         
Jenn Schaubother thoughts on walks, my walk and walks in generalok this is the final version the only thing i really need fedback about at this point is artists and websites that people should chck out. please feel free to put suggestions in the comments area at the bottom. I tried to kind of take all the suggestions into consideration. jenn Throwing a show. Written by Jenn Schaub Designed by Neil Forward First off say you picked this up and you are not an artist. Don¡¯t put it down yet. Start thinking collections and information. Think political or otherwise informed thoughts. Everybody has something that they want to share with other people. If you are one of those people keep this and every time you see the word artist, think me, and every time you see the word art, or work, think collection thought or idea. What is throwing a show? The term throwing a show refers to the idea that art no longer needs to take place in a traditional gallery setting to be acknowledged as a viable form of media. To throw a show infers that the artist takes charge of disseminating their work to the public outside of traditional gallery pretexts. Pretty much if you are creating work and you want people, friends, family, and the world at large to know what you are working on, ¡°throwing a show¡± is how to get your work out into the public. We will discuss 7 variations on how to throw a show, several of them are very close to the traditional methods of ¡°participating in gallery exhibitions¡± others expand the ideas of show. All of these ideas can be modified. All of them are elastic. They are meant to be a starting point for creativity and expansion. Before we get to ¡°throwing a show.¡± Always consider yourself in the curatorial role. As an artist one of the things that you do best is edit and reinterpreted information. Information is visual or informational the context for presentation is always important. Before you jump onto any one mode of presentation there are several questions to ask yourself, these questions do not have a wrong answer they are simply informative. Always be deliberate. Think why what when who where and how
Picking a method to ¡°Throw a show¡± is choosing a method of communication. The method that you choose will affect how people view your work. What you are making, will inform how to best present your work. In my opinion this is a two way street. Throwing a show can inform your work; it can effect and change the mode that you create in. Political artists often use signs, or posters placed in highly visible public places. This is done for several reasons. The placement of these signs is a deliberate as a form of disseminating information or getting the word out. The design of the posters is often ¡°eye catching¡± so that people look and notice a visual and written message. Sometimes content creates how you present your work and will inform the visual language you are using. Throwing a show can be a way to make money. There are some methods that are more condusive to making money then others. If you are throwing a show to make money make sure that the means matches the ends. Advertising is always important, always advertise. Every revolution requires propaganda. Spread the word for every 10 people you tell about your project or show maybe 1 of them will check it out, so run your mouth, drop emails, get on the phone, and spread the word. 1 rent a space High end:
What it is all about Showing work outside of the confines of a traditional gallery setting but having the possibility of a ¡°gallery feel¡± This allows you to still have the components and benefits of a traditional gallery but not deal with gallery owners, submitting slides, and someone telling what when and how. This can be useful because it eliminates profit sharing if you sell work. This is also useful if your work is not ¡°Sellable.¡± Many artists are interested in having the traditional gallery feel without the traditional gallery bullSht. Who the major contenders are The Core: the artist and or several artists as a collective effort The powers that be: rental agent and or landlord Other concerned parties: roommates and other tenets of the building Labor Resource: friends and family Sometimes this project can get pricey but if you work with others as a group the cost can be lowered. If you are looking into renting a new space the landlord will be a huge consideration, ask around for landlords/realtors that work well with artists. Any large changes that you make to a rental property can loose you your deposit, landlords do not always think change is good. Also, how you explain your idea will effect their decision, if it sounds like a party or a rave, chances are a landlord will not buy into you throwing a show in their space. Lastly, now will be the time to see who your family and friends are and start calling in favors, even a show in your apartment can go smoothly with a little bit of help, hauling around furniture, tech support, filling refreshment tables, talking up your work ect. When time of year As long as you are thinking indoor any time of year Where do you find these places? A storefront space that has not been rented over a long period is a good bet for a one month rental. Also look into warehouse spaces. The most underutilized form of show space is your own house, apartment, studio garage or even your back yard, now you can utilize the space in a whole new way. I have a friend who throws an art show/garage sale in her garage/yard in the summer, her friends, family, and the entire neighborhood, file through and check things out. Other people have cleaned out their entire house stuffing most of their furniture into one or two rooms, hanging work throughout the whole house and inviting the public. This worked well because the bedrooms became single gallery spaces for individual or several artists. Why (what type of work is best) Throwing a show like this opens itself to pretty much any type of work. However it is most useful for artists who are looking to eliminate the traditional gallery stigmas, hassles, and worries. Work that is generally offensive to the public, or does not ¡°fit¡± in traditional gallery settings can be great for this type of show. How Rent- What ever space you find If the landlord¡¯s name is not on the building check with surrounding businesses, if no one knows who the landlord is you will have to go to the county assessor¡¯s office. The county assessor keeps information about who owns properties, this may take a bit of detective work but a good space is often worth it. Advertise- flyers, invitations, announcements, emails, word of mouth, 2½ weeks before a show people need to know all the specifics. Clean-yeah even your apartment needs a bit of a spit shine so that the mold in the bathtub doesn¡¯t detract attention form the work. Renovate- a warehouse might need a new coat of paint Or even walls, generally lights are also a concern, in the house or in the warehouse/store front a gallery setting is all about the lights. Hang- a few days before the show, work out the kinks. Think about how to hang your work, pay attention to utilizing space. Creating a good flow of work through the room, once the space gets full how will people be moved along visually. Prior to opening night- it is a good idea to make signs telling people where you are at. Post them the day of. Day of- any last minute preparations food light bulbs ect. Sit back if you have spread the word people will come. Cost
2 find space in local businesses
What it is all about¡ This is a project for those with tact, finesse, and people skills. Ultimately this requires the artist to approach business owners and ¡°sell¡± them on the artist¡¯s work. The owner will need to be shown how the work will enhance the setting of the store. Generally very few pieces of work get sold this way however it is great exposure. Most of the time this type of ¡°show¡± does not allow for an opening; however business owners may be ok with advertising because it is promotional for them to. This is an important selling point to business owners, enhancement of store, customer enjoyment, and added interest. Who the major contenders are The core: generally best for individual artist The powers that be: store owner Other concerned parties: customers and patrons of business When time of year any time of year Any time of year, if you do it close to Christmas there is a better possibility of sales Where do you find these places? business districts try your favorite hang outs, or places to eat, places where you know the owner or have a relationship with them as a customer are the best finding a venue that you work ¡°fits¡± in is best. Burning guitars are not suited for a doctor¡¯s office although they might be great at the local coffee shop. Why (what type of work is best) Typically two dimensional, framed, or ready to hang work How Surveillance of business- go in check it out don¡¯t approach the business owner just yet get to know what the clientele is like see if your work would fit well in the space Ask yourself what the business owner is going to get out of having your work in their store? Visual excitement is your work calming does it fit the general feeling of the space, is there other work for sale in the space¡just a note, if the current artwork is bolted or screwed to the wall this is not the space for you. Go home-select some of your best pieces, think about how you are going to approach the owner, choose a time that is not their most busy time of day, have enough time set aside so that you do not have to rush. If you call ahead you run the risk of being rejected before you even walk in the door, I suggest just going. If you get the go ahead talk about expectations, what the circumstances for selling work are, if the store wants you to patch the walls be very precise about your expectations, and hopefully the business owner will be very precise with their¡¯s. Hang work- know ahead of the hanging date what types of hanging equipment will be appropriate, whether you will be responsible for patching repairing and repainting the walls. If it is appropriate advertise - A doctor¡¯s office does not want walk through traffic¡ A good line is ¡°stop in to blank coffee house for a hot cup of Joe and check out new work by Joe whomever¡± flyers, invitations, announcements, emails, word of mouth. Cost
3 use a civic space
What it is all about Showing works, spur of the moment, or planned. With one artist or a group. This always runs the risk of getting booted by the cops or someone asking you to leave. Avoid setting up shop in front of a functioning business without permission form the owner. This type of activity can be viewed as solicitation. If you are approached by a cop be polite, pack it up, and head home. Who the major contenders are The core: artist or artists The powers that be: cops city officials business owners Labor resource: You Other concerned parties: The public at large. When time of year Summer Where do you find these places? Look for somewhere that gets foot traffic but is off the beaten path¡ a busy street corner is probably not a safe bet, the middle of a park on a summer day¡much better. Why (what type of work is best) You name it, this type of show is good for just about anything including hand made craft items, large or cumbersome works may need to have a good pack up and evacuate plan. How Find a space that looks appropriate, take your stuff there and set up, neighborhood parks, work really well. If you are going to advertise or organize other artists to participate, it is suggested that it be a word of mouth, or email. Most often city parks have a limit on the amount of people allowed to congregate for a single purpose, however if people just show up¡ well then¡ Cost Nothing unless someone needs to bail you out of jail. 4 utilize potential public showcases
What it is all about Getting your work out, without having a formal situation. Less physical confrontation with the public, this can be a great way to spread ¡°the word¡± or advertise a website. However it can also be a fantastic way to influence visual culture. Using utility poles as a ¡°gallery¡± can expose a vast amount of viewers to your media or message. Who the major contenders are The core: artist or artists The powers that be: The law, editors Labor resource: You Other concerned parties: The public at large. When time of year If you decide to use telephone poles and color copies, the rainy season is probably not a good time of year, but there is always lamination. Often things get swiped from poles, so make sure you are prepared for things to disappear, maybe even encourage it. Purchasing ad space in newspapers, weekdays are less expensive then weekends. Billboards are high end and expensive however they are great exposure. Where do you find these places? Look at smaller papers that advertise events, look for highly visible street poles or bulletin boards. Think about what the best plan of attack is. Know that people will pull things down if they are offensive or if they are really awesome. If you really want people to see your stuff replacing it several times will be important. Why (what type of work is best) Anything goes. Message oriented work often makes a great poster. Generally these things disappear quickly. How Find a place that looks like it will work. Decide on a visual layout for your ¡°presentation¡± If you are utilizing a street pole, is your target audience driving in a car? or a pedestrian? Be creative. Understand the linear effect of one image after another. If you decide to buy a newspaper ad space call and get specifics about prices, color vs. black and white and what you would need to do to layout the image space, think about doing this with several people using smaller images to cut costs. If you use newspapers they are private property, therefore so are newspaper bins, slipping flyers inside of them can be illegal. Also purchasing an ad does not mean that the newspaper company may not censor it. Cost
5 Revamping an old idea
What it is all about Don¡¯t grumble, with a bit of creative thinking these shows can be some of the best exposure an artist can get. People attending these events are usually looking to buy work; however they are also inquisitive and interested in how things are made. There is always someone that is interested in talking about your ideas and concepts. Who the major contenders are The core: artist or artists The powers that be: event planners Labor source: You and a friend Other concerned parties: event Attendees When time of year Summer, Christmas time Where do you find these places? Keep your eyes open for local festivals and craft shows, generally there is a registration deadline, ask friends if they have heard of anything happening in their neighborhood. Check out local cable programs on the community. Also community websites, and newsletters can be good sources for info. Why (what type of work is best) You name it, this type of show is good for just about anything generally hand made craft items go over really well, however if you think of the festival or market as an opportunity to simply get your work into the public realm. I myself have done several art fairs, the ones that I didn¡¯t sell at I managed to make contacts with other artists, eat an elephant ear, and make some pretty great trades. Most of my Christmas shopping is done by August. How Most events require registration. Make sure you fill all of the requirements, and get the application form in on time. Generally there is a space limitation, and planned presentation is key. Inexpensive tables and tents can be purchased at big box retailers and are fairly inexpensive. If your work is large, photos are also recommended so that people can see what else you have been working on. Other tips, if the event is outside bring sunscreen, change, and a friend. Cost There is almost always a registration cost, but depending on the type of show there can be a large cost difference. Regional or large longstanding shows have higher entrance fees and often require sides of work, smaller street fairs, or craft shows also have requirements. Look into ¡°emerging artist booths¡±, that generally have a lower cost. 6 mobile transportation units
What it is all about Possibly reaching a large unintended and intentional viewing public, this method can blow up the idea of traditional gallery shows, or it can simply manipulate the idea of traditional gallery shows. There are so many artists that work directly with this method as art form itself that all of these suggestions may really modify your media and message. Be sure to consider what the method you use manipulates your concepts. Who the major contenders are The core: artist or artists, and if a vehicle is utilized, the driver The powers that be: the public at large Labor source: You, possibly others When time of year This is wide open. Summer fall winter spring. Where do you find these places? If you decide to utilize a vehicle u haul have services all over the US, rental agencies abound. I discourage the practice of slapping your own bumper stickers onto unknown people¡¯s cars. Buses most often have advertising space on the side of them, it can be expensive but split between several people it can be feasible. Why (what type of work is best) Anything. How For this section I¡¯m going to deviate from the norm a bit and give examples that I feel are explanatory of some of the ways this method can be used
Cost Depends on how far you take it 7 web distribution
What it is all about The internet is the new showcase for art that is a world wide, creating art without physicality and utilizing a global market. The internet gives artists a whole new way to look at getting their work ¡°out there.¡± Suddenly there is a method to communicate ideas as entities all their own. Websites can be used to show art or as art themselves. I encourage people looking to use websites as a means to throwing a show actually think of the website in its entirety, that it work as a cohesive unit. If you have spent a bit of time looking at websites of people¡¯s personal art you can pick out what is working and what isn¡¯t. Does research into what you feel makes a successful site and how you can showcase your work and ideas successfully. Using email itself as an advertising tool or even a way to show new work is fantastic. Using a digital camera and the appropriate formats you can send images directly to people giving them a look at what you have been producing. This is a great way to produce feedback from other people. When I was running a gallery I had a guy inquire about having a show with us. He told me that he had never had a show but had sold ¡°quite a bit on EBay¡± when I inquired how much he had sold he estimated it to be about a piece a week, and the going rate was around $50. For artists who are not as prolific, eBay is still a great way to get your work into the global market. I also recommend online trading cooperatives. Who the major contenders are The core: artist or artists, and a computer The powers that be: anyone else who has computer access When time of year The internet knows no season Where do you find these places? If you don¡¯t own a computer often public libraries, and community media centers will provide limited free access. Community colleges often offer basic classes in web design, but make sure you have the required computer skills before taking the class, or contact the professor. If you are interested in having a website but don¡¯t have the time and know how there are plenty of design firms that create web sites. Why (what type of work is best) Pretty much the sky is the limit. How I recommend some basic computer skills, either taking a class or asking a very computer oriented, and patient friend for help. Emailed images need to be sent as attachments and often if the resolution is too high, or the file size is large they will take to long to download. The internet has helped to create generations of people who want what they want when they want it, so anything that is difficult to access usually gets trashed. Also remember on EBay you will be responsible for shipping work, explore options on how that is done safely and effectively. Cost
It is the responsibility of the artist to get their work out into public culture. Creating work and then storing it under your bed does nothing for you as an artist and it certainly does nothing for the public at large. Throwing a show allows you to inform yourself in a constructive manner. It gives you access to feedback from other people and a chance to examine your work in an external environment. The perspective shift between your work in your studio and your work in public will give new contextual force to ideas and concepts. Get it out there, inform visual culture, throw a show. Here are some great websites to look at and artists to look up. Many of these people are working and throwing shows. Some of them have made a transition every time they present work it is throwing a show. The method of throwing a show has integrated itself completely into what they are doing. Artists Websites Learningtoloveyoumore.com
thanks
Wow jenn!
This is really good. I don't know when you posted this, but I totally want to talk to you about this.
kate 2/23
I just started thinking about people who collect things, and people who naturally want to show off the things that they own, (such as star wars figurines, doll houses or even an art collection) and how this manual could serve people who want to "show off" whatever they want. (Is that what artists are doing sometimes, showing off? Or, is that what some artists think they are doing and is that a reason some do not pursue showing their work?) A possiblity could be to talk of reasons why people do not want to have shows, and the problems of having shows and how those can possibly be combatted. (I know you get into this in the parts of your brochure when you talk about what it takes to do the certain aspects each formula.) But, if a person is worried about money, give them a list of places they can look for sponsorship...if a person is worried about seeming to confident and worried about rejection, give them examples of people being rejected and how they overcame that rejection... Now I feel like I am getting into something that you would have to test or survey a group of artists that are not showing work and ask them why...then you would know more reasons why people "quit" being artists. I think your brochure could help to coerce people into believing that anybody can have a show and there should be no excuse not to have a show. I hope a bit of this makes sense. I am interested in seeing the final product/layout/design. J. Pope
neil suggests checking the spelling adding clothing and explain more about trucks talk about monetary gain...as a reason to have a show warehouses, own home, selling cloths or bumperstickers=monetary gain or wareing it yourself = what using self as what you want to do do you want job talk to people what is your ultimate goal talk about right at the beginning. avoid difinitive statements. |
