How to increase your chances of getting into art shows in 3 easy steps
Each curator has their own vision and an idea for what they are curating. Although art is subjective and there is not a specific way to appeal to curators, there are some common issues we come across, and hope that bringing them to light will help you in the future, regardless where you apply.
3 simple tips:
1. Follow the submission instructions. Believe it or not, they are there to help you get your work seen. Each art organization operates differently, but they all have a streamlined process, so that they can go through all of the submissions smoothly, quickly, do their job flawlessly, and get back to you soon. Some places receive hundreds of submissions per call for art, and due to the amount of work that goes into reviewing and jurying, they aren’t able to reach out to each artist individually for additional requests.
What happens when instructions are not followed?
Sometimes submissions contain bad quality images that aren’t able to be published.
If there is a requirement for portfolio links or websites, make sure the links are active, that they do not lead to a private folder that requires access requests. Email it to someone or have a friend check it for you! Other organizations might want to be able to link you on their websites and social media but unable to do so if there are no working links provided. Here is an article we wrote on 5 easy steps to polish up your online presence.
2. Develop your portfolio. Even if you are a beginner artist, have at least 5 strong pieces to show. Some curators expect the style and pieces to be cohesive or more distinct, some expect that your portfolio expresses that you’ve been consistently working on something. If your portfolio consists of 10 pieces in different styles and directions, it’s much harder for the curators to see exactly what you are about, your artistic direction, or what you make, making it harder for them to curate the selection.
3. Apply to opportunities that fit your vibe. Sometimes it’s really not about the quality of your work! You can have a stellar set of pieces, but if the curator decides on the theme and your work does not fit the show, they won’t accept it simply due to that reason. There can also be limitations on show capacity, meaning out of 50 stellar artists curators can only choose 20. Imagine the difficulty of that!
Try to apply to shows that you might have better chances fitting in and save money on application fees. This one is harder for beginner artists that are trying to get their work seen, but if the show is geared towards figurative art - do not submit landscapes. If the show is geared around a certain theme - it will be described in the submission instructions.
No matter where you are in your career – all efforts matter! Thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing your work with the world. Best of luck!
Your team,
All SHE Makes
