The Many Powerful Benefits of Online Art Exhibitions for Artists

It’s difficult to imagine a time prior to the arrival of the Internet and the proliferation of online art galleries. The only option an artist had to share their art with the public was through Open Studios and exhibitions in galleries and other public venues. Now, artists have the potential of having thousands of art enthusiasts and art buyers viewing their artwork on a global scale. We can now celebrate the many powerful benefits of online art exhibitions for artists and viewers. In this article I share a few of them.

Online art exhibitions may be the most powerful way for you to accelerate your art career. After you read this, if you are considering submitting your art to a juried competition / online exhibition, please read the articles about how to increase your chances of being selected. You’ll find a link to them at the end of the article.

Please note: I also encourage you to pursue actual physical exhibitions and have written several articles on the benefits of live exhibitions with advice. A few of the articles include: Start Here Before You Plan Your Art Exhibition and How to Create Successful Art Exhibitions Using Themes and How to Prepare For Your Next Successful Art Exhibition.

Save Time and Money
For many different reasons, not all artists have the opportunity or desire to spend a lot of time and effort in trying to get “live” shows. Online exhibitions offer a viable alternative. Artists tell me they love that they can save time and money. They don’t have to pack and ship or hand deliver artwork. In most instances all they need to do is upload JPEG files. For artists who live in remote geographic locations, outside major cities, this is very beneficial.

Get Marketing and Promotion
Online exhibitions can work in tandem with physical exhibitions and promote both simultaneously for increased visibility. If the artist has their own website, it can be one of the best forms of marketing and promotion available. If the sponsor of the exhibition links the artist’s website on theirs, it is an incomparable free form of advertising.

Reach Larger Audiences
Through online group exhibitions artists can reach new audiences not possible within their own reach, especially if they are starting out and can attract only a few visitors to their website.

Earn Career Credentials
Whether the artist is at the emerging or mid-career status, the exhibiting artist can add the prestigious art career credential to their resume, possibly win a Special Recognition or Cash Award, or another accolade that can impact their career substantially.

Life-Changing Potential
As a curator of three online exhibitions a year open to all artists, and 5-6 exhibitions of members only artwork, it is exhilarating experience to present underrecognized artists’ artwork on this scale. The comments of gratitude I receive from artists I select for exhibitions are often tearful. The online exhibitions I have curated have literally lifted countless artists from despair to hope. Having their art validated this way is often a life-changing experience, especially if they have been rejected by brick and mortar galleries or art institutions that do not even consider emerging artists.

For example, every year I curate “HerStory”, an exhibition of women artists from around the world on the Manhattan Arts International website. The purpose is to increase gender equality, due to many galleries and museums showing fewer female artists. In 2022, more than 100 artists were selected. In addition to their art and artist’s statement we posted their website address. They also received extensive promotion via social media. In addition, many of the exhibiting artists shared the exhibition with their social media followers to increase traffic.

Education and Inspiration
Artists enjoy viewing their art in the context of comparison. They can see what other artists are creating in the sense of the theme, style, medium and subject matter emphasized by the exhibition. Seeing their art in this context, they can gain a wealth of education and motivation.

This form of exposure can answer their burning question: Where do I fit when compared to other artists working in a similar mode? Viewing other artists’ work can also provide creative ideas and inspiration which they can adapt in their own unique way.

Opportunities for Building Relationships
Furthermore, this opportunity is fruitful for forming new relationships with other artists, inspiring camaraderie, and collaboration. It is the nourishment that almost every artist I know craves. Many artists have told me they have formed long-term friendships with artists they “met” in online exhibitions.

Simply stated, the artist who is included in an online exhibition has a treasure trove of possibilities. In addition to sales, their art may stimulate interest from curators, art writers, gallery owners, other artists, non-profit organizations, residencies, grant-givers, sponsors, and many others.

The Benefits of Online Exhibitions for Art Enthusiasts and Buyers

Viewers of online exhibitions can peruse outstanding works of art and discover talent in the comfort of their living rooms.

They can revisit the exhibition numerous times without having to travel.

They can spend time visualizing how different works of art may appear in their spaces.

This experience provides the opportunity for them to reconsider concepts and styles, nationally as well as internationally, that they may not have access to otherwise.

Learn About My Online Exhibitions and Calls for Artists

View calls for artists on Manhattan Arts International
View calls for artists on The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS

Read Similar Articles

The Joys of Being An Art Curator
Why Artists Win Juried Competitions
How to Avoid Getting Rejected in Art Competitions – Mistakes Artists Make