Information for Artists

The Society

BAMS exists to promote and encourage medallic art, including the production of contemporary work. Its members are makers, collectors and enthusiasts of medals. BAMS is a non profit making organisation, and is linked to a charity, the British Art Medal Trust, which publishes The Medal, a bi-annual magazine with an international reputation dealing with contemporary medals and the history of medallic art. The medals commissioned by the Society are publicised and offered for sale in The Medal.

Subjects for medals

The choice of subject matter is left to the artist, but the Society will suggest a subject if required. Medals should generally be less than 10 cm. (4 inches) in diameter, and weigh less than 1 kg. (2 lb).

Medals cast and finished by the artist

Artists who arrange production themselves should agree the cost with the Society before proceeding. Bills for casting and finishing should be sent to the Secretary who commissioned the medal, for forwarding to the Treasurer. The Society will need an example of the medal at least three months before publication of The Medal (i.e. in June or December). Where medals are produced by the artist, the commission payment to the artist is £25 per medal sold (the Society will pay an advance of £250 against the sale of the first ten).

Medals cast by the Society

Artists wishing the Society to make their medal should get in touch with Irene Gunston, 12 Flinders House, Green Bank, Wapping, London E1W 2QA (tel. 020 7702 3577). Models for medals to be cast by the Society should generally be less than 10 cm. (4 inches) in diameter, and weigh less than 1 kg. (2 lb). The Society will need a model of the medal at least six months before publication (i.e. in March or September). Where medals are produced by BAMS, the commission payment to the artist is £12.50 per medal sold (the Society will pay an advance of £250 against the sale of the first twenty).

All Medals

Commission payments: Commission is paid to artists annually in the Spring.
Copyright: Copyright of the work will belong to the Society, or otherwise by negotiation, but in all cases both the artist and the Society may reproduce the medal photographically. All sales of the medal must be directed through the Society. Two examples will be retained by BAMS for exhibition. Artists are entitled to two free examples, and can acquire/retain more at cost price for their own personal use. The artist's original model shall become the property of the Society, unless negotiated otherwise.
Editions: The maximum size of an edition will be one hundred. The actual number will be fixed after the medal has been offered in three issues of The Medal (approximately eighteen months). Sales tend to be in the range of 20-80. It would be appreciated if artists would sign their medal and number the edition.
Publication: For deadlines, see above. Artists are asked to provide notes about themselves and the medal (including a title) for inclusion in The Medal magazine. The photography for reproduction is arranged by the Society.
Pricing: Medals are priced according to the following formula: Price to members = Cost of production + artist's commission payment + BAMS overheads and postage and packing. Thus a medal costing £30 to cast and finish will be priced at about £85.