Running your own gallery is an incredible way to showcase your artistic talent and share your creativity with others. But doing so takes time, resources, and motivation to keep thriving as an artist.
That’s why it can be tricky to get started. Most artists start by creating art for themselves or people they know who will appreciate their work, but eventually they feel the need to show off what they have created.
It is very important to understand that being an artist means investing in yourself. You must believe in your skills and potential before you can let other people see this side of you.
As difficult as it may seem at times, once you have this confidence, then things will take off for you. People will admire you for your creative abilities and want to hire you!
There are many ways to get into running a successful exhibition space, from starting small to more advanced levels. No matter how experienced you are, there is always something new to learn.
This article will go over some basic concepts for getting your first exhibition up and running. If you are already run a venue, we also cover some tips specific to your field in the Conclusion section.
Pick a location
Finding your perfect space for your gallery is more than just picking an empty wall or area of floor that’s big enough! You want to make sure you pick a comfortable setting for yourself as well as visitors.
If you plan to do your artwork in front of natural light, then choosing an outdoor room or balcony is ideal. Or if you have a bedroom with lots of white walls, creating a gallery there would look great.
Once you find your ideal space, ask about availability from the owners or managers of the house. Chances are they don’t mind having art displayed somewhere, so see if they’re willing to let you use theirs!
Some people also hire professional photographers who can help you create beautiful pictures for your exhibition.
Choose your artists
Choosing an artist is probably one of the most important things you will do as a photographer. You want to make sure that you like what they create, but more importantly, that they bring energy to what they showcase.
It can be difficult trying to find your style, so there are many ways to approach it. Visit local art galleries to see what styles appeal to you. Some people have a way with using bright colors and adding lots of effects, while other people use darker toned photos with simpler layouts.
By looking at different genres and styles, you will learn how to apply some of their own techniques in yours! There are also large corporations such as Adobe or Apple that offer free photography software for anyone to experiment with.
These sites usually have a mode where you can upload pictures you take and edit them, which helps you hone your skills! If you are already very artistic, then you can start editing those files yourself!”
Getting into running a gallery may not happen overnight, but if you keep practicing, stick to your guns, and work hard, you will get there.
Plan your exhibition
Now that you have accepted the challenge of organizing an art show, you need to make sure everything is organized properly! You should start by defining the term ‘exhibition’. An exhibition can be defined as showing off or displaying something for people to see.
To get the most out of this display, you will want to let people visit and look around freely. This way they will feel comfortable spending time exploring the pieces and looking at them more in depth.
Another important part of having a successful exhibition is labeling all of the materials. Make sure to use appropriate, descriptive labels to help people identify the pieces easily.
Planning an exhibition also means thinking about how many visitors you expect. Will it be crowded with people trying to peek into every box? Or will there not be too many people coming through the space? Figuring out the best size gallery setting is key in creating a good experience for attendees.
Write your show description
Now that you have picked your genre, what really sets a good gallery up is their short description or “show” of the work. This should tell people something about the artist, the piece, and why it is important to watch it being shown.
It can also give some insight into the artist themselves, how they create art, and more! It helps promote the artist, the genre, and yourself by adding quality content to help gain attention for the artwork and artist.
Produce interesting, descriptive prose that paints a picture. Make sure to include enough information so people can find the pieces easily as well as understand the artist better.
General tips: use past tense verbs, avoid using too many big words (unless you are writing for academia or the like), use action verbs such as describe, run, walk around, etc.
Writers often use the first person to emphasize on the experiences the reader gets from looking at the art. Your readers will know when they have seen this artist’s work before because of this little detail in the description.
Register your show with the Art Gallery
The next step in getting your art gallery is registering it with the art gallery organization that represents professional galleries. These organizations handle all of the business-related tasks such as copyright registration, exhibition logistics, etc.
There are many different ways to register your space as an artist or photographer. Some have you create and manage your own profile, while others offer professionally managed profiles where they take care of everything for you. It totally depends on what level you want to advance your artistic career at!
Some organizations may even pay artists per views or visits to their website which is very helpful way to earn extra money. A lot of people start off by creating an account through one of the beginner levels before moving up.
Fund your exhibition
Now that you have chosen a medium, it is time to start gathering pictures for your gallery! While some people are already very popular due to their talent, there are many others who need to develop theirs before they can show off their work.
You can easily find free picture resources online or in digital form through apps or software. There are even sites which will allow you to upload and create new accounts for an affordable price.
By creating an account with a stock photo site, you get access to millions of photos and illustrations without having to pay any money! This is great because not only do you get to use them for free, but you also get credit for using their services.
Get insurance
Before you even think about getting your gallery up, you need to make sure that you have enough coverage! It is very important to have proof of liability coverage as well as full replacement cost coverage for all of your displays and materials.
Liability covers anything related to accidental damage done by yourself or someone else at the event. This could be due to poor organization, negligence (if something gets damaged in a way not intended), or an accident caused when attending and organizing the event.
Full replacement cost means that if anything is broken, they will give you the price tag to buy a new one instead of paying less to get another item. For example, if there’s a wooden sign that says “Great Party!,” you would get the price of a new one- it wouldn’t matter how expensive or cheap the original was!
These two things are essential to having a successful show since you don’t want to risk being stuck with no money left because of accidents. Sure, you might win lower bids on items, but you also run the risk of not being able to hold your exhibition unless you have paid for the supplies!
Your sponsorships and advertisements may also go unused if you do not have adequate coverage. The chances of people showing up without knowing you exist goes down drastically if you don’t have enough insurance.
General policies such as these can usually be found through your local insurance company or broker.
Prepare your artwork
Before you even think about launching into marketing efforts, you have to make sure your art is of the highest quality! This includes ensuring that your colors are vibrant and contrast well, and that your style is unique and expressive.
If you feel that your skill level in drawing or painting has gotten kind of repetitive or empty, it’s time to do something about it! There are many ways to learn how to draw, and there are plenty of online resources available for those who want more formal training.
For other artists who may be looking to expand their artistic repertoire, there are some great sources of inspiration out there as well. By experimenting with different styles, concepts, and media, you can find new things to add to your own creative process.
Once you have gathered all of your materials and you are ready to start, you will need to determine what kind of setting you would like to organize your work under. A gallery show is just such an organization method.
