As with any type of artistic expression, establishing a gallery show is not as easy as just showing up at your chosen venue every few weeks and putting your work in there!
It takes time to prepare for an exhibition, which is why it’s important to start organizing your collection early. Once you have built up a good stock of potential works, then seeking opportunities to exhibit becomes much easier!
And while it may sound cliché, people are always looking to add new pieces to their collections – so why not offer yours to them? By letting them choose their favorite pieces, they will definitely want to invest in some of yours!
But how do you take that next step towards exhibiting your art? Here we will discuss all the different ways you can showcase your creations and the best timing for each one.
This article will also talk about some things that might come up more frequently than others when trying to put together a show, such as “What kind of show should I hold my art event as?” and “How do I get donations for the event?”.
Make a list of your work
Before you even think about applying, you must make sure that you have enough material to show! If you are just starting out as an artist, this can be tricky.
It is very common to start creating art when you feel like it, which may or may not include showing your artwork to others. The thing is, without more exposure, people will not know who you are, and therefore, will not want to invest in materials or exhibits from you.
So before you apply anywhere, make a lot of pieces! This could mean doing some creative writing, experimenting with different styles and techniques, or exploring new genres and themes.
Once you find your style, stick to it! Creating non-representational works takes longer than painting pictures of already established styles.
Prepare a press release
Before you even apply, you must prepare a press release. This is a very important part of being prepared before attending an event as a photographer!
A press release is a statement that describes your business, what services you offer, and when and where you will be exhibiting at a given time. It also includes some media coverage and links to your website or social profile accounts so people can learn more about you.
It is not enough to simply say “I am applying for this show” and list the dates under “Exhibiting Photographer.” People looking into whether or not to attend may want to see if you have any testimonials, videos, or articles that showcase your work, etc.
Press releases are usually worded in third person (like the one above) but it does not hurt to write up a little bit about yourself and then add your full name and contact information. Make sure to include your email address and phone number too!
Planning a trip to visit all of these exhibitors can be tricky without having done some research first. By using Google to search for their websites, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook profiles, you can make sure you know who they are prior to arriving.
Find out the date of the opening
After you have received confirmation that your artwork is accepted, you will need to pick a day and time to exhibit it! The next step is figuring out when and where this show will be held.
You will want to make sure there are enough people coming to support you during this event, so it is important to find out as much information as possible about the gallery and who may already know you. You can also search online to see if anyone has posted any comments or messages about the artist programs at their venue.
If possible, we recommend holding your exhibition in either your local area or close by so that others can more easily attend.
Make a plan to get to the gallery
After creating an account on ArtStation, you can start looking through their listings to find your next favorite artist! They organize all of the art by year and month, which makes it easy to scan and see what new pieces they have posted.
Artists will typically announce their shows via email as well, so make sure to check those messages!
Some artists also use social media to advertise their show, so be sure to check out their accounts to see if there are any clues about the event.
Dress the part
After you have gathered all of your materials and are ready to apply, then it is time to dress up! If you do not feel like going through with this process dressed professionally, then don’t worry about it- just pick something you love and look great in and take some extra time to put some effort into it.
Many artist groups hold open applications where anyone can apply, so there is no need to be too formal with yours. However, we recommend that you at least try to match your application with their expectations of what kind of artist they want to work with them, and how professional they intend to seem.
Write your application
Now that you have found an event listing with all of the information, it is time to apply! Simply click the link next to Application or View Event Details, depending on if you are already logged into our website.
If you do not yet have a Facebook account, you can easily create one by clicking “Create An Account” at the top right corner of every page. This will take you through the process of creating a user name and password which you can then use to log in and connect with people and websites.
After that, simply visit the Events section of the site, find an event that sounds interesting to you, and press Add to List to submit their event.
Make your application
Now that you have received notification that your art has been accepted into a gallery show, it is time to start preparing to go! While some shows will ask you to create an account as soon as you accept their invitation, most require applications to be made at least two weeks before the event so they can properly prepare.
Most artist applications include several forms and questions about yourself and your art. These are mostly general inquiries, but still important to complete correctly. They also may ask if you are in need of scholarship funds or how you plan to bring traffic to your work.
Accept or decline the show
Once you have received a proposal, you will need to decide if you want to accept the exhibition as part of your career or not! If you get very excited about the possibilities that an art gallery offer, then you should definitely consider it.
Art galleries are a great way to expand your knowledge of artists and styles, and there are many ways to contribute. Many experienced members of the arts community work as volunteers at local art galleries where they promote exhibitions, run workshops and classes, and do general curation.
However, choosing whether or not to join an exhibition as a curator is totally up to you! Only agree to host if you really believe in the artist and their work, but also make sure that you will be able to give them enough time to prepare and execute their project.
Your fellow colleagues can’t force you to be involved, so don’t feel obligated, even if you are passionate about the artist.
