Who organises group shows? Galleries or Artists?

markjeans · Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Sydney

Hi guys...
Hope someone can shed some light. Also is there any protocol in participating? Do you just email the gallery? or other artists and rent a space together? Not sure where to begin....
Thanks
Mark

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 2522 Location: Sydney

Just google art space hire sydney or similar and something should come up.
http://www.shapiroauctioneers.com.au/gallery_hire/gallery_hire.html
(might cost an arm and a leg!)
There are also some good regional galleries in the suburbs worth considering.
Just search for regional galleries and find the links to exhibition proposals.

Good luck.

markjeans · Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Sydney

Hi daniel,
thanks for the link. Is it normal practice for an artist to hire a space and hold an exhibition/group show? I mean is it better to participate in a gallery-hosted show (if such a thing exists) to benefit from their lending their reputation to ones name?
Mark

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 2522 Location: Sydney

markjeans · Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Sydney

Thanks I really appreciate the advice.

Amandav · Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 1835 Location: Hervey Bay

The answer is both. There are a few options to group shows.
1) Hire a space with other artists and put shows on
2) Get the Art Almanac and look for 'calls for artists' there are often ads for art prizes or group shows (which are really the same thing except one has a prize).
3) Find gallery representation. Most gallery group shows are exhibitions of the artists that they represent.

Normally you need to at least have a bit of a name for galleries to know about you to be able to ask you to be in one of their group shows so you are unlikely to get curated into a show in a gallery that you haven't previously had some involvement with. Though that does happen once people get to know you and your work but seriously it can take 10 years of hard work to get to that stage - or less if you get lucky with art prize selections or if you just get lucky.

Chrissy Dwyer · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 849 Location: Cairns

Hi Mark,

Join up to your local art galleries and societies as membership allows for you to participate in their annual "society shows" or "postcard exhibitions".

Yes you sometimes have to pay a fee to exhibit, and if your a member it is usually cheaper.

This is a great way to start exhibiting as no pressure and you can usually put in one or two works.

Also Galleries usually approach you once your a known artist in the community and have exhibited with them through a community exhibition -that is where artists are invited to submit proposals for exhibitions the following year. This is the Galleries way of letting the community have shows.

Always be on the look out for artist-run-initiatives "call for exhibition proposals" where they seek to collaborate with artists within the community this way. They are usually not promoted in advance though.

markjeans · Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Sydney

thanks Chrissy, Amanda.

Gallery · Joined: 11 Nov 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Victoria

Im involved with www.dacou.com.au an aboriginal art gallery.
All the exhibitions theyve put on have been prompted from withing the gallery. The latest was for Emily Kame Kngwarreye

http://dacoumelbourne.com.au/emily-kame-kngwarreye-exhibition/cat_36321.html

Emily has passed away so obviously her exhibitions are now created by galleries.
Some of the exhibitions are also done to show a group of artists and so those also lend themselves better to being run by a gallery instead of the artists themselves.

aprillove20 · Joined: 16 Feb 2010 Posts: 31 Location: other

I think most gallery group shows are exhibitions of the artists that they represent.

Amandav · Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 1835 Location: Hervey Bay