How to organise your own art exhibition
Exhibiting your work is an exciting and vital part of being an artist. Exhibitions allow you to share your work with others, make connections, sell art, and celebrate your creativity.
There are many different ways to host an exhibition. You can apply for grants or public-funded spaces, work with an educational institution, or reach out to galleries to represent you. Each presents its own benefits and challenges, but it can be time-consuming and frustrating to wait for a gallery or arts organization to ‘discover’ you. One of the best alternatives is showing your work with a rental gallery. Rental galleries are dedicated spaces that artists can hire for a period of time to produce their own exhibitions.
One of the main benefits of organising your own art show is independence. When you run your own show, you get to take charge of your artistic journey and lean into your own creative vision. You get to decide how you want to show your work, choose your pieces, and determine your schedule. Running your own exhibition enables you to grow as an artist, learning how to curate a show and promote yourself. You can build your portfolio and exhibition experience at the pace suited for you. A rental gallery is an investment in yourself as an artist.
As a rental gallery, Galerie ERGA has hosted many incredible artists. Just this year, we have had 22 artists rent our space for their exhibitions, ranging from novices to seasoned professionals. Like any creative endeavor, there is a lot of planning involved in producing your own exhibition, and it can be challenging to know where to start. We have learned much from helping the artists in our gallery make their visions a reality, and we would like to share some of the advice we have gleaned on how to best exhibit your own artwork
Pick a theme
It is important to pick a theme, timeline, or style for your show. Plan ahead and give yourself at least a year before the show to build your exhibition and consider what you want to create. Choose a theme or focus that inspires you and encourages you to share the genuine ethos of your work. A theme helps you focus your efforts and create a cohesive collection to display.
Decide on artworks
To decide what artworks you will exhibit, visit the gallery in person to visualize how the pieces will look in the space. Pick a variety of artwork sizes and styles. Think about storytelling and how the artworks relate to each other in color and concept. Choose a few key artworks that will be centre points of the exhibition alongside optional pieces.
Design a poster
Design a poster, or get a graphic design-savvy friend to make one for your exhibition. Make the artwork front and centre of your poster, and think about colour scheme and design. Your exhibition poster is a piece of art in itself and reflects your creative style. If you are stuck for ideas, take a look at galleries and artists you admire to see how they design their event promotion.
Promote your show
It is important to announce your show ahead of time so people can add it to their calendars and can spread it through word of mouth. Consider different platforms to promote your work, from social media to email newsletters. If you want to reach a wider audience it is worthwhile contacting press outlets or PR who can share the news of your show to their readers. While digital is a powerful medium, don’t forget the power of print. Give exhibition flyers to local shops or cafes. Sending or giving friends invitations directly is personal and effective. If there are galleries you would like to build a relationship with, contact them about your show or go to exhibitions so you can inform people in person. Don’t rely only on street traffic or the gallery’s network, shout about your exhibit far and wide so that you can make the most of the experience.
Vernissage and events
The vernissage is your ‘opening night’ event for an exhibition, a party of sorts where you invite people to celebrate your show with drinks, snacks, and mingling. Vernissages are a classic way to showcase your artwork, but you could break the mould and also have a special event, such as a music night, a poetry reading, a live painting session, or a Q&A. Multiple events bring in a broader audience, produces more opportunities for connections, and create more availability for visitors. Make sure to have a photographer to document your Vernissage for posterity and have a contact book so you can stay in touch with interested attendees.
Selling artwork
If you are unsure how to price your artwork, compare your pieces to other artists in your network. You can also ask the gallery what price range they would recommend from what has sold best with visitors. If the gallery takes commissions on sales or simply charges for the spaces, you can adjust your prices accordingly. Consider selling artwork prints, postcards, or stickers to create another source of income from the exhibition and provide a broader scope of mediums for people to own your work.
Installing and curation
Pre-plan how to best hang your artwork securely in the gallery space. Talk to the gallery about hanging options and materials. It is helpful to have a friend to assist with transporting and hanging the show. Bring extra artwork so you have different options for hanging. Artwork always looks different when it is in the gallery space, so it is important to be adaptable and play around with different layouts before you hang artwork on the walls. When it comes to curating your own exhibition, it is quality over quantity. Give artwork space to breathe on the walls so each piece can truly shine. If you want support, you can inquire about curators in your community. Some rental galleries, such as Galerie Erga, offer hanging and curation services for a reasonable additional price.
After the show
Once your exhibition is done, take the time to share photos of the show and the vernissage. Follow up with people you met and individuals who provided their contact details so you can build relationships. Make note of what you learned and what to improve for next time while the ideas are fresh in your brain!
Whether you are new to the art world or are an experienced artist, making your own exhibition has significant benefits. By producing your own show, you can take charge of your art career, build your experience, learn new skills, find community, and grow as an artist! When you make your own opportunities as an artist, you never know who you’ll meet and what doors you will open. We hope some of this advice will help you produce a show to be proud of. Contact us to learn about how Galerie Erga can help you make your exhibition a reality.