How to Stage Your First Art Exhibition: 6 Essential Tips

Once I’d made a commitment to staging my first exhibition of paintings and prints I found that research was the key to getting it right. My only previous experience of hanging and curating was a joint collaboration with several student friends some years ago. As I live outside of London, practice without representation and work full time I had to go it alone. The following 6 steps have been designed to offer a helping hand to anyone in a similar situation who wishes to exhibit their creations for the first time on a limited budget (or in my case next to nothing), and come from a direct result of my own experience. Whether your aim is for potential representation, for fun or simply to prove that you can do it, you will find as I did that these guidelines will give you enough confidence and know-how for you to stage your second show.

1. GET INSURANCE

Before you approach any public venue you need to purchase public liability insurance. If a painting, print or sculpture injures a member of the public then you’re liable. I purchased mine through
a-n.co.uk, full details here: http://www.a-n.co.uk/air/topic/437351
You can even purchase one-off exhibition insurance if you don’t wish to be covered for a full year.

2. CHOOSE VENUE

If like me, you practice on a limited budget, then approaching a gallery often isn’t the cheapest option for your first exhibition. Restaurants, bars, cafés and pubs can be just an effective means of getting your work seen and generally won’t charge you to exhibit. Be warned though; don’t target the local Slaughtered Lamb or Little Chef but chose a venue that’s sympathetic to your medium and where you know that the clientele will at the very least read the titles of your works. In my case I chose a restaurant in a small village whose décor, ambience and customer base fit very well with my paintings and prints.

3. ARRANGE TO MEET THE VENUE OWNER

Once you have your ideal venue in mind arrange to meet the proprietor during his/her least busy period of their working day. Look professional; take images of your work with details of medium and sizes in a smart portfolio. Discuss why you think exhibiting on their walls/spaces will benefit both of you and view the project as a potential collaboration or working relationship. In my case a phone call was all it took to arrange a meeting with the restaurant manager.

4. REACH AN AGREEMENT

If a verbal agreement to exhibit has been established, confirm any commission rate at this point. I agreed that 20% of any piece sold would go the restaurant. I also gave the manager permission to discount no more than 10% off a piece(s) to ensure a sale. Also agree the following points:

Duration of exhibition including start date: if your dates run over public holidays such as Valentines or Mothers Day etc…then you are guaranteed greater public exposure.

Whether payment of any works purchased should be made to the establishment or direct to artist.

Whether you can drill holes to accommodate your hung pieces and that you should make good the walls after the end date.

The more trust you share with the proprietor then the less formal your agreements can be. Here’s a basic list of conditions that I made sure the manager checked over for final verbal agreement. In my case I felt that a contract for the informal nature of the show was unnecessary so nothing was signed:

The Restaurant agrees to sell the Works, as agent for the Artist, at the selling prices specified in Appendix A - list of works.

The Restaurant will be entitled to charge sales commission on the selling price at the following rate: 20%

The Restaurant may offer buyers a discount, but the discount shall be taken out of the Restaurant’s commission and shall not affect the net amount due to the artist: 10%

Any additional discount shall be taken out of the Restaurant’s sales commission and will not be shared with the Artist.

The Restaurant will remit the Selling Price, less the above commission, to the Artist by cheque/BACS within the following period from the date of sale of the Work: 30 Days

The Restaurant agrees not to sell Work by installment.

The Works are delivered on consignment only and the Artist retains ownership in the Works until sale.

For a more formal agreement which is designed to protect artists during gallery exhibits, this excellent link to an artist contracts toolkit is a guide for anyone new to contracts.

5. POSITIONING ARTWORKS

The proprietor may wish to have their say on the positioning of your pieces in their establishment. The best time to agree this is with your portfolio at stage 3. This level of forward planning will enable you to hang/position your artworks in the agreed locations the moment you physically transport them to the space in order to save time. Time will be of the essence while hanging; you will generally have until 11.30 am and between 3pm-6pm to get this right in a restaurant due to dining times and less time in a bar/pub space. I experienced an uncomfortable moment when I had to hastily pack all my tools away and strategically place un-hung prints behind the bar due to running late and being confronted by confused lunch guests and a disgruntled front-of-house manager.
Don’t assume any help from the owner when hanging or transporting artworks as they are busy enough running their own business. Expect to supply all tools yourself and state that you’ll clear any mess you create; drilling in walls has a habit of creating a fair amount of dust and small debris that customers won’t want to find on their dining tables.

6. MARKET YOURSELF

Blowing your own trumpet by letting people know how your show can interest them takes many forms. The following are based on the promotions I went through to increase the profile of my exhibition:

Press release
Local publications like to publish articles on shows especially if the local community benefits in some way or there is an interesting story behind it. A press release should generally cover the 5 W’s: who, what, why, where and when. Here’s a link to my press release that was sent to 15 local publications:
http://marc-lawrence-art.blogspot.com/2010/04/sell-yourself-contd-again.html
The result of this was that it got published in 5 magazines and newspapers and 2 websites, albeit in an edited form but the main thing is that it’s free exposure to tens of thousands of people. If just 1% of 10,000 readers decide to see the show then that’s still 100 potential buyers.

Flyers, business cards and posters
One of the benefits of being a graphic designer by trade is that I created and printed all of the above saving a considerable cost. Old fashioned cold calling to related establishments that are happy to display a stack of flyers to promote your show is essential. Be careful not to approach establishments that are in direct competition with where you’re showing. See this as an opportunity to overcome shyness and improve on public relations skills; talking about the ideas and inspirations behind what you do is a necessary form of self promotion whether you have representation or not. In addition building these kinds of contacts is important and may benefit you further in your career. My flyers are displaying in Galleries, Theatres and local shops (even a very willing Butchers’!) and the best part is that this is also free publicity. Other printed material that you’ll need is a price guide (don’t put prices on the individual pieces) and mounted name tags against each artwork.

Engage with your public
Since I had no opening night or private view, creating face-to-face interest in my work required another approach. Diners don’t want to be asked for feedback on the artworks while they’re enjoying food with friends and family (would you?!). As there was a bar area I handed flyers to incoming diners, and to those who appeared interested I gave a brief outline of the inspirations behind my work and expressed a wish that they enjoy the paintings and prints alongside the food and ambience of the restaurant. One guest in 20 may be particularly keen to know more and it was with this empathetic minority that I was able to really engage.

Written feedback
A nice touch is to leave a comments book with an A4 laminated sign that encourages the public to respond to your artworks in writing. Make it clear that the feedback is for the art and not the restaurant/bar/café. I had to amend my sign and make it more specific after receiving the following:
‘Disappointing vegetarian selection’ and ‘Chloe aged 5 loves the toast’!

Other forms of promotion
Be creative with how you can push your name and practice. At my exhibition, when a bill is presented to a diner it comes attached with a flyer and business card. The restaurant manager also agreed to promote my show on their website. On the restaurant’s homepage there is a link to a digital version of my flyer with content about my background, practice and web link; more free publicity.

The experience of putting on my first show has been quite incredible. Producing your artwork is only the beginning of the process. Self promotion, social skills, organisation, DIY skills and an air of confidence have all been important learning curves during this project. The two ultimate goals for me were to receive constructive feedback and to generate sales, both of which I have achieved. The proceeds of what I have sold will now be re-invested in a local gallery exhibition where a traditional opening night can be financed. My ultimate goal would be to get artists’ representation in the future but working full time means that production of artwork is slow and so I have to remain realistic. I hope that sharing my account of staging my first art exhibition will encourage others to do so where lack of knowledge or confidence is an obstacle.

Have you done things differently to hang and promote your first show? It would be great to hear from artists of all levels on their exhibition experiences.

Video - Painter Gordon Cheung shares his experience with Galleries

Pick Me Up Review: IMHO

Although the world is a better place for PMU I didn't feel there was any more to it than last years show. There's certainly a feel of Why Don't You/Tony Hart art room going on that makes it unique in a way that doesn't add a huge amount of creative value. I'm certainly open to introducing interactive ideas to these events but what I experienced was pop up shop owners interacting with their friends. The videos at Jaguar Shoes Collective were great and lifted that whole area. An interesting medium to explore for next years exhibition folks? That said the exhibition area included some tremendous work that I found very impactful (Revenge Is Sweet and Eda Akaltun especially). The increase in ticket price from 2010 and heavy sales promotions sits awkwardly in a cuts hit economy especially when compared to the fabulous Multiplied Contemporary Editions Art Fair at Christies in October which was free to attend and included Print Club London and Nobrow who were exhibiting within the same four walls as Grayson Perry and Damien Hirst.
I'd like to see more established and non-established designers giving talks of their processes (including students) and better ways to interact.
Looking forward to next years show with new ideas and formats...

Pick Me Up 2011: A few of my favourite things...

from the marvelous Pick Me Up 2011 exhibition at Somerset House...

Brilliant prints and collages from Eda Akaltun

Hard hitting collage graphics from Revenge Is Sweet

fabulous colour palettes from Victo Ngai

Saatchi Gallery, Newspeak- British Art Now Part 2

Another trip up the road for us to the brilliant Saatchi Gallery, King's Road, London. Some of the highlights included paintings by Robert Fry, Toby Ziegler and Jonathan Wateridge. If you're in London this free public gallery is too good to be missed...
A choice selection of the finest cuts (IMHO) below...

 Dan Perfect:

 Nicholas Byrne:

 Luke Rudolph:

 Jonathan Wateridge:

 Robert Fry:

 Robert Fry:

 Toby Ziegler:

 Tessa Farmer:

A Recent Interview to Promote Local Art Exhibition...

Vronni Ward, the Marketing and Consultation Manager at my local council has asked me to do an interview for her based on my own experiences of practising in the visual arts. The piece forms part of a campaign to promote the recent contemporary art exhibition that I'm currently showing at. 

Do you come from an artistic background?

I didn’t have an artistic or bohemian upbringing as a kid. Instead my parents were and still are conventionally hard working and that’s a trait that they’ve passed on to me. I don’t think there’s any truth in the notion that you’re going to be artistic only if your parents are. I think that a decision to seek employment or practice under any sector of the visual arts is more of a natural calling and wouldn’t necessarily be the result of external influences.

At school any form of visual art fascinated me and I remember staring at pictures and ads in books and magazines thinking ‘what makes that work?’ and ‘why is that so good?’ It was this early obsession with fine art, graphic design and illustration that made me realise that I had to learn more about these subjects and also practice doing it myself.

Are you from the Maidstone area?

I was born and raised in Watford, Hertfordshire (England) which was great as a kid because I had the identity of being part of a small town far enough outside ofLondon, yet the galleries and gig venues of central London were just 20 minutes away. I was always more of an urban kid because I enjoyed the excitement of city life which eventually lead me to study Fine Art at Manchester. My wife jokes that I’m a fish out of water living in rural Kent but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Being part of a small community at the foot of the North Downs and having the trappings of village life is something that should be cherished.

When did you find out that you had a talent for art?

I started drawing characters from my favourite comic books and annuals sometime before I was 10 but I always doodled and generally made a mess with crayons, pens and pencils. The earliest piece of work I can remember producing was a poster sized image of E.T. in oil pastels made after I’d seen the film with the cubs! My teacher used it as an advert for a school project based on a review of your favourite film. I started using oil paints as a teenager and did a couple of self portraits on canvas board which I remember thinking were ok at the time. I don’t know where they got to but I’d really like to see them again.

What inspired you and/or what inspires you now?

I’m a self-confessed design, illustration and art geek! If I see a piece of work in a gallery or magazine that has a clear meaning or that fulfils a brief succinctly then it can make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! There’s nothing quite as motivating as experiencing and understanding someone else’s work. I have a huge amount of online bookmarks to art and design blogs which allow me to keep up to date with new exhibitions and also tells me which design agency is producing the best work. When it comes to artistic motivation, colour, image and movement inspire me in equal measure. If I can create a sense of dynamism using an appropriate mix of colours and brushmarks then I can consider myself to be content. Artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Mark Rothko used colour and imagery in an epic way.

Do you have a workshop?

I am probably the luckiest person alive as I have exclusive use of a farm building courtesy of my extremely generous in-laws. It has a lot of natural light and its spaciousness allows me to lay several large canvasses on the floor meaning I can work on them simultaneously. At home I’ve converted my garage into a makeshift screen printing studio. My Fine Art degree was based in printmaking so I knew exactly what I needed to set up and once I’d sourced suppliers and built the work surface I was able to produce professional quality screen prints at a fraction of the cost compared to using professional screen printing facilities.

How do you manage to fit in art with your busy day job?

Good question! It comes down to a combination of having a very supportive wife and having to manage my time quite intensely in order for me to produce work of any value. I currently manage the graphics department of a tv channel in south London and the demands of the job combined with the daily commute means that I’m out of the house for around 13 hours each day. I spend as many weekend early mornings in my painting studio as I can and around an hour or so in the evenings preparing work for screen prints. As you can imagine, production on any collection of paintings or prints is slow but can be really rewarding once they’re finished.

My time sitting on a slow and unreliable train has to be well spent too as it’s quite a large chunk of my day. Anything from press releases, my own artist statement and even this article have been drafted as I travel to and from work!

Have you exhibited before?

I’ve had a handful of exhibitions from my student days and more recently. The years after I graduated were spent developing a career in graphic design and so I neglected any form of artistic collaboration. Now I feel that working with like minded artists is more important and in a way I’m playing catch-up with my student colleagues who focused on exhibiting their own work after graduation. Recently I’ve shown work in a group show in a south London gallery and I’ve just finished a 6 month residency at the Lime Tree restaurant in Lenham.

What are your ambitions for the future?

The dream would be to create paintings and prints on a full time basis although most artists need a second job in order to stay afloat and I’d be no different. I also enjoy sharing my knowledge with art lovers who’re interested in screen printing and this is a side of my practice that I can see grow in the future. I’ve published some comprehensive guidelines online on my blog that explain how to build your own studio and produce your first print that have created some interest and this form of artistic collaboration really fascinates me. Blogging is a valuable way of documenting your work and influences so if I can continue to make one or two valuable entries per week then anyone who chooses to follow me will be kept informed of my progress.

To exhibit at a London show such as the Affordable Art Fair or the London Art Fair as part of a local gallery would be something that I’m hoping to achieve in 2011. With this in mind, I’ve recently met with a Tunbridge Wells based gallery to discuss this possibility so watch this space!

The Private View, Maidstone Contemporary Art, Craft and Design Exhibition

After taking a day off work to retrieve a print from my show at the Lime Tree restaurant I was able to deliver all  six of my pieces  (three paintings and three prints) to the Graham Clarke Gallery, part of the Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone. These now form part of the Maidstone Contemporary Art, Craft and Design Exhibition curated by Vronni Ward, the Marketing and Consultation Manager at the council. The private view was on Friday night and was fabulous. I'm glad to say that these artworks looked very much at home in their first gallery exhibition, as did everyone's. I'm not too concerned about selling at this stage, it's just great to be part of a group of like-minded individuals celebrating an event that showcases our work.

Submissions for Local Exhibition Accepted!

A nice piece of news this week saw 6 of my artworks which I submitted to the Maidstone Contemporary Art, Craft and Design Exhibition be accepted. This is a great opportunity to chat with local artists and curators which I don't ordinarily get time to do due to work commitments. What will come out of it? Well, all works are for sale but it's just the chance to mingle and network that's more important to me at the moment and another entry on my artist CV.

Submitted Works:

3B - Silk Screen Print

 Cornfields on Broad Street B - Acrylic on Canvas

 Detling 12am - Acrylic on Canvas

Home - Lithograph

 Pilgrims Way 02 - Acrylic on Canvas

Thurnham Gale - Silk Screen Print

Multiplied Art Fair

I went to visit the first Multiplied Art Fair at Christie's in London on it's last night. Exhibitors included many traditional commercial galleries showing some fabulous prints by the likes of Francis Bacon, Damien Hirst and Eduardo Paolozzi at equally FABULOUS prices! But the new and refreshing element of this show was the inclusion of many newer contemporary galleries including Bearspace from Deptford South East London, Nobrow who publish books and posters from many talented illustrators and Print Club London who champion the fine art of silk screen printing. A quick chat with Adele from Bearspace established that the galleries and curators are comfortable with this mix where mainstream galleries are happy to be pitched alongside up n coming  outfits and the newer folds enjoy the kudos of displaying with their bigger counterparts. All in all it was a fantastic free event packed full of some incredible prints with the highlights for me being editions by David Spiller and Grayson Perry. Well done Christie's!!!

Saatchi Gallery, Kings Road, London

A few of us went to visit the amazing Saatchi Gallery for the 'Newspeak: British Art Now' exhibition and came away with these lovelies. Scott King's Pink Cher obviously the best of the lot....