How to prepare your first exhibition

That’s it! You’ve decided to take the plunge: You’re going to do your first exhibition ! Great news!

The first exhibition is usually quite stressful, and you’re probably asking yourself the following questions:

• Am I ready to exhibit?
• Will the public like my work and my paintings?

If you ask yourself this kind of question, tell yourself that it’s perfectly normal, and I’d even go so far as to say that it’s a good sign! You must never be overconfident and always question your work, especially when you’re just starting out.

Above all, if you haven’t yet found a place to exhibit and you’re more motivated than ever, I invite you to discover my article: How to find exhibitions

 

Choosing and preparing your paintings

You need to make the right choice about the paintings you’re going to display. For this, I recommend that you choose paintings with a certain link:

• Anticipate hanging possibilities and space requirements.
• Choose formats that are easy to hang, such as single-frame paintings. Avoid presenting too many polyptych paintings.
• Prefer paintings in the same style, to avoid confusing the public and impose your image.

 

Are your paintings ready to be exhibited?

It may sound silly, but believe me, it’s one of the most important points. To avoid a sleepless night the night before your exhibition, I recommend that you prepare your paintings well in advance!

After all, you’re going to be showing your paintings to the public and possibly making sales, so you need to make sure your paintings are impeccable!

To prepare your painting :

• • Is your painting well varnished?
  • Is it flawless? (Poorly painted edges, distorted canvas)
  • Have you correctly fitted the keys to your chassis? Also check that it is not twisted.
  • Is the canvas tightly stretched and free of defects?
  • Is the painting ready to hang?

 

Packing the paintings

You’ll need to transport your paintings from your studio to the exhibition site. It’s essential to protect all your artwork from damage.

To pack your paintings I recommend :

• Either bubble wrap
• Either fabric
• Either cardboard packaging

In my case, I carefully wrap each of my paintings in bubble wrap.

Transporting your paintings

Once your paintings have been carefully packed, arrange them vertically in your vehicle, not horizontally.

In fact, if you stack your paintings on top of each other, you run the risk of damaging your canvases despite the packaging.

 

Communication & advertising

Have you thought about communicating about your exhibition?

Whether it’s a group exhibition or a solo show, it’s essential to publicize your work and spread the word to maximize your chances of attracting visitors.

As we say in marketing, it takes between 4 and 7 messages to get someone interested. So don’t be afraid to communicate!

Here are the actions I recommend
:

• Create an invitation card
• Create business cards and flyers to give away before and during the show
• Send an e-mail to your customers, prospects, acquaintances, friends and anyone else who might be interested (include your invitation card).
• Communicate with your audience: Facebook, twitter, instagram, your website, blog, etc.
• Create a press release and contact the media (local press & newspapers, radio, etc.).
• Communicate with local authorities and cultural associations

To create professional communication supports for artists, I invite you to watch my article and video: Communication media for painters

 

Find a theme

This is the exercise I have the most trouble with, but it’s important!

You must create a theme for your exhibition. This will have a greater impact on your communication.

 

Food and beverages

If your exhibition includes a vernissage, you need to be prepared to receive your public in good conditions. Here is a non-exhaustive list:

• Glasses
• Drinks
• Petit fours

Here is a list of what I recommend you have

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the equipment I recommend you have on the day of your show (not including food and drink).

• Tables for your communication materials
• Cards, flyers, catalogs
• A notebook
• Pens
• Scotch tape
• A guest book
• A price list of the paintings on display
• Something to hang your pictures on
• Certificates of authenticity

A little tip!

To attract as many people as possible, you can set up a competition with a prize draw to win one of your paintings. It’s also a great way to add addresses to your contact list.

 

Your attitude

Well, the first exhibition can be quite anxiety-provoking. As I show you myself in this video I made before an exhibition in my car.

It’s essential to maintain a positive attitude towards your audience.

• Be welcoming and make contact by greeting everyone present.
• Offer to explain your work
• If someone looks at your painting, tell them the story, and don’t wait for them to ask questions.
• Be open to criticism. Criticism is generally constructive, so don’t get defensive and listen to what you’re told.
• If someone denigrates your work, don’t put your head down, don’t put yourself down, and don’t lose confidence!

 

To conclude

Preparing an exhibition requires a great deal of organization. You need to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything so that you can feel totally at ease on the big day!

In any case, exhibiting is a superb experience that will enable you to exchange ideas and get feedback on your work. It’s an experience you have to have at least once…

What about you? How do you organize your exhibitions? Please share your experience with us in the comments at the bottom of this page.