Curated Shows & Competitions
Many artists think the only way to build a career is to connect directly with commercial galleries and get invited to exhibit in their shows. There are plenty of other ways to get your work seen such as curated exhibitions, fundraisers, calls for entry, juried exhibitions and competitions.
Curated Exhibitions
With curated exhibitions, artists are invited by the curator to participate and there is no entry fee. These shows are a great opportunity to get your work seen and to meet new people. The best way to find curated exhibitions is to network with other artists and curators. Support curated exhibitions by following young curators and attending their shows. Many young curators are enthusiastic, open and interested in discovering new artists. If you meet someone who is curating interesting shows, tell them you like what they are doing. Invite them for a studio visit, and ask them to take a peek at your website and keep you in mind. You should also, and we’ll get into this in a future chapter, consider curating or co-curating an exhibition yourself.
Fundraisers
You will undoubtedly come across many fundraising or charity shows over the course of your career. Schools, institutions and nonprofits use exhibitions to raise funds for their programs. Individuals or groups often put fundraisers together to raise money for disaster relief or a specific cause. If you hear about an interesting charity exhibition, reach out and see if they still need work. It can be a great way to network while contributing to something positive. An artist once told me his first charity exhibition was one of the high points of his career. Seeing his work hanging next to artists he admired boosted his confidence and supporting a charity he believed in gave him an easy conversation starter at the gala. Things to consider with fundraisers are:
• Where is the money going? Is it a reputable organization or charity? Is the cause in alignment with my values? You never want your name attached to something shady or a cause you don’t agree with spiritually or politically.
• What am I being asked to donate and what is the sales structure? Sometimes these shows have an auction component. Sometimes it’s a more straightforward exhibition format. Some shows will ask you to donate the piece entirely. Other times the host gallery will donate all or a portion of their commission if your piece sells. Sometimes the organizers will ask that you donate a percentage of your commission. It varies so be open. Just make sure you understand, and are comfortable with, what’s going to happen from a sales standpoint.
• What happens to my piece if it doesn’t sell? Will I get it back? If not, who gets it and/or where does it go? As a rule, you should always keep track of your art, wherever it goes.
• Is there a fee to attend the reception or event and if so are the artists invited to attend free of charge? If it’s a fancy event people are paying to attend, you definitely want to go. There will be snacks and drinks and all sorts of people to meet.
Calls for Entry & Competitions
An exhibition where you submit work for consideration in the hopes you’ll be selected is usually referred to as a Call for Entry or Juried Exhibition. You’ll find mixed opinions about these types of shows because many require an entry fee and the quality varies. But there are some good shows out there and it’s definitely one way to build your exhibition history, and gain experience and exposure. These shows are also easy to find. At the end of this book you’ll find a list of websites that collect and share information about these types of opportunities. There are also regional lists you can access. Just search your city or region along with keywords like “artist opportunities” and “call for entries.” Some lists have a subscription fee and send you emails. Others you can search for free. Check out several. Join and/or revisit the ones you like. Keep the following rules in mind when deciding which exhibitions to submit your work:
• Check the requirements closely. Many exhibitions have specific parameters. For instance, they’re only open to artists from a specific area or working in certain mediums. You don’t want to waste time or money submitting to the wrong shows.
• Beyond the listed parameters, evaluate the theme and the curator’s taste. If you don’t know the curator, look them up. Be selective and submit to a few shows you have a very good chance of getting into rather than several you probably won’t.
• You’ll find these types of opportunities pop up at a variety of venues ranging from innovative nonprofit institutions to small museums to commercial galleries just looking to make a buck on the entry fees. Research the venue and let that factor into your decision. If you’re a great fit for a show at a museum, submit your work. A museum show, even at a small, rural museum, always looks good on a resume.
• Don’t spend a lot of money and be careful to whom you give your money. If a reputable, nonprofit space requires a reasonable fee (say $25 or less), and the money is going towards supporting that institution or mounting the exhibition, that’s one thing. If it’s clearly a moneymaking proposition for the exhibition host, be more discriminating.
• Read the fine print. If you’re accepted, is there a fee to participate? That’s a big red flag. What about shipping? It’s standard for the artist to pay to ship work to a venue and for the venue to pay to return unsold work. If you’re required and willing to pay for shipping both ways, that’s fine. Just try to determine before applying if you’ll be expected to cover any additional or non-standard costs.
• Keep your goals in mind. For instance, let’s say Art Dealer X owns a gallery you would love to show with, but they aren’t taking submissions. You notice that same dealer is curating a show with a nature theme at a local nonprofit to raise money for the botanical gardens. You have some terrific nature-themed works. It’s $25 to submit to the exhibition. Maybe you aren’t a huge fan of the exhibition space. But would you pay $25 to have Art Dealer X look at your work? Yes, you would. So, as long as you have appropriate work (remember, you never want to waste anyone’s time) submit to the show. If you don’t have an appropriate piece finished, but have the time and ability to make something that meets the parameters while still representing you as an artist, make a new piece. Maybe Art Dealer X will like your work and remember you for his own gallery. Maybe he won’t. Maybe you’ll get into the show. Maybe you won’t. But he will see your art and that’s valuable. It’s worth mentioning that some shows are blind submissions. That means the curator(s) won’t see your name when they evaluate your work for the show. They will see your name if you get into the show. And if for some reason you don’t, but they’re interested, the curator can access that information.
• Don’t bother with online-only exhibitions. Stick to shows where your work will be exhibited and seen in person.
Competitions & Juried Publications
Competitions are similar to juried exhibitions. You’ll find them through referrals, friends and also on the same sites that list juried exhibitions. They tend to be more general but with some sort of award like cash or inclusion in an exhibition. There are also art magazines that host competitions and even juried art publications. As with other opportunities, do your research. Make sure it’s a publication you’d want to be associated with, or featured in, before submitting. And then apply the general rules above and be very careful of the fine print. Some charge to be included once you’ve been accepted. New American Paintings is an example of a publication that does not. The issues are organized by region with a different curator/juror each issue. It’s $50 to submit and there are no additional fees. It’s a blind jury process but many curators, galleries and collectors browse New American Paintings to see who is selected.