Toolbox | 01 Take Off | 05 Plan Exhibitions
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Finding Artists
You can discover artists for your gallery in diverse places.
Be open and consistent in your approach.
Don’t solely rely on artists who reach out to the gallery.
remain open to submissions (include a section on your website
for this purpose). Regularly check your emails, and when you
come across an intriguing portfolio, respond, and arrange a
meeting or studio visit.
Utilize networking opportunities in unconventional settings,
such as the gym, in addition to more traditional venues like
private views (PVs) and degree shows.
Learning to Say No: Learn how to say “no” when necessary.
Avoid making false promises or commitments that you cannot
fulfil. If you feel that an artist is not a suitable fit for
your gallery, don’t hesitate to decline. Some artists may
consistently approach, but maintaining the values and style
you want to present should always be at the forefront of your
decision-making.
Always remember that your gallery is a brand, and every
activity, including exhibitions, contributes to building its
brand image. Stay true to the values and style you wish to
convey through your gallery.
Studio Visits:
Whenever possible (considering the situation and distance),
visit the artist in their studio before making decisions about
the planned exhibition. It’s important to note that not every
artist has a conventional studio, and not every artist is open
to welcoming visitors.
First and foremost, prioritise finding a safe and comfortable
place and situation for the artist to showcase their work.
Create an environment that makes them feel at ease. Remember,
your primary objective is to understand their work, ideas, and
the theory behind their passion.
During the visit:
- Take notes, capture photographs, and ask questions.
- Suggest relevant books for the artist to read and recommend shows for them to visit.
- Act as a second pair of eyes for the artist, providing constructive feedback and insights.
Plan Exhibitions
Why do people go to galleries? To experience and buy art. It
is as simple as that, for this reason, make sure you have
planned your exhibitions. You should consider;
- When/ how often will you be open?
- How many shows will you produce in a year?
- Production: how long does that take and what technical
aspects does each show require? - What kind of art/artists do you want to promote?
- What is the production cost of each show?
- Your opening hours/days/periods will help determine how
many exhibitions you will need to plan before opening
your space.
To plan opening hours see here. After planning your
opening hours you should have a good idea of how much
many days you will need to fill your space with art. - Many galleries tend to have shows that last 2-3 weeks,
this ensures that visitors have a chance to experience
the show and it will also keep your gallery “new”. Having
different shows and artists throughout the year. This
does not mean you have to follow what everyone else is
doing. Should you feel like having weekly shows go ahead,
and keep in mind an installment period prior and a
de-installment period after. These days are the most
expensive ones since they often require a technician and
a curator, and the fact that each day you do not fill
your space with art is a sales opportunity lost
However, this is NOT a must. It is merely a
recommendation and it is the way the Muse Gallery has
been successfully operating for the past 19 years. Some
galleries do 1 exhibition a month or even keep it to a
minimum of 5 to 6 shows a year. Other galleries do one
show a week or even follow a particular artist over
longer periods of time, allowing the visitors to follow
the artist´s practice and development. There is no right
or wrong, the main focus here is to pick one model, and
try and stick with it for at least a year. Anything less
will most lightly cause confusion and a drop in visits.
Your visitors and potential clients must know that you
are consistent.
So, let´s say that you go with the already-proven concept
of the Muse. (Opening periods First week of January to
second week in December, exhibition every third week.)
This should give you 15 – 16 slots per year. This means
that you need to find around 15 artists to plan your year
ahead. It can be group shows or you could plan a few open
slots should an interesting artist come along during the
year or perhaps you want to rent out the space to a few
artists/curators/artists organisations/studios to earn a
bit of extra money. (The last option normally happens
AFTER your space is established and has proven to attract
a crowd.) No matter how you choose to fill your calendar
you should plan for 12 months ahead to make sure you have
exhibitions enough to keep open and interesting to your
visitors. The easiest way to keep track of your planning
is to create “blocks” in your google calendar. This way
you can quickly see where you have empty spots and if you
are on track. See example below. - Production time can vary a lot depending on the
exhibition, the nature of the art work and of course the
artists and him/her/their wishes.
If you have a show with let´s say, 20 paintings that is
mounted traditionally on white walls. This should under
normal circumstances, take no more than half a day.
However if you painted the walls bright green and filled
the ceiling with seashells for the prior show, you might
have to estimate a few days to clean up and re-paint
before installation of any kind is realistic. At the Muse
we generally finish a show on Sunday after 6 p.m. and
open the next show on Thursday at 6 pm. This gives us a
window of almost 4 whole days to deinstall the previous
show and install the new one. Take into account when you
plan WHAT kind of media you will be exhibiting, simple
things as if you are putting on a show with video works,
do you have TV screens or do you need to rent/purchase
some? VR works, do you have the equipment required? etc. - Some galleries have a very clear vision of what area of
art they wish to promote. Be it emerging artists only,
international artists, local artists, fine arts, pure
digital art or something completely different to the
previously stated areas. At the Muse, we show established
and emerging artists since this gives a beautiful
symbiosis and the emerging artists have a natural space
to come and find support with their more seasoned piers.
No matter what area, demographic, or style you choose to
showcase at your gallery it is always a good idea to take
a walk around the neighbourhood and visit your
community/competition. If you are in an area with lots of
galleries try to plan your exhibitions so you stand out
or; If it is a very commercial area with room for more
similar artworks then try adapting to this. In the end,
it is about trying and getting feedback from friends,
foes, strangers and random walk-ins. All feedback is
extremely valuable as long as you listen to it and make
something of it. - Budgeting, budgeting, budgeting is crucial for any
business. Put an estimated cost for each show to ensure
that you can afford the production of the exhibitions. It
is also a good idea to pre-book your technicians as soon
as you have planned your yearly programme. If it is a
freelance your shows and instalment dates might coincide
with the technician’s schedule unless booked well in
advance.
Invigilation
Depending on the budget: arrange for paid staff to invigilate
on the premises.
Good option for young gallery is obliged exhibiting artists to
invigilate during the show on most days.
Have backup plans in case of someone’s absence.
Make sure the gallery is always open on time. In case of any
delays, temporary changes make sure that your visitors are
informed.
Closed gallery within gallery opening hours can destroy trust
of your audience.
Provide all necessary information to invigilating staff
(including exhibiting artist)
Rather have smaller team of people you can trust, who know the
gallery than offer invigilation ad hoc to random person.
Everyone behind the counter builds the image of your gallery.
Spend some time in the gallery yourself when you can, to meet
visitors and receive feedback.
Positive and enriching experience for gallery visitors – give
enough information to visitors to explore the show, stay in
case of any questions but don’t bombard visitors with a flood
of information. Trust your instincts as every visitor is
different.
Private View Events
Choose a day for PV based on what is most popular in your
area/ city.
The Muse has PV’s on Thursday and on occasion, due to the
artist’s request, on Tuesday or Saturday.
Thursday evenings are popular for private views in London.
Many galleries host their openings on Thursday nights to
coincide with other art events happening in the city,
In Europe most popular days for PVs are Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday,
If possible, you can organise special PV’s on weekends
(evenings or daytime for families with small children).
