Tips on Getting Your Work Selected for Juried Shows
Curators, Galleries, Presenters, Publishers, Producers, Dealers, Stores, etc. The harsh reality is that there are more artists than there are places to show case their work. Thus, those “in the places” seem to hold many of the cards. However, one still has to make an effort to get their work out there.
We also recommend creating your own opportunities to show your work with other artists (work with artists in other disciplines)!! Open Studios Events and establishing an alternative space or at least showing/performing in one, establishing your own magazine, are all ways to get your work out there!!
Research!
Before you approach anyone with your work, research the place and the person(s) who you would send your work to! Make sure they accept unsolicited proposals. If they do accept unsolicited work, see what their procedures are on reviewing work and follow them (if they have a submission form, they only take submission on certain days, etc..). Double check to make sure that you have the correct spelling of the individual’s name and their correct title.
Always remember the SASE – self addressed stamped envelope. Obviously make sure that your proposal is well done and professional (see our sections on these topics). Also check with others if it is a good place to be involved with (i.e. if they are a commercial gallery to the pay their artists on time, etc)
Keep track of the proposals you send out:
Keep a log or a master calendar of when and where you sent out proposals. If you sent out work and it has been over 3 months and you haven’t heard anything you might want to call the place you sent your work. REMEMBER that if you sent an unsolicited proposal to someone (especially a curator at a huge institution) they many not have or may never see your proposal due to their so called work load.
Cost Saving Tips for sending Unsolicited Proposals:
The standard package to send out is slides (visual materials) and support materials to those you are wanting to show/publish your work. It can get costly if you are sending out a large number of proposals with visual materials. One artists has started to send colored brochures he has made up of his work on his computer. Another person is sending good color copies of her work instead of slides. These are ways to cut down on the costs of slide duplication. The question of sending a CD with JPEGs comes up more often. Not all places have the technology necessary to view CDs. Call before you send a CD to see if they have they accept them for review. Also remember that technology does fail, so if it might be wise to send slides or a print out and a CD. Chances if you are sending an unsolicited proposal, they will not call you to let you know they couldn’t access the CD.
Courting the person you want to show /publish your work:
One should always send invites to their shows to the person you are trying to court. Make sure you highlight your name on the invite. The person may not come to your show, but it is important to send the invites. You should continue to send invites to the person even if they don’t come to your shows. Why bother you ask?? Well the person will start to hopefully get “name recognition” of you (i.e. by seeing your name over and over again they might recognize it). So when you send them an unsolicited package they might actually open it or if they meet you they might say “How do I know your name?”
Research and Enter Juried Shows:
There may be someone you want on the jury to see your work. Even if you work is not selected, at least the person saw your work. One of the major reasons gallery’s jury shows is to see new work and to find new artists. If there is a participation fee to enter be selective of how many you enter. These costs can add up and make sure you save the cancelled check for your taxes.
MISS MANNERS:
It is important to always be professional and polite when interacting with those who “hold most of the cards” (even if those people are less than kind or polite). Why you ask? Because those “people who hold most of the cards” all know each other and compare notes. If an artist is really difficult to work with or even to interact with- word gets around. It is small world, but it is even smaller in the art world.
Do Not become a serial stalker.
Remember chances are the person you are courting is overwhelmed with their job duties (especially if it is a call for entries you are sending for). Don’t call everyday to see it they got your packet. We recommend that you put a self addressed stamped postcard in your package for them to send back saying that they got your package.
The Art of Correspondence:
When sending a packet to someone you are courting the cover letter is important. It should be no longer than one page in length. It essentially is a letter of introduction. Thank you notes do make a difference. If someone has come by to see your work or writes/says that they want to keep your package thank them.
The Solicited Proposal:
If you are answering a call for entries – do it in a timely fashion and make sure your proposal is well done. If someone requested a proposal from you – send it out in the next two days from the request. Don’t wait or panic about it. The people “who hold most of the cards” don’t ask for proposals unless they want them.
Casually encountering the “people who hold the cards”
We have not been using the word “courting” in this section by accident. When you are trying to meet the “people who hold the cards” in a social situation, one needs to be in good form. Don’t barge in on someone else’s conversation with them just because you are desperate to meet the curator/publisher. Wait your turn or find someone to introduce you to the person. Don’t have extra slides/manuscripts with you in a social situation. Nor should you ever show these things at some one else opening. This is rude and tacky behavior.
The question of invitation giving at someone else’s opening:
If you are going to do it- do it discretely but only give invites to those you know at the gathering and/or put a stack down on the info table (if there is one). IT IS NOT wise to hand an invite to a curator/publisher at an opening. It is much too tacky. Instead send them the invite the next day with a note saying how nice it was to meet them.
When is it ok to have slides/proposals with me?
It is ok to have slides/proposals with you if you are doing “cold calls” with a commercial gallery/alternative space, but it is usually best to show them only if they request to see them. Again if you had a nice conversation with some one about your work or a nice general conversation, you might want to send them a packet with a cover letter saying how nice it was to meet them, two to three days later (not the next day).
Some area art spaces that have calls for proposals and/or guest curator programs:(please research each place before you send in an unsolicited proposal)
* Courtesy of the the Artists Foundation
