Everybody seems to be having their annual club exhibition around the same time, ours takes place over a fortnight around Easter.
It takes place in a large building that was once a church and reconstituted into an arts centre, so we are not restricted for room, and consequently no selection is made. Everyone who wants to display their work is alloted a space that can take six 40X50 mattes, althoght that number is not a condition of entry, you can have one picture or perhaps a dozen. These can be in frames or not, according to the members' choice ( and pocket I suppose).
As to the colour of mattes that is left to the individual member, as it is seen as part of the overall presentation of that member's work, to insist on a universal colour would impinge on the photographers' presentational skill.
I have to say from previous exhibitions and work seen throughout the year most people nowadays opt for a white through to a pale cream mount so we don't get a great clash of colours. Black is very rarely seen, unless someone has been under the bed to drag out something especially for the exhibition.
Framed prints do suffer from light reflections in the venue if the lighting is not adjustable, and that can be a drawback, as I know to my ccost last year!
