The Joys of Being An Art Curator

Earlier in my art career I organized exhibitions throughout NYC, NY in galleries, cultural institutions and corporate venues. Now I curate them online. It’s been extremely rewarding for me to promote artists in this way to further their careers. Recently, I received an email from an extraordinary artist who won one of the top awards in an exhibition I curated for Manhattan Arts International.

He wrote, “I was at a very low point in my life when I entered your show and your subsequent acknowledgement literally reanimated me and my career.” He then listed several major accomplishments that happened since the show and added, “You have created giant ripples in my life and I am very grateful to you and for firing me back up. You do really important work for the arts.” He reminded me about the joys of being an art curator.

Artists Receive the Kudos They Deserve
Another artist recently told me, “After I was selected for your exhibition I got an important commission. I had been working as an artist for several years but because of your validation I’m suddenly being recognized in my community. I know my recent success is in direct response to the publicity you gave me on your website.”

Exhibition Awards Can Alter Artists’ Lives
I’ll never forget a letter I received from an artist who I selected for the top Featured Artist Award. He explained how much the award meant to him during a depressing time in his life after the loss of a loved one. Another artist told me she was about to give up on pursuing her art career until I informed her about her award. In a tearful conversation she told me I helped her gain renewed confidence and the desire to persevere. When I called to tell an artist she won a cash award from me she cried and told me she would use the money to pay off some debts as a single parent.

The emotional experiences go on and on…

Artists Feel A Sense of Pride and Motivation
When Andrea was asked, what do you feel is your proudest achievement, she replied, “My greatest achievement was receiving an Award of Excellence for my painting “Autumn Phoenix” (shown above) in “The Healing Power of Color” exhibition. To be showcased amongst exceptionally gifted artists on an international platform has been both humbling and an honour. I am very grateful to the founder, Renee Phillips, who selected my piece and I am inspired to continue pushing my artwork further. It has been a wonderful opportunity that has opened doors to a global audience.”

Artists Get A Boost of Confidence
One artist confided that she has very little confidence. “I’m so critical of my art and always wonder if it is good enough. Entering your show was a major step for me. Having you select my art for the exhibition gives me a confidence boost. Thank you for being there to inspire and motivate us.”

Artists Get Discovered and Build Audiences
Among the many joys of being an art curator is in providing artists with a huge global audience they may not be able to reach on their own or even in a commercial gallery. For example, we can get more than 1,000 viewers in a day to our exhibition. And, a highlight from a recent show was when a gallery owner discovered an artist and immediately placed her art in a show.

One viewer of an online exhibition wrote, “The internet is flooded with massive online galleries with no care for quality control. Thank you for creating a place where discerning art lovers can rely on finding professional level artwork by artists with credentials. My wife and I enjoy receiving your email newsletters and discovering new talent.”

My Role As A Curator
Just as artists appreciate getting feedback about their art, I look forward to viewers’ responses after curating an exhibition.  With every show I strive to improve my curatorial expertise and select the best art and artists possible without making any compromises.  One of the most desired compliments I receive is, “This exhibition is the best one you have curated.”

It’s exciting to show the artwork and also the artists’ statements and links to their websites so they can receive more traffic and the potential to make direct sales to visitors.

As soon as an exhibition is published on the website I receive emails from several participating artists. Many artists will say, “I am humbled to be included.”  It’s difficult for many artists to see their art objectively. However, when they are selected among other top artists they can appreciate their accomplishments.

Building Relationships and Collaboration
I love to see how exhibiting artists reach out to each other, especially on social media, to extend congratulations, show respect and provide support. Many relationships among fellow artists have been formed through these online art exhibitions.

An important part of curating an exhibition is the collaborative process behind the scenes. For each exhibition I invite a panel of art experts to join me in giving Special Recognition Art Awards to their favorite artists. Their awards range from featured articles to career consultations. They share news about their awards in their email newsletters and extensive social media audience which provides more visibility for the artists.

Our Global Community & Making A Difference
Our global audience, which consists of more than 40,000 members and subscribers, can view powerful art and be transformed.

Building a sense of community is very important to me as a curator. Equally important is to organize exhibitions that can raise awareness and foster positive change. That’s why I present such exhibitions as “HerStory” (all women artists), “The Healing Power of ART”, “Our Bond With Nature”, and “Art That Lifts Our Spirits”.

We present the online exhibitions on both websites: Manhattan Arts International, manhattanarts.com and The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS, healing-power-of-art.org.

My Curatorial Process
I use a scoring system that helps me to make decisions based on my visceral responses as well as tangible criteria. You may want to read Why Artists Win Juried Competitions  about how I judge competitions.

You may also want to read
Important Basics to Know Before Submitting Your Art to a Jury
Answers to “Why Wasn’t My Art Chosen?”
Not All “Calls For Artists” Are Equal
Avoid Getting Rejected in Art Competitions
Ideas to Help You Create Successful Art Events.