how to book a gallery show

8/13/2019 How to Book a Gallery Show

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How to Book a Gallery Showby Isabel Castillo

In booking a gallery show, it is important to know that it isnever the same twice. Depending on the gallery, the processwill always be slightly different from the last. I haveinterviewed two different people very involved in the gallerylife and they both had some important insight into the mostsuccessful ways to show your art. John Sabraw, a paintingprofessor and professional artist is very involved in thegallery life, as he deals with the situations I will be coveringon a daily basis. Rosemarie asile, the assistant director,deals more with the actual booking of gallery shows at the

Seigfred !allery. I had two different directions that I havecombined to create the perfect "what you need to know#guide to emerging as a successful young artist.

Writings involved in a gallery setting$ccording to John Sabraw, there are four different kinds ofwriting involved in the production of a gallery show. %hey areeditorial, critical, and promotional and research.

&ditorial is the most important kind of writing because it iswhat is going to tell you the story compelling enough to getpeople to buy your work.

Critical

'romotional is the writing that is involved

ResearchResearching before getting booked for any kind of show ishugely important. Certain galleries are "blanket galleries#and have "open calls# for artists to (ust submit work. %hese"open calls# are where new artists are generally going to


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have the most success for the reason that they base it offthe )uality of your best pieces instead of your body of workas a whole. %hese shows are also multiple artist shows so theshow won*t solely be for you but as an artist, your first show

will very rarely be a solo show, especially if it is a reputableand renowned gallery.

$nother factor in finding a gallery to suit your show is whereyou are located. If you are in the city, there are definitelygoing to be more opportunities and more advantages.

Time Management

+nce the show has been set into motion, there is a hugetime crunch. It may not seem like it if you are given threemonths to complete a body of work, but a body of work canconsist of four pieces to - pieces. ot only are youe/ecuting these pieces, but also you will be making sure thatthey are gallery ready.

0 Stretching your canvas perfectly0 1aking sure that the hardware to hang your work is

there0 If it is not a piece that will be hung the standard

gallery style of on the wall, then how will it bedisplayed2

0 3hat preparations are needed to make sure that apiece that is suspended from the ceiling can be hungwith success either by you or gallery staff2

If you already have a body of work prior to your show, thenyou may have less work hanging over your head, but it isn*tgoing to be a picnic. %hat (ust means that you have moretime to focus on the publicity of your show and make sure

that it is perfect to a tee.

ARTIST STATEMENTS$rtist statements can make or break whether or not a gallerydecides to show your work. !allery directors want to know


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why you are making the work that you are making.0 Is there a relevance to your work that will entice

people and draw them in20 4eep in mind that the audience doesn*t necessarily

need to know your statement. %hey don*t need toknow why you make what you make, they are (ustthere to en(oy it and potentially buy it.

0 Dealers and certain clients are going to want to knowwhat you are doing for the purpose that they are thepeople that are going to be telling your story andrepresenting your work.

What to !"t in yo"r !ro#essional !acketIn order to even be considered by a gallery, you will needsome information about yourself, your work and if you canpull off the responsibility of a show.

0 1ake sure that there is documentation of each workthat you are planning on displaying during yourshow.

0 %he documentation of your work is crucial. CDs areunreliable and often glitch. J'&!s aren*t the best)uality either.

0 Color slides, which are physical printed images, arethe best way to send in images of your work,especially if a professional photographer or someonewho knows what they are doing has done them.

0 $ resume. $ resume is going to show what you haveaccomplished in the past and what you are capableof as an artist. If it is your first show, then the gallerywill be taking a risk in giving you a show, buteveryone starts somewhere and there are specific

galleries that are for up and coming artists.

When do yo" want to have the show$Determining what time of year you want to have a show isan important aspect as well. %his is because your pieces maycorrelate to a certain season more than another or the


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audience will be more attracted to certain art at certaintimes of the year. 5aving a show displaying gory, bloodybodies around 5alloween is definitely more appealing than itwould be during the Christmas season.

0 5ow long do you want to have your work up20 Decide if you want your work up for two weeks ortwo months

0 %he time depends on the confidence of the dealerand the price of your works

Is it a single or a m"lti!le show$+ne of the first things that you need to determine is if yourshow is going to be (ust your artwork or collaboration with

other artists.0 Determine the sub(ect matter of the pieces0 Is there a concentration between the works20 If you are sharing the space with another artist or

multiple artists, does their work correlate with yours2$re you advertising together2 Separately2

Identi#y the s"%&ect o# the gallery

Certain galleries only take certain kinds of artwork. %he1arina $bramovic Institute in ew 6ork specifically acceptsperformance art and work that is associated withperformance art.

0 3hat is the ma(ority of your work20 Is there enough correlation between your pieces to

determine a specific sub(ect matter20 Determine the sub(ect of the work and find a gallery

to suit it after.0 It is easier to have a body of work before you go into

searching for a gallery. 5aving the work donebeforehand shows your determination.

'etermine the !rices o# yo"r work$rtists have gallery shows to show off what they can do and


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make money, that*s the bottom line. 1aking sure that yourwork is priced accurately can determine whether or not yourshow is going to crash and burn or thrive.

0 D+ +% +7&R'RIC&. If you are not $ndy 3arhol,

your pieces probably don*t need to be 89,---.0 egotiate the prices with the dealer of the gallery.%hey are aware of the clientele and know whatcustomers are willing to pay.

'etermine the contract with the gallery1ost galleries e/pect a cut from the profits that are made

from selling the artwork that you have created ande/hibited. 1aking sure that you are completely aware of thefine print.

0 Insurance: one of the most important parts of thecontract. If the gallery were to suddenly catch fire,naturally, you*d e/pect reimbursement for the workthat you had displayed.

0 In figuring out how much your pieces are worth, youwill either need to provide proof of how much a piece

has sold for before or be reimbursed for the price ofthe materials that were involved in the making.

0 Determine what responsibility is yours and whatresponsibility is theirs.

0 ;raming, hanging, deconstructing the gallery afterthe show

0 3ill you and your team set up your work or do youe/pect the gallery to provide you help to do the dirtywork for you2

Who is in charge o# advertising$3ithin the gallery, there is usually someone who is in chargeof making sure that people are aware that there is a show.

0 1ake sure that you get publicity before your show.Send edited and professional photographs


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of your work to media outlets0 5aving an opening reception to your show is

imperative.0 'rovide food, have it catered, sometimes the gallery

provides refreshments and some snacks, but showsthat have a little something to offer its* attendeestend to draw in more people, gaining you morerecognition.

0 In the words of John Sabraw: S&==, 'R+1+%&, S&==,'R+1+%&, S&==, 'R+1+%&.

InvitationsSome galleries make sure that they appeal to a specific

clientele. efore the public advertising of your show, specificinvites need to go out to the kind of people that you wantthere. $rts dealers are definitely in high demand inattendance of gallery shows. 'ublicity is key in your success.1ake sure that people know your name.

how to book a gallery show

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