NHAA Artist-Curated Exhibit Timeline and Artist Expectations

Set Goals

What originally motivated you to decide to do your show? What is it that you’d like to get out of your exhibition? What will make it a successful exhibit for you?

Consider that there are many definitions of artistic success. For example, your goal may be to exhibit your work in a public arena so that you can share your artistic vision. Or you may want to use the exhibit to get your name out there and help establish your reputation as an artist for the future. If selling your work is your main goal, then marketing and promoting your exhibition will be an area that you need to dedicate a lot of time to. Whatever your goals, it is important to establish them up front because they will guide you through the next steps.

Prepare

Creating your artwork may only be half of the work! It’s important for you to allow sufficient time to plan all the details of your exhibition- don’t wait until the month before hanging to do this. Inevitably, there will be unexpected things that come up, and you do not want to be under pressure of not having been prepared. For example, what will the ‘theme’ of your show be? In other words, what is the unifying thread that will tie your pieces together? Having an exhibit where the pieces relate to each other in some way makes for a much stronger exhibit than just having an assortment of images that, while individually strong, do not relate to each other. Remember to put together your artist’s statement (specific to the work in the exhibit), which you will want to include in your exhibit. Since you can’t be there every hour your exhibit is open, this is your way to tell the viewers what you want them to know. Tell them what inspired you, elaborate on your subject, or share information about your process or the medium. This information is a selling tool. If you are renting a gallery and sharing the space with other artists, it is important that you work with each other as you plan your exhibit and the pieces that you will include, so that the artworks together add to the theme of your exhibit and the story you want to tell. It is also important that you determine how you will ‘stage’ your space to further enhance the theme. This is especially important if you have rented the front window. DO NOT WAIT until the last month to start thinking about how to present your work. The more prepared you are, the more successful your exhibit will be.

Advertising & Marketing

Once the artwork is created and you’ve determined the look and feel of your show, it’s time to put the plan in place to get visitors into the gallery. Through our PR efforts, NHAA provides general publicity for your exhibit, but you will want to do more. How will you get the word out about your show? There are many vehicles for advertising and marketing, such as Facebook, Instagram, email, and digital or printed postcards. Other good tools for advertising and marketing are MailChimp and press releases. It is important to not only determine how you will get the word out, but also figure out who your audience is.

Artwork is often sold to customers who know the artist. Start assembling the contact information for people you know- friends, relatives, neighbors, professional associates, and don’t forget to include prior customers. Determine if you can leverage other organizations where you might be a member. The wider your reach, the greater the chance of getting people to see and purchase your work. One example of how you can cultivate your audience is to target your outreach efforts. If your work is about animals, reach out to local animal shelters, birding groups, environmental groups, etc.

Pricing & Selling Artwork

The million-dollar question: How do I set my prices? There is no one answer, and there are many factors to consider when pricing artwork. Here are some recommendations and considerations:

  • What were my material costs to produce the art?

  • What was the value of my time to produce the art? Most artists will tell you it is difficult to recoup the total cost of their time but it is important not to give your work away.

  • Is your work reproducible, such as photography or printmaking, where you can print multiple copies? Or is it an original painting, sculpture, etc?

  • How have your sales been in the past? If your work sold very quickly in the past, consider raising your prices. If your work did not sell at your last showing, consider trying a new approach, such as making smaller works or prints.

  • You can always raise your prices, but we advise against lowering your prices. When a collector buys your work, they are making an investment in you. Lowering your prices signals that it was not a good investment, and you risk breaking your collectors' trust.

  • Who are my peers, and what are they charging? Is there a precedent of prior sales in the area you are selling? Do your homework and know what the price range is for work similar to yours.

  • Ensure there is consistency in the pricing of pieces in your exhibit. In other words, if you have several pieces of approximately the same size in the same style and complexity to produce, with the same presentation/framing, they should be priced similarly.

  • It is really important to sell your work at constant prices, even if they are in different galleries. This includes your own online gallery if you have one. Why? First, if a customer buys your work at one gallery and then sees your work at another gallery at a lower price, they will not be happy. Second, by pricing inconsistently, you are ‘training’ potential buyers to only shop at the place where the lowest price is, ultimately reducing your flexibility to sell in multiple places. And if they start to comparison shop, they will be less inclined to purchase when they see the work, since they will wonder if they can get your work cheaper elsewhere. But what about varying commissions, you ask? You do need to consider commissions, but do that when you set your initial price, so you know you are covered. Sometimes you will get more and sometimes less, but at least you will make something you are comfortable with.

  • Consider offering a variety of sizes and price points of work in your exhibit so there is something for everyone.

 Recommended Timeline
Note: The timeline below is meant to give you an overview of the timeline of tasks. You will receive communication from the NHAA staff with specific actions and due dates required for your exhibit.

 7-8 Weeks Prior

  • Ensure you will have the pieces you need for your wall or gallery, using wall measurements to guide you. Having a few extra pieces as backup is always a good idea. If you need to ‘create’ more pieces, now is the time to do it.

  • Finalize how you will handle framing/matting of pieces. They do not have to be identical, but some consistency in look is beneficial since all will be hung on the same wall or together if you are renting East, South, or Frazier galleries. Plan ahead so that you can avoid expedited shipping charges and have more choices.

  • Think about what marketing materials you may want to use (postcards, flyers, posters, etc.) and have an idea where you will source them.

  • Post in-progress studio images on social media with a save-the-date to build anticipation for your exhibit. Reels, stories, and posts are all great tools to showcase your work and build your audience. Tag @nhartassociation in your posts so that we can repost to our stories.

  • Start to assemble a list of contacts (friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, former teachers, service individuals, etc.) you will tell about your exhibit and determine how to reach them (mail, email, postcards, flyers, etc.)

  • Schedule a mandatory 30-minute meeting with Amanda and Mandela to go over your plan. This meeting is designed to help you fine-tune your exhibition and finalize details such as your exhibit title, plan for signage, gallery layout, etc. Mandela will use this time to get more information about your theme and quotes for PR. We prefer for the meeting to take place in the gallery so that we can envision your exhibit, but if necessary, we can have the meeting over Zoom. Bring your questions and ideas!

 6 Weeks Prior

  • Order postcards and other marketing materials. Postcards are a low-cost and effective way to advertise exhibitions and can be sent to your network of family, friends, and associates. They can also be put in the gallery during your exhibit for visitors to your exhibit. If you need help designing your postcard, NHAA has a Canva template that we can share with you, along with information on the member portal. Please include the NHAA logo, website, and address on your postcards, along with the full exhibition dates and opening reception details. Finally, you can source postcards through Staples, Vistaprint, or Moo. Please ensure that if you feature artwork on a postcard that the piece will be in the exhibit.

  • Continue to post on Social Media at least once a week. Your followers love seeing the behind-the-scenes of how you prepare for your exhibit. Share posts about works in progress, postcard designs (ask for addresses from your followers and send them out), framing, and other final touches. Remember to tag @nhartassociation.

4 Weeks Prior

  • Finalize the layout of the artwork at home. Refer to the floor plan provided with measurements of your space. Remember the right proportion of art to the size of the wall.

  • Notify the gallery if you want to use a pedestal in front of your wall or your gallery for a sign-in book, or 3D work. Also, let the gallery know if you need a portfolio rack for any unframed pieces.

  • Start photographing your work. You will be asked to upload all of your images to ArtCall 1-2 weeks before your exhibit. Make sure that your photos are high-res with a neutral background. Modern smartphones are perfect for photographing and editing your photos. Photos will be used in PR, on the website, NHAA social media, newsletters, and more. It is wise to spend some time working on this and making sure that you are accurately representing your work.

  • NHAA will automatically print your exhibition in vinyl, and the cost is included in your rent payment for the gallery. This is something we will talk about during the mandatory 8-week meeting.

  • Notify the gallery if you plan to have an artist talk or reception other than participating in the Art ‘Round Town reception to ensure no conflicts with other planned activities. If you want to work together on this with other artists exhibiting the same month and hold a joint special reception, feel free to do so. Many artists choose to hold a closing reception on the last (or second-to-last) Saturday.
    SPREAD THE WORD!

  • NHAA will send press releases to local media outlets, but you should also do your own push. Send press releases to your hometown news/media, or add to online calendars or local town publications. Post to your Facebook and Instagram social media platforms weekly (and tag @nhartassociation). Mail/distribute postcards. Email your contacts with exhibit announcements.

  • Invite special guests to the gallery for any receptions or artist talks held.

 1-2 Weeks Prior

  • Upload images of all artwork that is for sale, including prints, into ArtCall so we can post your work for sale on our website. You will be emailed a special ArtCall link to use. This process can take a long time, depending on how many pieces are in your exhibit. Make sure you set aside enough time to get it all uploaded. It is much easier for the gallery staff to delete a piece than to add one at the last minute because we have to make wall labels and post to the website, so we are ready ahead of time when you physically hang your exhibits. PLEASE, no changes to titles or prices once submitted.

  • Print inventory labels for each of your pieces. You can print out completed inventory labels directly from the ArtCall system. Then, hole punch and attach with a string to the wire on the back of each piece. For small works such as notecards, stickers, or prints that you wish to have available, you will have to use the standard NHAA Inventory Labels available on the Member Portal. These labels are important because they ensure the correct info is captured at the time of sale, so you will get the proper payment for the sale.

  • For in-person receptions, NHAA will supply cups, napkins, plates, tablecloths, and tables. We also provide beverages and light refreshments. OPTIONAL: Some artists like to provide (thematic) snacks and refreshments for the reception. For example, recently we had artists with a sea/fish themed exhibit bring in goldfish and Swedish fish to share with their patrons. This can add a fun element to the reception. We have also had artists who like to bring in flower arrangements.

  • Email exhibition reminders to your network and invite them to the opening reception.

  • Post/story share on social media every day or every other day.

  • Practice your “elevator pitch” and think of talking points to share with your patrons during the opening reception.

  • Opening reception: This is your time to celebrate! Invite your contacts to attend and be prepared to talk about your work. Plan on being in the gallery for the entire opening. Make sure you have friends and family take some photos of you to share on social media!

  • Be in the gallery as much as possible during your exhibit. Visitors are more likely to purchase a piece if they see and speak to the artist in person. You can schedule a special walk-through/artist talk about your exhibit if you wish. Check with the gallery staff to avoid scheduling conflicts.

  • Remind your network to visit you at the gallery when you're gallery-sitting.

  • Post/Story Share on Facebook or Instagram 3-5 times a week.

  • Take high-quality images of your exhibition for future use.

Helpful Links:
Artist Statements
 https://www.artdex.com/the-complete-guide-to-writing-an-artist-statement/
https://thecreativeindependent.com/guides/how-to-write-an-artist-statement/

Pricing your Artwork
 https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/seven-rules-for-pricing-your-artwork

Talking About Your Art
 https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/how-to-speak-confidently-about-your-art
https://artbusinessnews.com/2020/05/how-to-talk-about-your-art/

Exhibition Design

Photographing Your Artwork
 https://willkempartschool.com/how-to-photograph-your-paintings-with-your-iphone/