Why?

You want to get your work out there. What types of opportunities and venues are there? What is the etiquette when it comes to approaching galleries and curators? What’s the difference between a commercial venue and a non-profit, and what does that mean for the type of work you want to show? What type of research should I do? These are the topics that will be addressed in this chapter.

Required

Response Questions

Select one question below to which you will respond. Remember to cite specific instances from the text to support your views.

• Which venues/platforms seem like the best fit for you and your work? Why?
• If the traditional gallery frameworks seems like a bad fit for you, what might be alternate paths for you? In what ways will they not work for you? How might you get your work out there outside of the opportunities outlined in the chapter.

Supplementary Readings

These are optional readings to help enrich your understanding of the themes of this reading set.

Getting into Exhibitions

Ask the Art Professor: How Can I Get Into Art Exhibitions?, HuffPost

By Clara Lieu

December 6, 2017

Words: 941

~6 minutes

“When I was at the very beginning of my career I had no exhibition history to speak of, so I had to start somewhere. Beginning locally seemed to be the most accessible way into exhibitions, so I looked online for local juried exhibitions that I could enter, and spent a lot of money on entry fees. I was not selective about where I showed my work. Anywhere anyone would exhibit my work, I jumped at the opportunity. This strategy was effective in terms of raising my local visibility and building my resume, which is essential when you're just getting started. I exhibited my work at all sorts of contrasting venues: an office building, local art centers, a gallery that was in a subway station, open studios and many others. Don't be shy and be sure to attend the opening reception of every exhibition you're in to meet the other artists, the gallery director and the juror in person. This is a great way to network with other artists and get your name out there on the local art scene.”