‘Exhibiting your work without making an exhibition of yourself’ or ‘Sticking your head above the parapet’ by Roger Howe

Until recently the only exhibitions I have been involved in have been for commercial organisations for product and service presentations, in my professional role as a Graphic Designer. Here is an account of the approach I have taken to my recent exhibition of photographic work. it is intended as a guide for those intending to embark upon a similar venture and who knows it may prove useful to other creatives. If you are easily offended by profanities do not read on... Plucking up the courage . . . . Is your work up to scratch? Everyone including a blind mans dog can make marks on a paper - be honest with yourself would you part with hard-earned for it? Solicit as many ‘objective’ opinions as possible you know your mum will say it‘s great because she’s stupid and she loves you, so before you go to the trouble of exhibiting make damn sure because of the effort and costs involved. Are my mounts / frames professionally produced? This is a good get-out clause formany galleries, let’s face it they don’t want any old crap adorning their walls now do they? Get it framed properly. Don’t be surprised if they ask to see examples - it is important that they don’t infringe decency laws or display offensive material for a start and like the framing it lets them see how serious you really are. Exhibition Objectives: 1. To let a wider audience see the artwork. 2. To provide a sales platform. 3. To increase public awareness of the Art and raise the profile of the Artist. 4. To get feedback on the Artwork and the method/venue of the exhibition. Finding a venue ‘Beggars can’t be choosers’ This one is tough and expect to pay, there are only a few public spaces available such as libraries etc and these spaces tend to be booked up as soon as they available, with diaries being filled a year in advance. Tip - get on as many mailing lists as you can so that you are kept informed to stand any chance of a booking. We come then to Commercial spaces - ‘galleries’ are not all as they seem and come in a variety of guises. Some are just picture framers and are an outlet for mass produced lithographic prints; others are tea rooms and coffee shops others are bars and entertainment venues. You could dip your toe by asking a local pub or tea room to put some work up for you - they get free pretty things you get your work out there, but remember you need your details displayed alongside. Eventually you will find somewhere, here are some considerations. 1. What kind of people go to this gallery? Can they afford my work? Would they give an objective opinion? 2. What commission do they charge for selling your pieces? 3. How much is the wall space hire? 4. What does the gallery do to promote itself. 5. Does the gallery promote individual exhibitions through it’s own network. Local author ity ones seem to promote events quite actively. 6. Do you have to staff your exhibition? What charges are there for using gallery employees? 7. Is there any security? 8. What are the installation/dismantling times (this will affect your opening times in your promotions - no one wants to go to an exhibition and hey presto it’s gone! Always do what you advertise!) 9. Do you need public liability insurance? - Ask an expert as any commercial venture has a legal responsibility to be insured! Is my artwork covered by the gallery insurance? - If so then what for? 10. Logistics . . . How can I get my work there? Is there any storage for the bubblewrap that you’ve protected your work with? What parking/loading restrictions are there? Have you got to hire a team of bearers to ferry the stuff up 26 flights of stairs? 11. Does the gallery have good public access - some venues are a nightmare, the easier the better because who’s going to come and see the work of some dork no-one has ever heard of apart from those unfortunate enough to be related , work colleagues and old school chums that are still breathing? Tip - look at other artists web sites and see where they have previously exhibited to try and build a list of possible venues - they’ve had past exhibitions so why not more? Self promotion is a very weird animal indeed . . . unaccustomed as I am (ad nauseam). The fact is if you don’t advertise yourself who in god’s name is going to bother . . . if you can’t be bothered then why should anyone else? The Must haves / do’s . . . Business card - This can be done quite easily on your own pc but it has to have contact details, a professionally designed one is best but it’s whatever you can afford. Printing it yourself will be a pain especially cutting them out accurately and for the quantities you need. When ‘Full colour’ or Four colour process (CMYK )printing small quantities of 1-2,000 are more cost effective digitally printed but you can get good results with offset litho and the cost would be inexpensive in comparison on larger runs especially if you stick to one or two colour print., - a good designer can advise. Posters / Flyers - As with business cards the more professional the better so chat with your friendly designer again - it is good that the design theme / colours / style follow through to give a ‘corporate feel‘ so that the message is rammed home in the same visual language and becomes recognisable with you and your event. Distribution is a ball ache - fly posting is illegal and guess what they know where to find you ‘at your event” so don’t be stupid. The gallery will want some to release and you can approach libraries in the locality as they tend to allow promotion of local events and don’t charge. Always ask you won’t get anything unless you do, above all be courteous and don’t just stuff your leaflets in holders without asking as someone else is probably paying for the privilege especially in those situated in hotel foyers. Labels Incorporate the name of the piece as well as the price - indicate whether original/ limited edition/series/cat No. Above all make them all the same style and size. An Artist’s statement This needs to be about your influences, education. A press release This is not a licence to hand out any old bull, it should have at least style and have a thread of truth. - look at the press releases of others even from business - don’t plagiarise and above all be truthful! This information will be circulated behind the scenes through the galleries own press network and through yourself to the local media.I found writing in the third person a godsend, I also put my marketing head on and promoted ‘me’ through my own business as it gives me sense of detachment. Detached is certainly what you need to be, aloof is a bit too ‘can’t be arsed’ and that will never do. Good book I read a couple of very amusing ones, it pays to keep your spirits up. Guest book/Comments book Don’t expect all the comments to be nice or indeed sensible - you were the fool that jumped up and down and said ‘hey look at me’! Mini-prints Theses are questionable . . . Why on earth should you give these out when it’s the high quality larger ones that you are here to sell?! I had some dumb ass turn up each day to disappear with loads of them so beware! Next time they will be sold for £10 each refundable on purchase of a real one so you can ‘take it home and see if the other half likes it’ - but it comes at a price! Web presence Just launched art-on-line.biz. it isn‘t necessary but it helps to reach a wider audience. Gorilla promotion Sign onto as many web guest books as you can asking for reciprocal links back to your site. Something like ‘your site is oh so luverly all the best from art-on-line.biz'. (This is why mine hasn’t got one! Anyone reading may be tempted...!) The Hanging Gallery staff have rules about hanging / presenting - some have bespoke adjustable hanging systems - you must ask they will only be too glad to help. Don’t just whack some nails in like an inebriated dervish with a hammer, plastering costs money!!! Open day . . . This is it - the nutters are coming! No one ever prepared me for this one . . . There are rules to observe, rules of courtesy and jocularity and it goes a bit like this . . . Be friendly and welcoming - offer a card, a leaflet , a bookmark but never your soul! Remember if no one likes or buys your work it is not personal its why you did this isn’t it? To get some feedback? So stop being all mardy and dejected. If Your visitors think your work is crap they are allowed to! You cannot interfere with their thoughts or bank balances even if you desperately want to - remember they don’t hate you and no-one likes a pushy salesman so don’t be one! When I had my event in Nottingham there were people who just wanted to keep warm and who used their body odour as a chemical weapon; students who delighted in taking leaflets that cost you your hard-earned just so they could run back to college with something arty to prove they weren’t skiving after all; the schwarzeneggers with their ‘I’ll be back’ routine; and the fellow artist who just because no-one would buy his work sat there fizzing, all vitriolic like a badly shaken pop bottle with a loose lid! Believe me it will open your eyes and at least for a millisecond you will take the blinkers off. Relax you have done the hard bit and you have achieved your objective, more peoplewill have heard of you and it’s your stuff that’s on the walls!! If you don’t get any visitors at least you can have some time to reflect on what you have done and read a good book or two. Believe me it is not over it is just the beginning. As a Graphic Designer I was always addicted to the ‘pitch’ with fanciful promises of this could be the big one? Echoes of a certain three wheeled salesman come to mind. In the end you did your level best and that’s all you can do. Your success will be measured not in mere trinkets but in the greater knowledge you have acquired and you will be far richer for the people you have met. I close with a hearty Thank You to all for putting up with my tantrums and frailties to them I wheel out the time honoured favourite . . .‘I am artistic you know’. ©2008 Roger Howe art-on-line.biz PS: if this has been helpful then why not post a link on your site for: http//www.art-on-line.biz ?! email: r.a.howe@btinternet.com