrangements for the transport of all artworks on the designated installation and dismantling days. We are not able to store packing materials and no storage is allocated for hirers during an exhibition.  
 
Hirer Functions 
Evening functions or events charges are payable in advance.  The relevant clauses in the ‘Conditions of Use’ (below) will apply. 
 
After Hours 
Hirers must note that VAS Gallery is also an event space which hosts functions and events outside of gallery hours, bringing a greater audience to our artists’ work. Exhibitors are advised that such events may fall during any exhibition. Hirers will be advised at the time of booking of any pre-existing events. Hirers will be given courteous notice of any additional requests for evening functions not affiliated with exhibitions and will be given priority in booking openings or other exhibition associated events. Sales requests made during evening events can be handled by the VAS desk attendant by arrangement.  
 
Conditions of Use 
 
1 The hirer: 
(a) May hang works only on the picture rails as intended. Please familiarise yourself with the VAS heritage hanging system to ensure works are able to be displayed.  
(b) Must leave a space of at least 15cm between paintings (except by agreement). 
(c) Must not adjust or replace any of the electrical fittings. 
(d) Must not fix anything to permanent fittings i.e. picture rails, windows, walls, doors or floors using nails, adhesive tape, double sided sticky tape, removable adhesive hooks, pins, thumb tacks, screws, blue tack or glues. If damage is incurred the hirer will be responsible and incur costs for repairs. 
(e) Should attach numbers required for identifying works in the catalogue, on 
    picture frames and/or pedestals.  Numbers may be free standing. 
(f) Is not permitted to improvise additional hanging space nor to place additional paintings on the floor or elsewhere (except by agreement). 
2 Sculptors and potters should provide their own pedestals or display units.  The Society has a limited number of plinths for use by the hirer if required and when available. 
3 The hirer is not permitted to hold any activity outside or beyond those for which the Gallery has been hired. 
4 The hirer shall not move any fittings or furniture without the prior consent of the staff. Please note that the galleries include some items of furniture that are not able to be relocated.  
5 The Society shall be responsible for locking up, switching off lights and heating appliances at closing time. 
6 The piano in the Hammond Gallery is available for standard use. If you wish to hire a pianist, please talk to VAS staff. Please do not place anything on the piano except by arrangement. Please do not move the piano.  
7 An additional charge of $200 will be levied when, in the opinion of the VAS Manager or another official of the VAS, the Galleries are left in a disorderly or unclean condition. The hirer is responsible for cleaning up after an Opening night, including washing dishes sweeping and/or vacuuming. Rubbish and recycling that does not fit in the provided bins must be removed from the premises.  
8 The hirer shall be responsible for the maintenance and preservation of good order in the Galleries. Smoking of any kind is not permitted in the building, including the balcony and courtyard.  
9 The VAS or officers shall not be liable for any loss or damage sustained by the hirer or any other person by reason of any article or thing being lost, damaged or stolen.   
10 The VAS is not responsible for any advertising whatsoever for exhibitions/functions held by any hirer. 
11 Arrangements for the serving of refreshments either at the opening or later in the period of hire must have the approval of the Gallery Account Manager. A staff member with an RSA should be present whenever alcohol is served. 
12 Private hirers may not use the VAS logo on collateral without prior approval.  
13 Artworks for display must not contain sexually explicit, religiously offensive or culturally insensitive content. Artworks that do not meet the VAS standard may be removed from display at the discretion of the Victorian Artists Society.  
14 The hirer will need to ask permission to use the VAS ladder.  Before use of the ladder, safety instructions will be given by a VAS representative and must be followed.  The hirer shall be responsible for his/her own safety when using the VAS ladder.   
15    COVID-19 safe or other mandated health protocols for the hirer’s exhibition and/or any function must be adhered to at all times.  These protocols will be provided by the VAS Manager prior to the hirer beginning their exhibition or as soon as they are announced. 
16 All VAS artists and hirers are required to behave in accordance with the VAS Code of Conduct. This includes a zero-tolerance policy on abusive behaviour towards staff, members or guests.