Do you ever question whether your work is great because a gallery says NO to you?
Why wouldn’t you! One of the things that gets artists discouraged is when they submit their final piece to a gallery and receive a rejection letter. Sometimes other galleries don’t even bother responding to your submission or will send you one of those automatic email response that says something like this: “We unfortunately cannot display your work at this time…”.
But then you go to a gallery show and see some pieces that you think to yourself “How the heck did this get in here!!!” It can leave you fuming sometimes. Here’s the deal: rejection can be a little bit hard on you because your artwork is an extension of…well..you! Some of the great artists in history took them over a millions no’s just to get to one yes. It’s a very competitive field that we are in…but it’s not impossible.
In fact, did you know that your work might not be the problem…at all??
Did you know that with just a few simple techniques you can actually make your way into your first show? There are a few things that you can do that will have your work on the walls – some of which you haven’t even thought of yet! So because I love you dearly, here are some helpful tips on how to submit in galleries and get a YES instead of a no:
1. Research First!
When there is a Call for Entry in a gallery, most artists automatically submit their work and just hope for the best. But that is one of the things that will give you a bunch of No responses!
Instead of submitting your work in a 1-2-3 mode, sit down and research their previous exhibitions. The #1 thing you need to look for is this: What type of art do they sell? If you’re a photographer and you are submitting your work to a gallery that mainly sells sculptors, you will get a guaranteed no. And if you are submitting photographic pieces in a photo gallery, what type of photography do they display? Landscape? Portraiture? Do some research first.
2. Price it Out
Here is another eye opener for some artists that submit their work: sometimes the pricing will turn galleries away! This again goes back to the research quality of your submission process. Their are certain galleries that have a section on their website where they show you the artwork on display and the price of each piece.
Their pricing is targeted to their specific audience because remember: a gallery is a business and they have to make a profit.
Galleries that have artwork in the three (even four) digit numbers have a high end wealthy audience that pays for your marketing and advertising. And other galleries that sell their work in the two digit area have audiences that are young, hip and trying to sell pieces to the everyday person. So understand their pricing system and come up with a reasonable number.
Now this doesn’t mean that you should change your worth – not at all. But look at the pieces displayed on the galleries site and think to yourself before you submit “What should I price my work at this gallery? And is it worth it for me to submit?”
3. Find Your Signature
Before you submit your work for display, ask yourself “What do I want to be known for? What type of work do you want to show?” Then look at your portfolio and ask yourself “Am I showing that kind of work?”
For example: You’re submitting a landscape image to a gallery that shows nature photos. That gallery will not only look at the piece you submitted, but they will look at your portfolio to see if you have more photos just like this one!
Consistency and style is one of the things galleries look for in artists because if you submit a piece that they sell, they will want to see if you have more pieces like them. So if they view your website and see that you have landscape, and weddings, and portraits…it can be confusing and lead to a no response. So find your style and stick with it.
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On a side note, sometimes a no from a gallery just means that their exhibition list for the year has already been filled! So make sure you touch base with the gallery you are wishing to display in and see what upcoming events they have.
The main focus here is to try and not take it personal. A no from a gallery doesn’t mean that your work is bad or that you are a bad artist. They are just trying to see if you’re the artist that will give up very quickly and stop working…or the artist that will adapt and continue trying no matter what. As long as you feel that your work is enough – then it is enough!
Now it’s your time to shine!
What were your experiences in submitting work to galleries? What actions will you take today before you submit work to a gallery? Let me know in the comments below!
Till next time – keep creating,
