How to Prepare For Your Next Successful Art Exhibition

Your next art exhibition may be organized by a sponsor who will do all the preparation and promotional work or you may have decided to share the responsibilities. Maybe you have decided to organize your own art exhibition or plan to have an “Open Studio” event. Whatever your situation, this article “How to Prepare Your Next Successful Art Exhibition” is a great place to start your process.

As you may already know, early in my art career I organized major art events and curated exhibitions that were highly publicized, attended by celebrities and collectors, and took place in many different places including corporations, entertainment venues, and galleries.

I tapped into the wealth of talent that New York City has to offer. I learned the necessary skills to be an organizer, curator, hostess, and promoter and how to write, design and distribute press releases and promotional catalogues.

The wealth of knowledge I acquired has helped me to be an informed artist mentor and coach to help artists, art organizations, and galleries create very successful art events.

In this article I chose to offer some ideas for the pre-event stage.

Select the Space
If your exhibition is not being hosted by a gallery don’t let that prevent you from contacting privately run galleries, organizations and alternative community spaces as possible venues for your event. Be prepared to offer them several benefits they will receive from this collaboration. Consider offering a commission on art sales, promotion via social media for their business or cause, or the good-will that will be generated on their behalf from helping a local artist.

Choose a place that is clean and comfortable, accessible to those with physical handicaps, is equipped with good lighting and an amiable staff.

Be creative. Some of the most successful art events I organized in NYC took place in “alternative spaces” such as large and spacious corporate lobbies, dance studios, hotels, night clubs, and community centers.

Read the article: Ideas To Help You Create Successful Art Events

Choose Your Date
To insure you maximize attendance, first check the local calendar of events to make sure there aren’t any competing events being held on the same date. However, if there is an event in your neighborhood that is being held earlier or later than yours, consider ways to collaborate with them to help each other. For instance, you could share advertising costs.

Your art may be closely related to regional, national and international projects and events. If so, you can catch the wave of publicity these occasions are generating.

Select Your Theme
This is an important component to increase interest and participation. Events with themes attract guests, press coverage, collaborators, and increased attendance. Your art itself will probably inspire the theme. Choose an eye-catching and descriptive title for your event.

Read an article How to Create Successful Art Exhibitions Using Themes

Time Management
For a small gathering you don’t need a lot of advance time; however, if it’s a major event you’ll want to do some careful planning.
Give yourself more time than you think you will need.
Create your timeline with firm deadlines.
You’ll want to get pre-promotion and post-publicity, so find out the editorial deadlines of the publications and media outlets to whom you will be sending press releases.

Read these articles: Invite Members of The Press to Publicize Your Art Exhibition and also Advance Your Art Career With An Art Press Release

Follow A Schedule
After you choose the date of your art event you’ll want to design a schedule that includes every important step in your exhibition planning process. Ideally, you want a few months of planning for optimum success. Your timeline will include dates for such activities as these:
* Meet with the sponsors of the exhibition venue.
* Complete the artwork.
* Finish the framing and/or pedestals, etc.
* Set the prices.
* Prepare your payment options for buyers.
* Send the email announcements and invitations.
* Design the catalogue and get the publication date from the printer.

Create Your Budget and Costs
This step cannot be overlooked. List all items and professional services, people you will need to hire, and other expenses. Have money reserved as a contingency fund for any unplanned expenses that may arise. Make a detailed list of possible expenses.

Creative Idea For A Successful Event
I might have saved the best idea for last. Here it is: Give your event prestige by creating an “Honorary Committee”. Ask leading business and art people you know for permission to include them. Assure them they are not obligated to do anything else but lend their name. Displaying the names of influential people in the community on your invitation, social media posts, and press releases will go a long way in building interest and attendance.