Tips for Gaining Artist Opportunities

Becoming a successful artist requires getting your work seen by others. Not every artist enjoys exhibiting their work but unless the canvases are on a gallery wall or the performances are experienced, work will just sit in the studio collecting dust and deteriorating. In this post I have collated a list of key opportunities that artist’s use to get their work out into the world and so top tips for getting ahead of the competition. Whether the motive is gaining visibility, lucrative sales, networking opportunities, or exposure to collectors, curators, and fellow artists, I advise being well prepared. Before applying for any artist opportunities most will require certain documents that should be well considered in advance. My overview of traditional forms of art marketing looks at the essentials: artist statement, bio, CV, website, and press packs.It really helps to have a strong online presence through social media marketing, embracing networking especially at art events and to present professionally.?

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Become familiar with some of the top opportunity platforms (both international and regional) such as Art Connect, Art Quest, and Res Artis. Sign-up to their newsletters to prevent missing important deadlines.

The key is to remember that opportunities are not just for the artist but also for the gallery, institution or whoever is offering it – it is a two-way street. When applying for anything, consider what each side has to offer.

Main starting points:

-?????? Find opportunities and make a note of deadlines

-?????? Research the opportunity provider (gallery, institute, organization)

-?????? Be clear on an organization's mission statement, what are the jurors looking for?

-?????? Read and follow guidelines and instructions clearly

-?????? Be prepared with all documents and online support material

Artist opportunities to consider:

Exhibitions

Exhibitions are vital in an artist's career development. They boost credibility and showcase what an artist is about and open the door to more opportunities. Any early career artist may experience difficulty in getting their first shows but it gets easier. As soon as a resume is full of shows they just keep coming. Galleries and curators don’t tend to gamble too much. They go with artists they know will deliver quality and on time for a show.? Exhibition opportunities can be split into three categories: solo, group, and online.

Most artists start out showing their work in group exhibitions. Whether it’s a show organized by a degree program or a group of artists coming together, there can be many advantages such as pooling resources, pulling in a broader network, and sharing the workload. If the rejections to open calls are piling up it’s important to be proactive and create opportunities: hire a space, get a group of artists together, do the marketing in-house. Group shows a great learning curve, they also help with early-career exhibition nerves – ever waited for a private view to start for a solo show wondering if anyone will turn up?? During the pandemic there was a big boost in online exhibitions. This type of show can be good for getting noticed, especially if it is organized by a big art platform. There is the benefit of very few overheads (there is usually a fee to partake) and it can be good for boosting sales too, especially for limited edition prints.??

Residencies

I have already covered a lot about residencies in my guide to applying for artist residencies and how to choose the right residency. In these posts I cover the dos and don’ts of application and proposal writing as well as providing advice on how to assess the pros and cons of different residency programs. Websites such as Res Artis and Art Quest offer a lot of opportunities.

Awards and Prizes

Gaining an award can give an artist a boost in PR and many other benefits. It certainly looks good on the resume to have the acknowledgement when applying for other opportunities. One advantage of going to a good art school is that students are exposed to prize awarding bodies especially during graduation shows.Outside of art schools, prizes and awards are often advertised as open calls just like any other opportunity. Follow the tips in my intro: what are the jurors looking for? What work will showcase and fulfil their objectives.?

Art Fairs?

Art fairs give incredible exposure. Take a look at my post ‘Tips for Participating in Art Fairs’ for specific support on the application process, the dos and don’ts and where to find opportunities.

In this post I didn’t cover applying for grants and bursaries as this is a big topic! I will be covering this in detail in the future so watch out for it! Please feel free to share any feedback or tips below.

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