How to get our work into galleries and stores?

> Do you have any suggestions on how to get our work into galleries
> and stores?
>
> Amy
> moderator

There are dozens of different ways:
1. For fine art, rent a space for a month, hang a show and invite
absolutely everyone, then call the press. Gets lots of photos, collect
any and all coverage in the press, then use that publicity to approach
galleries.

2. Hit lots of outdoor shows, hand out not only cards but statements of
your artistic philosophy, etc. And, maybe, make a few sales on the side.

Let’s face it, most people are here to sell their work; otherwise it is
nothing but a hobby.

3. Keep your eyes open to do tie ins with all sorts of events. Art
focused on a figure or theme that runs hand in hand with an event is
your key to the doorway.

4. Come together with friends as a cooperative joint venture and market
collectively, you can even try #1 as a group.

5. Make sure that you hit most of the ‘places to be seen’ but remember
why you are there, this is business.

6. Don’t be afraid of trying really small and/or out of the way
galleries and shops. My first gallery was in the university town of
Guelph, Ontario. You would not believe how many people would drive out
from Toronto for a day or weekend and in a town the size of Guelph, a
lot of them stopped by and spread work of my place not only across
Toronto but to Ottawa, Buffalo, etc.

7. Hit some of the many and varied cultural events around you (but make
sure that you will fit in). Women’s music festivals (sorry, I refuse to
use the politically correct spelling), county fairs, whatever there is,
get some space, show your art, and talk nice to every person who walks
by. Neither you nor I know what a rich art collector looks like until
we meet them.

8. Sign on with an agent and let them do most of the work and be happy
to pay them their fee.

9. Buy advertising in local or regional magazines like Yankee, Bucks
County, etc. There are magazines out there, find them and them put
together an attractive ad. You are artists, you can do this.

10. If you live in a rural area, get together with other artists and
artisans (to hell with this phony “I’m an artist but you are only a
crafts person: nonsense) and organize a weekend studio tour. Print
publicity, maps to all of your places showing all locations on a single
map, come up with a flag or sign that stands out that all can use (one
I remember was pineapple flags).

11. Be sure to doante small pieces to the most popular local charity
auction.

12. Let all of the local schools, civic clubs, and anyone else who
holds a meeting know that you are available as a speaker at one of
their luncheons, dinners, etc. Before you do this, make sure that you
are a decent public speaker. If you aren’t, join ToastMasters and
learn. This is very important.

13. Remember at all times that, unless you are signed with an agent or
a gallery, you are not just an artist, you are also a sales person
whose next rent or mortgage payment, whose next meal, depends on how
good a sales person you are.

Are those enough ideas to start?

If I offended anyone with my two earlier posts this evening, tough
stuff. I am here to meet people, to discuss serious topics. I am not
here to listen to people rant about art. If I wanted to hear such, I
would go back to an undergrad lounge at Princeton.

Charles

Article by Charles P. Arnold posted at Monochrome yahoogroups on 02 Jan 2005 – (I was the moderator Oruc Yildirim)

Mr. Charles P. Arnold please contact me if you are ok for posting your valuable thoughts – Thanks