If you are serious about being an artist and marketing your artwork, you want to be taken seriously by curators, collectors, and other artists. It is vitally important that you pay attention to what other artists, collectors, and curators are up to. Artists learn by looking; it is simply indispensable in the profession. However, you would be surprised just how many artists there are out there who skip the necessary steps to get their feet through the right doors.
Before you simply waltz into the first gallery you see with your portfolio in hand, stop and think about it. Do your homework! Look at the gallery’s website and examine what kind of art they have shown in the past. Pay close attention to the submission guidelines. If the website is not specific enough, call the gallery ask questions.
Attending openings at galleries that interest you is a great way to network and observe the inner workings of those galleries in person. A tip for proper gallery etiquette: remember NOT to just start handing out your business card to every other person when you are attending another artist’s opening; it is unspeakably rude to the artist who is exhibiting. That doesn’t mean you can’t hand out your own cards, but do so gracefully. When you strike up a conversation with someone, wait for them to ask you for one; don’t just offer it.
Subscribe to magazines that appeal to you and will help to keep you informed on what the market is up to and where you fit in. Subscribe to online newsletters that let you know what is happening in your area. Get yourself on as many social networking sites as you can. You can refer to our blog article listing websites and magazines to help give you some ideas to start your research. Remember that research can be just as inspiring as it is informative. Have some fun with it!
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