Running your own art show can be tricky, especially if you are not very experienced with displaying and exhibiting artwork. There is quite a process that must take place before you hang your creations up for the public to admire.
Running your own exhibition requires organizing all of the materials and resources needed to display the paintings, sculptures, or other artistic pieces. This includes buying or making a case to showcase each piece, as well as finding a space to put up your new wall coverings!
Having an event at a friend’s house or local venue is another way to hold your opening. By using these types of settings, people will have access to use their home or organization as theirs!
This article will go into more detail about how to organize and plan your exhibition so that it goes smoothly and everyone has a good time! Best of luck and let us know what tips you found helpful by commenting below.
Write down your goals for the exhibition
After deciding where you will put your exhibition, now is time to write down your goal or objectives for the show. What do you want the gallery to communicate to people? And what messages would you like them to receive about you as an artist? These are very important questions that should be considered before setting up your exhibition.
It’s best to start with one main idea or message. Then, feel free to explore different ideas and concepts around that topic. For instance, my recent exhibition was focused on how artists use materials and techniques to convey emotion. So, my initial thought was to create work using only found objects but then I realized there were not many paintings made of just random things!
As I continued exploring this concept, I came across works that used manipulated natural objects or shapes to portray emotional states. This gave me the freedom to use unconventional material types but still make strong connections with viewers.
By having several themes in my exhibition, it also allowed me to talk about various aspects of art while creating my pieces. By being diverse, I was able to emphasize on my own artistic style while at the same time promoting other artists’ styles!
Final thoughts…
After writing down your main objective, don’t forget to brainstorm some key points related to this.
Research the gallery to find out what they like
Once you have found your potential exhibition space, you will need to do some research into how to hold the event. You can do this by talking with people about hosting exhibitions or looking at examples of others’ work.
You don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself artistically when holding your first show, so it is best to hire professionals to help run the process for you. There are many ways to manage this, but the most common is having the venue handle the set up while you focus more on creating your art.
Some things to think about as you prepare include: timing the opening reception; finding someone to take responsibility for tickets and drinks; and choosing your theme and location.
Plan the exhibition based on your goals and the gallery’s preferences
After deciding where you will have your show, the next thing is figuring out how to hold it! There are two main types of exhibitions: one-off events or continuous exhibits.
A one-off event is when someone creates an art exhibit for a specific group or individual of people. These are usually planned months in advance as there is no set schedule for the space so organizers must be able to plan their visit at the time they want to attend.
For example, if someone organized a photography exhibition at a local museum then they would need to make sure that the photographer had photo permission and that all materials were accessible before the exhibition can take place.
Continuous exhibits happen every week with a different theme or artist. This is typically done through the galleries’ social media accounts where people get exposed to new works.
These kinds of shows require more frequent updates because people do not know what artists or themes the curator will use until several weeks into the planning process.
Create the exhibition space
Having an art show is not like having a regular party where you just put up some decorations, invite people over, and wait for everyone to come!
Having an art show is a lot more work than that! You will have to find a place to house the exhibit, this can be tricky as most places do not allow large objects outside their walls or fences.
You may also need to cover the walls of the gallery with plastic or paper so people cannot write on them nor pull anything off the wall. This protects the paint job of the room as well as your artwork.
Lastly, you will have to get appropriate permits from both your city and state governments to display and organize the event. Doing these ahead of time helps avoid any hassles!
Blog post: Why Is It Important To Plan A Reflection Period Before The Art Show?
Bullet point: There’s no quick fix for feeling disappointed after the opening
It can also be due to the unexpected reactions people have towards their painting or sculpture.
Some people really admire it while other people think it is ugly or simple only understand part of it. No matter what happens, you cannot control how people respond to your work but you can try to reduce your own level of stress.
Buy all of the exhibits
It is very important to buy all of your gallery’s available exhibit space before putting up any shows. This way, the staff does not have to search for new spaces or find empty walls for yours!
Most art galleries do not offer free storage, so make sure you know where your piece will be stored after the show.
Artists’ supplies such as paint and brushes can cost anywhere from $100 to many thousands of dollars, depending on how much they are used. Make sure to budget for this!
Some people start selling their work right away, which requires additional expenses for materials and fees related to licensing and copyright laws. Make sure to include these things when planning your exhibition.
Running out of room due to high demand for your artwork can also become expensive if you are not prepared for it. Renting a bigger space may be possible, but only if you are aware of your surroundings and can afford the price.
Make a marketing plan
Before you even approach your potential gallery about having an exhibition, make sure you have all of the necessary materials ready. This includes making or buying a display case, finding someone to help with set up and take down time, and gathering information about the gallery – including whether they accept new artists.
You should also start thinking about how many people you want to invite to view the show. Depending on the size of the space, number of visitors the gallery gets, and the type of event this is (opening night or monthly), you can calculate this numerically or using proportions.
Tell your friends about the exhibition
Let other people know about your gallery event! Spread the word by posting pictures and messages on social media, tell your colleagues and anyone you come across that it is happening.
People will want to attend yours more than someone else’s if they are aware of the event. A lot of artists start out as ‘self-employed’ so having events outside their own studio or space can be hard to do.
By letting others know, people may even invite guests to join them at your event which could include getting some supplies or covering the cost of the entry.
Your audience will also grow because of this. By hosting an event yourself, you will reach new people who would not normally visit your art site.
Offer a prize for attendance
An exhibition is essentially when someone gives their artwork to you, and you display it for people to look at. However, most artists do not have large crowds of followers or supporters, so they offer prizes for coming to see their work.
This can be a free item like a t-shirt or book that features their art, coupons for things such as snacks or shopping trips, or something more substantial like money or a gift card. It does not matter what type of prize you choose, just make sure it is meaningful to the person attending the show.
Prizes are a great way to boost attendances since attendees get something out of it for attending, and the artist gets some sort of reward for promoting his/her art.
