Arqadia Scholarship

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span2iels
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Arqadia Scholarship

Post by span2iels »

ARQADIA SCHOLARSHIP

Arqadia has agreed a scholarship for candidates preparing for the Fine Art Trade Guild’s Guild Certified Framer(Accredited Professional Framer) GCF(APF) examination. The scholarship is for the period of the next two years and will provide benefits for four candidates each year, a total of eight in all.

This scholarship is aimed at existing framers who are looking towards or already have their own business. The existing conditions regarding GCF(APF) apply: candidates are members of the Guild and they should commit to Continuous Professional Development(CPD).
The scholarship will include the GCF(APF) examination and examiner’s fee, GCF(APF) Study Guide and finally free access to the Guild’s Awards weekend seminars and workshops; including the keynote speaker, and selected study days/workshops held in the Guild office. Attendance is applicable during the scholarship period only, and by going to any of these seminars/ workshops candidates earn the available CPD credits whether qualified or not.
The Arqadia Scholarship scheme is now open for applications. Those candidates wishing to apply should either contact Moira Sanders (GCF Programme Manager) at the Guild Office for details and the application form, or see the following: www.fineart.co.uk/arqadia-scholarship.aspx

This is brilliant news and provides four framers each year, a scholarship, with the opportunity to qualify with the number one framing qualification worldwide. Continuing Professional Development enables Guild framers to keep fully up to date with changes in framing techniques and materials. CPD is the vehicle used by many professional bodies, including those PACR members of ICON, to ensure their members are fully committed to professional development.

Mal Reynolds GCF(APF)Adv

Chair, FSQC
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Trinity
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Trinity »

Well Done! That's so very encouraging.
No need to say more.
Do not be afraid of strangers, for thereby many have entertained angels unawares.
Roboframer

Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Roboframer »

Apart from being able to remember all the abbreviations is an achievement in itself!

Arqadia rock!

.
Grahame Case

Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Grahame Case »

anything that improves the standards and training within the industry is to be applauded - well done FATG and Arqadia!
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pramsay13
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by pramsay13 »

It looked great at first, but you need to be a guild member to even apply, and that costs £270.
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Ian Kenny Framing
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Ian Kenny Framing »

That's kind of true, and to maintain the qualification, you need to remain a member. If you leave the Guild, you lose the right to use the qualification. The Guild is not the only membership organisation which takes this stand. Most qualification issuing authorities work the same way. It allows at least some level of control over how the qualification is used.
However, when you consider what you pay as a business for services which don't directly relate to making a profit - trade waste removal, water rates - even playing music needs a PPL as well as a PRS licence (check out the cost of them!) - the Guild membership fee is actually one of the smallest bills you'll pay in a year. It works out at about a fiver a week. If you put in a bit of effort, and use the Guild and the selling tools it provides well, it's worth every single penny!
Every other tool and piece of equipment used in a workshop comes at a cost. Some are maintenance free, and others require regular maintenance - which also comes at a cost. I regard my Guild membership fee as an annual 'maintenance fee' for my business. And to be fair, any business which genuinely can't afford a fiver a week seriously needs to look at its business model.
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Graysalchemy

Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Graysalchemy »

It depends on what your business gets out of it to whether you can afford it or not. If you don't get a measurable benefit to your business then it is a waste of money.

My business can't operate without waste disposal or machinery being serviced or without public liability insurance or the services of my accountant and the thousands I spend on this every year is money well spent. However can I afford to spend £5 a week on something with no or limited measurable benefit to my business? Of course not and it would be stupid of me to do so, as it would to lease a Porsche or employ a court jester to entertain me whilst i work.

No matter how much it costs you as the bill payer, you have to see a benefit to your business.

I am sure that many high street and bespoke framers would see a benefit, but not all of us.
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Ian Kenny Framing
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Ian Kenny Framing »

I absolutely couldn't agree more, which is why I don't run a Porsche or employ a court jester either! I've mentioned in a previous post that membership of the Guild or any other organisation might not be for everyone, that's for each individual to decide. But for those who feel they can use a membership to their benefit, it's fair play. It's all about value for money, and different people perceive that in different ways.
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IFGL
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by IFGL »

I have always wanted to join an organisation, I have looked into the guild many times throughout the years, I do not do anything without research first, the guild has always not met my expectations, two of the points that has prevented me joining is firstly the lack of public or even in the trade knowledge of the guild, I have spoken to hundreds of people about the subject, not a single member of the public knew it exists, only a few professional artists.

Secondly is the qualification it's self, it isn't really a qualification, I could not get a new staff member on a government training scheme for a GCF like I could a NVQ (an actual qualification), we have more than one shop we print and are looking to publish, we are also an employer who are looking to expand further, guild membership for us would cost considerably more, and would at the moment be of no more use than us issuing our own certificate of compitance to our own employees.
I have mentioned these points in the past and was told that my concerns would be filed in box 13, very forward thinking of the guild!
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Trinity »

It's de ja vous time, again.
The scholarship in itself may not change anyone's views on the Guild but surely, the point is its a positive commitment by Arqadia and the FATG and even if the benefit is for someone else and not yourself, let's recognise that first and foremost.
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by span2iels »

Arqadia Scholarship

There are no restrictions on those applying for The Arqadia Scholarship. Application forms are acceptable from both members of the Guild and non-members. The decision on those being offered the scholarship is made by the Framing Standards and Qualification Committee(FSQC) and successful applicants will be notified by the relevant date. If a non-member is successful then they would need to join the Guild and within the scholarship offer, the exam and examiners fees along with attendance at the Awards Keynote seminars and workshop, and attendance at those relevant seminars/workshops held by the Guild are all free. These costings would amount to well in excess of the Guild’s joining fee.

On acceptance of the scholarship and the passing of the examination those newly qualified would be required to fulfil the Guild’s conditions to ensure continued certification.

It is accepted that the GCF(APF) is not of value to some framers; however, it is more than applicable to those bespoke framers with a view to expanding their education and knowledge base particularly in their respective areas of interest. Certainly, as far as I am concerned it has opened a considerable number of doors, both in the UK and overseas, which I very much believe would have remained closed had I not been GCF qualified.
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Ian Kenny Framing »

The Guild as it was even a few years ago, and the Guild as it is now is different.
That being said, the Guild, like any other organisation needs to work within constraints. There are some things that can be done, and unfortunately some things that just plain can't. PPFA is in that same boat - as an organisation which represents framers, it too is bounded by budget - and that is not a detrimental comment, merely a statement of fact.
However much we think that our industry is a large one, in actual fact in the overall scheme of things, it isn't, and because of that, unfortunately it's exceedingly difficult to get a qualification like GCF or even CPF for that matter recognised as an NVQ would be recognised. Believe me, there was a lot of work put into researching this - and that work is still ongoing. The belief that GCF should be like a NVQ has not gone away. It might never happen - but it won't be for the want of trying.

So far as making members of the public aware of the Guild - or the PPFA - neither organisation has any kind of budget to embark on a 'National Awareness Campaign' of any sort. For a £100+ or even £200+ membership fee, that's never going to happen. Making the public aware of either organisation, and what each (or both) stands for, is entirely down to each individual member. As a 'for example' only - my customers certainly know about the Guild, and what it represents. But only because I've educated them.

As I've said before - membership of the Guild or any other organisation is not for everyone, but certainly suits some.
Ian Kenny GCF(APF) Adv.
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by pramsay13 »

span2iels wrote:Application forms are acceptable from both members of the Guild and non-members.
If a non-member is successful then they would need to join the Guild
From the application form: Although applications will be accepted from non-Guild members they will not be considered until Guild membership is granted.

These seem to be saying 2 different things.
I don't have an issue with a successful applicant having to join the Guild as the scholarship will still be helpful covering the exam fee, etc. but if an applicant has to join the guild before applying and may then be unsuccessful in the scholarship, that is a different matter.
Graysalchemy

Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by Graysalchemy »

Well I think if you want to be a gcf and benefit from a guild activity then you should be committed to join, otherwise it's unfair on members of the guild.
span2iels
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Re: Arqadia Scholarship

Post by span2iels »

I can assure you that all applications for the scholarship will be accepted and the decision as to who receives the allocated places in that particular entry will be made by the FSQC. All applications will be considered, if a non-member is chosen then they will be asked to join the Guild before they may accept the scholarship place. Should they refuse to join then the place will be offered to the next on the list.

Once the examination has been successfully taken then to retain the qualification the framer will have to fulfil the conditions of certification which are to remain a member of the Guild and to complete CPD gaining 20 credits over a two year period.
Mal Reynolds GCF(APF) Adv
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