This "how to" discussion is thanks to the wonderful Flossy P.
"How do I get into a group exhibition show?"
As an artist there are a variety of ways you can get exposure for your work, but generally exhibitions are the way to go. One of the types of exhibitions your work can be included in is called a 'group exhibition' which generally means that your work is exhibited alongside other artworks by other artists.
Group exhibitions are great because it gives you the ability to exhibit with other people. It extends your social circle and gives you the opportunity to network. It also allows for a wider exposure to your artwork, as well as give the opportunity for your work to travel to locations you would otherwise be unable to have work hanging in.
Personally I've been in a number of group shows. I've participated in some locally, some interstate and a few internationally. When it comes to group shows there is no specific steps you can follow to get into one. There are a variety of ways, and you'll find no artist has a set path.
Group exhibitions are great because it gives you the ability to exhibit with other people. It extends your social circle and gives you the opportunity to network. It also allows for a wider exposure to your artwork, as well as give the opportunity for your work to travel to locations you would otherwise be unable to have work hanging in.
Personally I've been in a number of group shows. I've participated in some locally, some interstate and a few internationally. When it comes to group shows there is no specific steps you can follow to get into one. There are a variety of ways, and you'll find no artist has a set path.
- Get invited to participate in one. Invitations come for various reasons. It may be that the curator (organiser) of the exhibition knows you personally. The curator may be in your social network, or professional network (ie, another artist) and may have just happened to come across your work before. Or they may have heard of you, and want to use your 'celebrity status' as a drawcard for the show. They may be desperate for anyone to participate, and you might happen to be in the right place & right time. It may be that your work suits the theme of the exhibition (ie dogs, cats, portraits, landscapes), or that your work has a unique set style that makes it stand out from the crowd. There are even some curators who have selected artists for their ability to get negative press for controversial work (strange, but true).
- Organise your own group show. Yes, this is a tough one and not something that I would do on a whim. A good group show takes a lot of planning, thought and conceptualisation. A whole pile of paintings thrown into an exhibition space won't always work so some thought needs to be entered into the planning. I do however know of a number of artists/illustrators who have organised their own group shows because no-one would invite them into theirs. This way not only do you have control of who participates in the show with you, but you can also choose the exhibition space that you've always wanted to use, and of course be in the show! (However keep in mind it is about exposing the other artists - not yourself, and you also need to deal with the 'business' side. This means insurance, transport, packing, packaging, hanging, selling...... etc. Headaches.)
- Enter group shows. This is a little harder. Not all group shows are 'open calls'. You'll find the group shows that are open to anyone are generally organised by the government/town councils. This is because they can't restrict the type of artists/artworks they want to display by eliminating entries with too many conditions. So they'll have set rules, and open it out to anyone, and then finalise the selection at a later date. Anyone can enter, in any medium, but generally there are size limitations, as well as limitations on the number of artworks allowed to be entered. Some will be themed (waterworks, landscapes, family) but generally they are open to any themes (provided they aren't controversial). Plus depending on how many entries they have, your work may/may not be included in the show (they can't display everything, and some work they'll refuse to display.) I've been in a few group shows with open calls. Some were local council art shows (City of Joondalup, Town of Vincent, City of Belmont) but others have been competitions (Clothespeg Exhibition 1 & 2). I've entered online/ mailed in my entry, paid a fee, and a select number of works were chosen to exhibit. This is what is usually referred to as a juried show. I found out about these juried exhibitions via word of mouth. I've entered some, but a lot I've turned down because they didn't suit my style (my artwork would have stood out too much).
- For the majority of cases there will be a fee involved. Fees generally are anything from $10 - $100+ per artwork, per exhibition. Sometimes a few will be taken upfront, other times the gallery exhibiting the work will take a commission of anything from 10% - 50% if it sells.
- If you want to be invited into a group show you need to ensure your work has first been seen in the past by the curator organising it. This is why marketing your artwork is important. Your work may have been seen in the press, online, a blog, a retail shop, another exhibition, a photo sharing site or even via word of mouth. The more you get exposure to your work via different events/means, the more likely you are to be invited to participate in events such as this.
- Generally group shows only allow 2D artworks up to a maximum size of 1m x 1m. However I've been in a few shows where it must be less then 50cm, or even 15cm. It depends on the concept of the show, the amount of participants and the hanging space allotted. You'll find that sculptural work won't always be mixed with paintings or jewellery and vice versa. Usually this is because of the limitations imposed by the gallery space itself.
- If you are a controversial artist, you need to be selective of the shows you participate in. Just because you were invited, doesn't mean your work will be displayed. Generally your work needs to fit the 'family' audience, especially when the exhibition is supported by any government bodies, councils, charity events or organizations. They do not want any negative press and controversial work risks the supporting 'partners' pulling funding from the exhibition.
- You need to be prepared to create work within a short time period. Some works I've had days to create, some weeks, others months. Quite often though group shows are sudden and not planned long down the track. So you might get an e-mail this week that your artwork is due in 3 weeks time if you wanted to participate.
- Be prepared to post your item. This means it needs to be package well and you have to take postage fees into account. I'm a last minute worker, so generally my artworks are finished at the last possible moment before delivery. Which means I always pay the highest fee for express delivery just to make sure the artwork arrives on time. (At least 2 - 4 times the normal fee). For me, this works, but for others it won't.
- Deadlines are important. If you artwork is late, quite often you'll find that it is no longer included in the exhibition and someone else has taken your spot. Better to arrive earlier then later. Remember to take travel time into account when preparing your work for postage.
- There is no limit to how many participants can be in a group exhibition. It can be as little as two, as many as a few hundred.
- Group shows are very important. Not only do they look good on your CV but some galleries require you participate in a certain number of group shows in certain locations before they represent you. It is great for exposure, networking and generally helping your own artwork grow.
This post is a part of my "How to
series" based on my own experiences. Need advice about art, marketing or illustrating? Do you have a
burning question that needs answering? Leave a comment here or send me an e-mail and I'll do my best to answer.
