How to Join & Benefits

How to Join

Applied Arts Scotland SCIO (AAS) is a maker-led charitable membership organisation run by makers for makers giving an authentic, collective and professional voice for the sector and delivering tangible benefits. We nurture the creative heart and soul of making practice by:

Connecting the craft community
Engaging the community through events, projects and discussions
Building skills through access to peer experience and skills swop at a professional level
Influencing, lobbying and ensuring the voice of makers is heard
Encouraging self sufficiency & confidence in the sector

Want to be visible and promote your work?  Be recognised as a professional maker? Have access to online meetups and discuss topics that matter to makers and share knowledge and experiences?  Have priority booking & special rates to attend events and participate in opportunities? Hear about AAS creative and professional development opportunities?  Join us and become a Member!

There are three types of Membership – Professional, Associate & International. You can join by submitting an online membership application form using the buttons below.

All membership applications are reviewed for approval by the Applied Arts Scotland Board at Board meetings or sub group Board meetings. The Board aims to consider all membership applications within 4-6 weeks of receipt. You will receive an email confirming if your membership application has been approved.

If your application is successful, your membership will begin once you have set up a standing order for the membership fee.  It will renew automatically each year. 

Benefits

Run by makers for makers, we support our Members, whether emerging or established, based locally or globally, with opportunities to connect, engage, build skills, be heard and encouraged.

We nurture the creative heart and soul of Members’ practices, supporting them to make sustainable livelihoods through Member only tangible benefits:

Reputation & Profile

• Member of a peer reviewed community of makers supporting each other and raising the profile of craft, craftsmanship and craft skills in Scotland
• Individual listing in the online AAS Directory of Members with biography, profile and contact details to enable curators, gallery or shop owners to get in touch
• Invited to author and / or feature in Member-focussed blog posts, e.g. Voices of Makers
• Feature in AAS’s work in the wider craft sector, including talks, presentations, research and reports
• Use of the AAS logo on Members’ off and online assets

Support

• Range of free, monthly Connecting Makers online events and regular meet ups for distinct groups, e.g. by region
• Monthly Members Bulletin sharing exclusive and advance information about AAS creative and professional development opportunities
• Free or discounted tickets to AAS organised talks, workshops and conferences supporting skills and knowledge development
• Resources generated from previous events, activity and projects, e.g. the Resilience Programme
• Practical ‘Constructive Response Process’ sessions for peer review of Members work in progress to support their creative development
• AAS Library of insightful and helpful publications suggested by Members
• AAS Newsletter featuring sector-wide opportunities of interest

Creative & Professional Development Opportunities

Invitation or application to participate in exclusive fee-paying opportunities, including international exchanges, residencies, creative and professional development projects. Examples include projects and activity we have delivered as a UK Network member of the British Council’s Crafting Futures programme. Details are regularly communicated to Members in the monthly Members Bulletin.

Advocacy

AAS represent and advocate for the authentic, collective and professional voice of our Members and those practising in the wider craft sector who interact with our services. Through our Board Member’s and Advisor’s practices and networks, and our wider work with partners and AAS Members, AAS champion, advocate, share our knowledge and learning and importantly represent our members in forums including the Scottish Artists Union, MAKE Manifesto, Scottish Government’s Creative Industries Advisory Group, Heritage Crafts, Craft Development Network (Scotland) and Craft UK.

Criteria & Eligibility

You are eligible to apply for Professional Membership if you are a maker predominantly working in Scotland and can meet a minimum of TWO of the membership criteria:
– received one or more public body or corporate commissions or four or more private commissions
– had two or more public exhibitions and/or public installations and/or public performances, not including a degree show
– received one or more prizes, awards or bursaries for professional practice
– hold a degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant area
– been engaged by contractual agreement in an artist’s placement scheme (e.g. a residency)
– work has been purchased for one or more public collections or four or more private collections
– work has been made available for sale through one or more commercial galleries or agents within the last five years
– have obtained membership of one or more professional associations or societies
– artwork has been reviewed or featured in an art journal, magazine or newspaper

You are eligible to apply for Associate Membership if you are a student, at the beginning of your career as a maker, a curator, writer/journalist, gallery owner, retailer, lecturer, educator, or are working in an organisation supporting the making community in Scotland, and can meet ONE of the membership criteria.
– You have a making practice
– You are currently studying or training in craft, design or applied arts
– You hold a degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant area
– You run or work for an organisation that supports applied arts or makers.
– You sell craft through a public or commercial gallery, online or through a selling event
– You work/lecture at a Scottish university on craft, design or applied arts
– You work freelance as a curator, writer, producer, consultant, trainer or other capacity within craft, design or applied arts. Please give details.
– You are a craft organisation or an educational, health, environmental or community organisation that uses applied arts as a tool for engagement or change.

You are eligible to apply for International Membership if you live outside Scotland and are a maker or organisation that has been involved in an AAS International project.

Applied Arts Scotland SCIO (AAS) is a charitable membership organisation and an annual fee for Professional and Associate Membership goes towards administrative costs and our work supporting the maker community.  

If you require assistance completing your online application, please contact Applied Arts Scotland.

What do we expect of you as a member?

• Get involved & support us in our activities
• Keep your profile updated and correct
• Try to attend our Annual General Meetings (if based in Scotland)
• Encourage other makers to join & be involved
• Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

Not sure about joining?  Check out our project pages & read about the exciting work we’re currently doing.

How can I stop being a member?

Now that would be sad, but if you wish, just send us an email or a written declaration stating you don’t want to be a member anymore. Easy!

How do we use your data?

• Most data provided on your application sheet will be used by the members of the board to make a decision about your membership and otherwise will be kept strictly confidential. For data we do share, see below and read our Privacy Policy.

• You may choose to allow some of your data being visible on our website/blog. This would give you added exposure, but it is no obligation 

• By law AAS is required to share some of your data with OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator) on request, but this data will be restricted to your name, address and the date you joined and left AAS.

• By law we are also required to share your name only (the names on the membership register) with a different member of AAS, if they request it and the request is reasonable.