Running your own show is an incredible way to showcase your art style, talent, and creativity. But before you start putting up posters and displaying your pieces around the house, there are some basic steps that must be taken.
Running your own exhibit requires preparation, so make sure to spend time developing your artistic skills and educating yourself about how galleries work. Fortunately for you, we have gathered all of the information here!
This article will go into detail about everything from what kind of exhibition spaces are needed, to how to pack and transport your artwork, to what types of materials you should include when exhibiting. So get ready to learn by leaving this page open while you read!
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links where we could earn money off of them. That means if you click or purchase something through our link, we might receive a small commission which allows us to keep this website running. You can view their policies here.
Write your exhibition contract
Now that you have accepted an offer as a gallery artist, it is time to start negotiating about how much space you will be allotted at the show!
As you know, galleries are expensive so they usually ask for lots of money up front before agreeing to represent you. This is totally normal and acceptable!
However, some artists feel uncomfortable putting pressure on their potential representative by asking if they got a deal. This can sometimes create stress for both parties which no one needs.
In this situation, we suggest writing your own contract!
By doing this yourself, there’s less chance of someone else adding extra things or taking away important protections for you.
Prepare your gallery space
Before you begin looking at galleries, make sure your space is ready for exhibition! This includes clearing out any other uses of the area, washing all windows, and cleaning or replacing any glass that will be used as viewing areas.
If there are plants in the room, they should grow down before winter so they can survive the show’s hiatus. And if anything is left behind when the show closes, get it boxed up quickly and send it back home!
You don’t want people taking souvenirs and leaving trash. It looks bad for business and creates an unprofessional environment. Plus, some art departments require you to pack away and clean up after yourself, which can cost you money.
Another important thing to do before showing your work is research potential venues. Find out whether the venue has set hours during the week for visitors to view the artwork and learn how large their bathrooms are so you know what size displays are allowed.
Blog post: Tips For Starting A Business As An Artist
Bullet point: Introduction
Designing websites and applications is another way to use your creativity to earn money. By putting your skills to use, you can create something that appeals to others and gets paid well.
Some examples of this are creating photorealistic landscapes or fashion designs.
Decide what you will showcase
Choosing your art project or activity is very important as it determines how many people see your work and how well you are viewed by galleries.
The first thing to consider is whether you want to show your completed artwork, a process of creating the artwork, or both. If showing your finished piece, this could be only at an exhibition venue, or possibly even just your own gallery.
If you would like to also display your process, then you can either take photographs or videos of yourself working on your pieces, or you can use drawing materials such as pens, markers and brushes to create illustrations using techniques such as linework, washes and textures.
Some artists choose to do a mix of all three types of media in one project to show different parts of their artistic journey.
Choose a theme for your show
Choosing a them is like choosing what clothes to wear with your top hat and tuxedo! You want to make sure you are representing who you are as an artist, but at the same time, you want people to recognize your artwork as yours.
It’s hard to get noticed in today’s art world, which is why having a successful exhibition requires thinking about how to promote it. The first step towards this is deciding on a theme for your show.
Your theme should be related to your artistic style, or at least something that resonates with it. For example, if you focus mostly on landscape paintings, then a beach-themed show would probably work well. Or if you use bright colors, a tropical vacation showcase might fit.
However, staying within bounds of another artists’ styles isn’t always practical. So instead of showing landscapes, maybe you choose still life sets. Or maybe you explore different media, such as sculpture or even performance.
Choose your pieces wisely
Choosing art is an expensive hobby! Before you begin looking into how to exhibit your art, make sure you have done some planning for where to store your paintings.
You do not want to buy all of your artwork at once! Buying too much can quickly add up and cost you money. The best way to prevent this is by only buying what you need or wanted.
Also, try to organize your collection according to genre and season. For example, if you are trying to showcase landscapes, purchase those around spring and summer so they will show well during that time of year.
Once you have organized your collection, it is time to start choosing pieces!
Thinking about which ones you would like to display and where is the most important part of exhibiting your art.
General tips: look for strong colors and textures, patterns, and shapes. Try to use several different types of materials when painting, such as canvas, wood, paper, and plastic.
Dress the part
Before you even approach an art gallery, you must make sure that you look like someone who belongs there. You do not want to be judged as if you were wearing your favorite sweatshirt and jeans for entrance into a house party.
Art galleries are very exclusive spaces so people will be looking at you and thinking about how you fit into the space and what kind of artist you are. Even though they may not consciously think of you as an artist, they still perceive your style and whether or not it is artistic.
If you do not put some effort into investing in good artwork and fashion, then this will show through and everyone can tell. This would definitely hurt your potential exhibition opportunities!
When visiting an art gallery, you should come prepared with pictures of yourself in similar outfits as well as done up in materials such as oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc. If possible, try to find one-of-a-kind pieces to showcase your skills as an artist.
Know your audience
As mentioned before, showing up is an integral part of exhibiting art. But how you present yourself as an artist is just as important!
It’s very easy for people to tell if someone isn’t really trying or if they don’t seem like they care about their work, but not everyone is familiar with the nuances of being an artistic person.
If you’re ever feeling frustrated or overwhelmed by all of the things that have to do with art, try talking to others who are more experienced so that you can learn some tips and tricks from them!
There are many ways to develop your artistic skills, and most people aren’t aware of all of them. Luckily, there are plenty of resources available to help you out anywhere you might be struggling.
Plan your marketing campaign
Before you even approach a gallery with an exhibition, you have to make sure that you have done all of the necessary preparation. This includes finalizing your project, finding a venue or establishing a place where you will house your work while it is showing, and making sure that your online presence is strong.
You also need to be prepared for possible changes or cancellations due to things such as lack of space or money at the time. Because galleries are not run by profit, they must turn down shows more often than accept them.
They will probably ask for donations or additional fees to cover the cost of shipping materials or supplies if there is no room for everything inside. It is best to know what to expect before agreeing to host an event, especially since some people may feel uncomfortable donating or funding your projects.
