put on an art show

How I did it: I began planning in August - asking about a venue, gathering together frames, tabletop and display easels, and painting canvases specifically for the show to go along with what I already knew I wanted to put in. I'm a penniless college student (near literally), so I any place that wanted me to pay to set up my things was out of the running right away. I ended up having it at the local library; they were more than happy to let me set up in their conference room.

The show ran for two weeks in the middle of May. I put short notices in the newspaper's community section for those two weeks and for a few days both weeks, I sat a couple of hours in the room to make sure everything was still okay and to answer questions.

I didn't attach prices to anything because I assumed no one would care to buy my stuff. To my shock, I sold three paintings almost right away and was commissioned for another.

Lessons & tips:

• Don't be afraid to ask local libraries, community centers, or even a church if they would allow you to set up your show there for free (or a small donation). All of the above are often thrilled to have something like an art show available to bring people in. If you're still in school, ask faculty if it's possible for you to set up your show somewhere on campus.
• If some of your work is a bit risque, be sure to ask where the line is drawn with your venue. A library might not bat an eyelash at nudity. A church, however, might prefer that all of your art conform to their rules.
• Be aware that you will be asked questions about your work. If you don't feel comfortable baring your soul over each piece of work, just tell them that it was a study, or simply something of interest that you wanted to put into art form.
• Put notices in the newspaper, in store windows, at the library, in local craft and souvenir shops.
• Always, always clean up after yourself! If you leave a mess or something not belonging to you is destroyed, they'll most likely not be so welcoming to future shows.
• If you want to sell any of your work, put out a little sign, attach an unobtrusive tag to each piece, or just use sticky notes with prices. If no one knows you're willing to sell, very few will ask.
• Choose your date wisely. If you plan to set your show up over Christmas, Labour Day, or a particularly busy time of year, you won't get as many visitors.
• Put out a guest book. If nothing else, just buy a composition notebook. If you start getting discouraged with your work afterward, this is a great thing to look back at to give a little boost to your self-esteem. Also, tie a pen to your guest book (you don't want to think that your friends and neighbours are pen thieves, but your pens will disappear if you don't attach it). ;)
• If you sit at your show for more than an hour or so, bring a book. There will be lulls and it's not exciting to sit bored for a long time between visitors.
• If you have more than, say, ten canvases or pieces of work, get someone to help you! I didn't. I had around twenty pieces and I never imagined that schlepping all that stuff in or breaking it down would be such a huge undertaking. Get a friend or family member to help you carry.

Resources: My local library! I could not have put on my show without them. The employees were wonderful. They mentioned my show to people coming through, made sure no one bothered my things, and every single one came through to look at least once.

Aug 25, 02:55AM PDT | 0 comments | 2 cheers