Exhibitons, Open Calls, and other events for emerging artists
A list of thoughts and experiences taking part in the various events that emerging artists traditionally use to grow their followings (IRL and digital.)
Over the years, I have applied for (and sometimes selected to take part in) events ranging from local artists’ open house events, charity events, to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and other open calls. Each provides a specific type of exposure and benefits…as well as differing levels of prep required!!
These are my thoughts on and experiences of taking part, things that would have been helpful when I was planning what to try next.
I will (probably) continue to evolve this post as I take part in new events, but so far, a strong theme is:
What you put in, you get out.
If you want to skip to a particular type of event, then use the links below.
Artist Open House - great for meeting people from your neighbourhood, building a local support network of fellow artists, great if you produce art referencing your area/region, also great for smaller items (cards, small or unframed prints).
Large Open Call - great for exposure to a wide network of people, including “industry” folks, a fab ego boost and something to take the family and mates to, can lead to larger opportunities.
Charity Events - great for trying new mediums, giving back, and generally being a fab human.
Art Fairs - a great step/test to develop a sense of whether you can make a living from your art. Lots of work as you need to come across as very professional (or at least know what you are doing most of the time).
Host an Exhibition - a great way to start, as you control the size and type of event you put on. Lots of work, but you learn a lot of lessons very quickly!
Artist Open House - local to your area
I have participated in the past two Wandsworth Artist Open House events (one hosted in my own home and one partnering with a fellow artist). Both of them were great for connecting to other local artists - who are always super supportive of my work - and expanding my “real life” network, there is nothing better than being able to show someone the piece of used lino that went into creating a print or showing the five different versions of the edition for them to choose from.
These take a lot of preparation, firstly to get your prints and location ready and then promoting the event, lots of word of mouth, WhatsApp groups and a few old-school posters. Then you need to bring the positive energy to the event, usually a weekend or two, expect to be on your feet and (if you are lucky) explaining to a lot of people how you create, inspirations and plans. It can sometimes feel odd selling your art to people you know, but most of your visitors are there to support you, so having some smaller/lower-priced items can be popular.
Pros: Great for connecting with your neighbours, deeper/long-term connections are made that lead to future sales. Usually low cost to enter and zero commission.
Cons: Weather dependent, as they usually rely on people venturing out and finding your house. Not everyone is comfortable opening their home to strangers (and not everyone is comfortable knocking on strangers’ doors!
Large Open Call
This could be the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Woolwich Print Fair, Jacksons Art Prize etc. The first thing to call out here is that the best of the events are massively over-subscribed and there is a cost to enter, so you could spend a chunk of time and a significant amount of whatever budget you have before having any success (I resisted saying getting lucky there!)
For those selected, it can feel like a great validation of the time and effort you have put into your creative practice, particularly if you are an emerging or irregular artist. You should take the opportunity to attend as many of the connected events, webinars, ask loads of questions and meet as many people as you can.
I deeply regret not overcoming my introvertedness when I had the chance a couple of years ago. It was not until late in the day that I plucked up the courage to speak to an artist I had followed for years, who turned out to be super friendly and very supportive (obviously not a given, but you don’t know until you know, do you?)
Apart from creating, getting the entry in on time and endlessly posting on Instagram when you get selected, the preparation is far less than for other events. One word on pricing (as this was the hardest thing I found to do) - remember that you have to factor in increased commission rates (make sure you know what it is!) and that you are allowed to price for the event. If you are exhibiting at a local art fair, you will often lower or be quite flexible on price; at a big event, you can set them appropriately (remembering to think about others exhibiting and that you still want to sell something!)
Pros: Great for exposure, private view events with lots of other artists to meet/connect with, potential to make larger sales, confidence boosting
Cons: No guarantee of getting in, often a large commission is charged, will leave you wanting more (could be a pro in disguise😊)
Charity Events and Activities
There are so many ways you can support a charity/non-profit. These not only provide some much-needed funds for your cause, but they can also give you a little exposure bump (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of mutual benefit).
If you want to support a particular cause, it’s probably best to talk directly to them before launching a sponsored blindfold etching event. The simplest would likely be offering them a % from sales or a direct contribution, but you could always get a bit creative together.
If you don’t have a specific cause in mind then keep your eyes open at places like The Artist Information Company (a-n) who have an active jobs and opportunities board.
Most events run yearly, so if you see something that you would have liked to take part in, find a social media page or mailing list so that you are in the prime position for next year (and practice, get ready so you are good to go!)
These events also allow you to stretch yourself into a new medium, for a recent exhibition/auction called Secret 7" supporting Warchild, I created a record sleeve using hand-drawn images mixed with collage - it was such a lot of fun (and work) and way out of my comfort zone.
Pros: Supporting others, good vibes, opportunities to try new things, expand network
Cons: Timings may not always be right, need to think carefully about the cost of your creation…but those should be minor…go for it!
Art Fairs
Yes, it would be great to be invited to Frieze or Affordable Art Fairs, and well done if you have…I don’t think you would have got this far in an emerging artist’s post, though, right?
If you haven’t yet but would like to, first get some experience and learn the ropes of all that goes into being successful at these types of events before you get the shot at the big time!!
A lot of the advice about artist open houses also applies here: be prepared and get ready to talk about and promote your work to strangers…don’t wait for them to ask you questions, let them know about your practice and inspiration.
The best piece of advice I remember from the fab first couple of series of Ask an Artist podcast with the ridiculously talented Laura Boswell and Peter Keegan was to be remembered as the person that helped - whether that is having a hammer for nailing hooks, bits of tape for securing table or having a working card machine so that someone can resuce a sale from the peril of dodgy wifi. It will get you more invites, extend your artist network…and remind you of everything you need to cover when Fieze inevitably call.
When you get to the day or weekend of the event, make sure you are fueled for talking, smiling and standing (so many folks sit passively waiting for customers to burst forth and demand to be sold to!!) Hopefully, you will make some sales on the day, but ensure that everyone you speak to either takes a business card, signs up for your mailing list or follows you on your favourite social media. I have made several sales a few days or weeks after an event.
I am at an event next week, so this section may expand!!
Pros: People visiting are usually interested in buying something, opportunity to sell large pieces, great for expanding network, lots of other supportive artists
Cons: You are on your own for this one; it can be a little intimidating being alongside more established artists, but be well prepared, and you should be fine.
Host an Exhibition
This might seem like something that only comes once you have “made it”, but hosting your own exhibition is a great way to learn lessons very quickly! Organising a small event for friends and family with a couple of other artists is brilliant for getting a feel for budgeting, marketing and how to display your work to the public…it is also a great excuse for an opening night celebration of however far you have come already.
If you are lucky enough to be attached to a studio or on a course that holds an end-of-year/study event, take the opportunity to volunteer to help organise it. The first two exhibitions I was part of were self-funded and incredibly different (both in terms of outcome and expectations.)
If anyone wants details on some of the specific lessons learnt and experiences, then contact me directly - there were some universal themes of getting out what you put in, picking the vibe of a place to exhibit, footfall and how to deal with money issues.
Pros: Learn lessons quickly, you can start small, you get to throw a party, you get to see your work in the wild
Cons: Some lessons can be costly (to ego and pocket), it takes a lot of time to prep (inc. finding venues)
Last Thoughts
Whatever you decide to do, go for it! It is incredible to see the response of strangers to your work (even if it is a very blunt “this isn’t my thing.”) It will get easier to stand up and start conversations about one of your creations…and your storage and bank balance will thank you for it…even if it is so that you can create more.