Looking after the End of Year show at the Shop

After the launch evening on Friday 7th June 2013, where the exhibition at the shop was open first as the "private view" to friends and family of those exhibiting work, the shop was then open to the public from the Saturday the 8th onwards.

The shop was planned to stay open from that weekend, through to the following weekend, to then be taken down on the Monday the 17th June, and bought back to College.

The shop was to be open everyday from 10am - 5pm, and as it was open all day to the public, the shop had to be looked after from open to close. A rota was arranged by a couple of the students to produce a timetable for when each of the students would be able to look after the shop, weather it be weekdays or weekends, working around when everyone could be avaliable, as everybody had to look after the shop at least once at one point, and in pairs, usally for an hour each at a time. Students were taught how to open and close the shop, if roted for first thing in the morning, or the last slot in the afternoon. We was also taught how to work the electric box in the shop.

My timeslot on the rota was for the first day it was open to the public in Canterbury, Saturday the 8th June, 3pm - 5pm. as I was free to come in that weekend. I was partnered up in twos, with Holly.

We both arrived at the shop for 3, where it was already being invidulated by a couple of other students for the previous few hours, where we took over. They were also roted to 5pm, so we took turns in pairs   at the different jobs there was for us to do whilst looking after the shop. One being staying inside the shop to look after it, the other to be outside holding the Off The Grid sign pointing it towards the exhibition.

Whilst looking after the shop, we had to make sure someone was in there at all times incase of a visit to the exhibiton. When people came in, we had to make sure we greeted them, as well as say goodbye when they left. Just generally be polite and welcoming. As well as answer any questions they had, about the work or the exhibition in general.

Many people came in questioning what posters meant, or what they were for, or where the other Art & Design exhibitions were, as well as asking us about the course. We had a fair few people come in whilst we was looking after the shop for the two hours, all who gave great feedback of the exhibition and how it looked.

Whilst being outside with the sign, we went out onto the Canterbury high street, to hold the sign up to passers buy with hope of grabbing some attention of those who walked by to come to our exhibition. We thought the highstreet would be a busy area to get people in.

Me & Holly promoting Off The Grid