A lot of artists have success with having their work exposed through art galleries. Having your artwork displayed in a gallery is a great way to get more exposure for your artistic talent and career as an artist. It’s also a nice source of income, especially if you are willing to spend time creating new works and promoting them.
Running an art gallery can be tricky at times, however. Before diving into the process of opening your own show, make sure you do some research and figure out what things could get expensive. This article will help you start that process!
This article will talk about how to set up a one-off exhibition or event-style show, but it would also be helpful to know how to run an ongoing exhibit. For those people who want to keep exposing their art for money, this information is very important.
There are several ways to approach running an art gallery including doing it yourself, hiring professional services, or being creative and resourceful. No matter which route you choose, just make sure you understand the rules and regulations so you don’t hurt yourself or others involved in the art world.
Apply for a permit
Before you start setting up your exhibit, you will need to apply for a permit from your city or county. This is not done automatically after choosing what kind of show you want to hold!
Most cities have a licensing division that handles this sort of thing so look there first before submitting your application. Many departments are run via phone apps or online applications, so make sure to check those first.
You do not have to be located in the same state as the city to apply here either, most license divisions deal with out-of-state applicants as well. It depends on if they can verify residency though so always confirm these things ahead of time!
After being approved, you now must pay any fees due to reenter your business name and determine who gets liability insurance.
Fund the exhibit
Now that you have your space, your wall, and your supplies, it is time to start thinking about how to fund your art gallery exhibition. There are several ways to do this!
Most artists begin by looking into government funded or donated events, then using those as sources of income. These can include state fairs, college festivals, and even museums who offer event services and/or funding to promote their event. It is not too late to start promoting yours if you are already working on it!
Businesses in your area may also be willing to contribute towards the cost of the show. By asking around, you will find many people who know of worthy causes so that you can approach them with confidence.
Finally, individuals online and in real life can donate money, materials, or both to help you fulfill your goal. You can create a page on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites dedicated to the show to spread the word and gather donations.
General rules apply when trying to gain donations- be professional, friendly, organized, and most importantly, sincere.
Decide on a theme
Choosing a them is one of the most important steps in establishing your art gallery. You want to make sure you pick something that aligns with your business, what types of products or services you offer, and what styles of artwork you like.
You do not have to stick to only painting, but can also create sculptures, jewelry, illustrations, etc. The best way to find out if there’s an audience for your artistic style is by putting together an exhibition!
There are many ways to organize and display your work at different venues. Many people use wall hangings, framable displays, or even just framed pieces of paper as exhibits. It all depends on how much space you have and what looks good to you.
Some tips: If you are looking to expand your brand, organizing and displaying your work effectively will help others recognize you and your talent.
Buy your art
Now that you have determined what kind of gallery exhibit you would like to do, you will need to buy something for it! There are many ways to source artwork and there is no wrong way to spend money on art!
Many museums and galleries offer educational discount cards that include free entry or reduced entrance fees. By having these, you get into the museum free so your budget can be adjusted accordingly!
Some artists sell their work through online sites such as Etsy and RedBubble.
Set up the exhibit
After you have selected your media, determined how many people will be attending your event, and gathered all of your materials, it is time to set up your art gallery!
Start by putting together some display cases. You can use wooden or acrylic ones that you customize with your own decorations and media pieces within. Because this is known as an exhibition, these should be bigger than normal case sizes so there is more room for guests to admire and explore the artwork in-depth.
Next, choose a wall area to place each piece of art on. Make sure to have enough space to show off both the front and back side of each painting, sculpture, or photo.
Last, add hanging devices such as rope, clips, or magnets to hold each item down. This way, visitors can take their time looking at each piece and enjoy having extra touches they left behind.
Art galleries are a great way to showcase your artistic talent and self-expression.
Promote the exhibit
After you have finished setting up your art gallery, it is time to start promoting it! Starting early will ensure the public has chance to see your work before tourists find the area and take away some of your audience.
Begin by putting up posters, sharing posts on social media, writing article about the exhibit, and creating a page for the exhibition on sites like Facebook, Google+, or Pinterest.
By starting these activities early, the community can get a headstart on learning about your new artwork and exploring other pieces in the same genre.
Running an art show is a lot of work so try to spread out tasks over several days to keep motivated.
Sell tickets to the exhibit
The next step in exhibiting your art is selling ticket or viewing for the show. Depending on how large you want the exhibition to be, there are several ways to do this. You can use online tools to create a pre-sale event website, offer free entry during the opening night, or sell admission at the door on the day of the show.
Some artists choose to not have a formal opening because they feel that it takes away from the experience for the audience member who does not get a chance to look through all of the pieces. They may also prefer having no set start time as people could come and go when they wanted.
There are many ways to approach this and depending on what works best for you and your artwork, determine which one(s) to pursue.
Organize the show
Now that you have your space, organized the exhibit! As we mentioned before, you will want to make sure your display area is enough for all of your art and materials.
You do not need special equipment to set up an art gallery exhibition. However, it is helpful to know how to use some basic supplies to organize and present your work.
For example, if you are showing watercolors or oils, then there is nothing wrong with using glass tumblers as containers to hold each piece. For acrylics or mixed-media pieces, look into buying small bowls or trays to contain each element.
These organization tools can be re-used later so think about what size is appropriate for your artwork. You don’t want too big or too little of a container because this could potentially hurt your artistic expression or cramp your creativity.
We also recommend having a back drop in the room to help focus the audience’s attention on your artwork. This can easily be done by picking out colors that match the theme of your exhibition or creating a pattern or shape with the decorations in the room.
