6 Reasons You Should Seek Art Opportunities Outside of Your Local Area
All SHE Makes directory artist - Alexandra Chiou
As we head into another holiday season (are we technically in it already?), I’ve been thinking about my goals for 2022. It’s never too early to start planning ahead and hopefully you already are! For artists just embarking on their careers, I always recommend seeking out opportunities in your local area first because it is easiest and you likely already have a network of connections to begin with. That said, eventually, you will want to expand beyond your town or city. You’ll most likely arrive at this point naturally where you realize that you are ready to take on bigger challenges and projects, and that you want to do more with your studio practice. Yes, you can certainly make great strides promoting yourself and your artwork online, but here are reasons why you should seek out in-person opportunities beyond where you live or where you’re from.
1. Reach a wider audience of fans & collectors
This one is basically a given! The more you hustle to land exhibitions, gallery representation, mural projects, and/or museum acquisitions beyond where you currently reside, the more name recognition you will build for yourself. Others will naturally learn about you and at first this will turn into more followers and fans of your works, but over time this will lead to your collector base growing. That said, it’s always nice to remember your roots and remain active in your local community, so even when you start to expand into new territories, be careful not to burn bridges and keep in contact with the connections who helped you out at the beginning.
2. Diversify your professional network
Securing opportunities outside of where you live can speed up the process of developing your career exponentially. Your work will likely be seen by new curators, gallerists, writers, consultants, designers, and many others in the industry who may not have had access to your art otherwise. You never know where one person discovering your work might lead you. Sometimes it only takes one introduction to elevate your career to the next level. I’ve absolutely experienced this personally and I know many others have as well!
3. Gain a deeper understanding of the industry
In having your work seen by a wider network of industry professionals and meeting these new contacts, you’ll also learn so much more about the art world. You’ll hear their experiences, become aware of how their various roles differ, and see the multiple ways that people work. Although I hope in your case that these will be few and far between, putting yourself out there may expose you to scams, bullies, and others who will try to take advantage of you. As annoying, disappointing, or frustrating as it is to deal with them, it will arm you with the knowledge of how to avoid these situations and people in the future.
4. Meet new artist friends
As an antidote to the last point that ended on a sobering note, I do want to remind you that there are so many incredibly warm, welcoming, and supportive professionals in our industry. If you have a fabulous network of creatives in your community, this is your chance to meet even more people to add to your circle! It won’t be as easy to meet up with the artist you met through your mutual gallery in another state or the one from another country who was your residency roommate, but you can certainly stay in touch online and maintain a great relationship or friendship for years to come. Plus…
5. Have an excuse to travel
Now you’ll have another reason to travel, which I know numerous artists want to do more of. Whether it’s to see your first solo show in a different city, attend that amazing residency you were accepted to, or visit your artist friend in their hometown, these outside opportunities will provide you with many excuses to go to exciting new locations. You might consider applying to a handful of opportunities in your dream travel destination to check more than one thing off your bucket list at once! Of course, more traveling will necessitate a bigger budget on your end, but this goes back to my first point. Building a wider audience invites new collectors, more sales, and possibly additional sources of income to help finance your trips. Finally, keep in mind that traveling can also spark inspiration and bring you fresh ideas for your work, or simply give you a break from your normal routine.
6. Build up your resume
You know I had to end with this one since I’m such a stickler about having a professional resume! There will only be a finite amount of opportunities in your area unless you’re incredibly savvy to keep making them on your own. I’d definitely suggest strategically targeting a new geographic location instead. You’ll feel accomplished as you tack on lines to your artist resume. Furthermore, you will instill greater confidence in your collectors about the value of your work, advance your career, and open yourself up to greater possibilities. The more experience you have, the more opportunities will come to you rather than you having to apply for or pitch them. It takes effort to get to this point, but is so worth it when you do!
So, if you’ve been shying away from looking for new opportunities beyond your local area, I hope you’re inspired to start laying the groundwork now. Do your research, send out submissions to ones that seem like a great fit for your artwork, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you’ll hear successful responses back for whatever it is that you hope for in 2022 and beyond!
-Alicia
After the success of my first template, I’m excited to launch my second one: 100+ Subject Lines for Artists! Email marketing is so important, but I know firsthand that what you write both in your newsletter and the subject line can feel overwhelming. I created a PDF guide that doesn’t just give you ideas for subject lines for sales, exhibitions, studio announcements, and more, but that also provides over 20 insider tips for best practices and 30 buzzwords to engage your subscribers. Check it out on my website www.aliciapuig.com/templates.
