Contacting galleries
- Thread starter mart77
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Write them a letter or an email introducing yourself and your work. Direct them to where they can see some examples. Then follow it up with a phone call a few days later.
Pookeyhead
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I'll copy and paste from another post I made some time ago.... as I wrote a great deal...
Few galleries would be interested in single or random images, unless the exhibition is just to showcase local talent etc. or a group exhibition. Most galleries are after a body of work to exhibit. Group exhibitions are the easiest way in, as you can then only have a single image if you want.
Visit galleries and begin to work out where it might be possible for you to fit in. Look at the list of artists already represented. Look at their work. Make sure you understand what the gallery is about.
Understand the gallery's submission policy. They'll have one... ask if you're not sure. Get familiar with people at the gallery and network. For example, lots of galleries run all manner of public activities. As an example, Pavilion in Leeds...
http://www.pavilion.org.uk/pavilion.php?pid=6
Go along, network.. talk... get your foot in the door.
Have you considered organising your own exhibition? It's not as difficult as you think. Look into spaces in civic centres and local public spaces. You'll be surprised how many are willing to do this for minimal cost. Also, it's something to put on your CV, and once you start being able to prove you have been exhibited elsewhere, it's easier to be taken seriously by galleries.
Most galleries want you to submit a proposal. This is more of a personal statement outlining the work, and yourself.
Typically a proposal should:
- Establish theoretical context / explain your mindset
- Outline the questions you want your work to ask
- Explain your idea in the context of previous work
- Show evidence of research
- Explain what your proposed work is about
- Give some indication of visual approach
What not to do.
Don't:
-Cold call a gallery with your portfolio
-Send out loads of unsolicited proposals to lots of galleries... chose carefully and approach one at a time - these people talk to one another
-Expect feedback on unsolicited proposals as this will never happen.
Do:
Expect to wait some time for a reply
Expect galleries to plan months / years in advance
Most galleries will not fund your work, and there will be cost involved. However, if you're serious, there is funding available from a variety of places.
Arts Council: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Mediabox www.media-box.co.uk
Local Council (contact your local area council)
British Council www.britishcouncil.org
Awards for All www.awardsforall.org.uk
Princes Trust www.princes-trust.org.uk
Get in touch with them and see what's up for grabs.
Above all.... GO to galleries yourself! See what's on, and if something seems to appeal to you, go... see how work looks in galleries and how artists have put together a body of work.
Open Eye, Liverpool www.openeye.org.uk
Impressions, Bradford www.impressions-gallery.com
Focal Point, Southend www.focalpoint.org.uk
Ffotogallery, Cardiff www.ffotogallery.org
Photographers Gallery, London www.photonet.org.uk
Pavilion, Leeds www.pavilion.org.uk
Photofusion, London www.photofusion.org
National Media Museum, Bradford www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
If you want to know what a proposal to a gallery looks like, PM me... I have examples from a variety of photographers, but I can't post them in here as it would be a copyright infringement. However, there's nothing to preclude me from showing you on a 1 to 1 basis.
Some proposals are a bit "flowery" with their language, but don't assume you need to do the same - most curators can read between the lines and will recognise BS when they see it.
I'll see if I can dig out some old proposals I've submitted, and I'll post them up in here too... but that may take some rooting through archives as I've not exhibited anything for years.
I hope this helps... get in touch if you want to know more.
Few galleries would be interested in single or random images, unless the exhibition is just to showcase local talent etc. or a group exhibition. Most galleries are after a body of work to exhibit. Group exhibitions are the easiest way in, as you can then only have a single image if you want.
Visit galleries and begin to work out where it might be possible for you to fit in. Look at the list of artists already represented. Look at their work. Make sure you understand what the gallery is about.
Understand the gallery's submission policy. They'll have one... ask if you're not sure. Get familiar with people at the gallery and network. For example, lots of galleries run all manner of public activities. As an example, Pavilion in Leeds...
http://www.pavilion.org.uk/pavilion.php?pid=6
Go along, network.. talk... get your foot in the door.
Have you considered organising your own exhibition? It's not as difficult as you think. Look into spaces in civic centres and local public spaces. You'll be surprised how many are willing to do this for minimal cost. Also, it's something to put on your CV, and once you start being able to prove you have been exhibited elsewhere, it's easier to be taken seriously by galleries.
Most galleries want you to submit a proposal. This is more of a personal statement outlining the work, and yourself.
Typically a proposal should:
- Establish theoretical context / explain your mindset
- Outline the questions you want your work to ask
- Explain your idea in the context of previous work
- Show evidence of research
- Explain what your proposed work is about
- Give some indication of visual approach
What not to do.
Don't:
-Cold call a gallery with your portfolio
-Send out loads of unsolicited proposals to lots of galleries... chose carefully and approach one at a time - these people talk to one another
-Expect feedback on unsolicited proposals as this will never happen.
Do:
Expect to wait some time for a reply
Expect galleries to plan months / years in advance
Most galleries will not fund your work, and there will be cost involved. However, if you're serious, there is funding available from a variety of places.
Arts Council: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Mediabox www.media-box.co.uk
Local Council (contact your local area council)
British Council www.britishcouncil.org
Awards for All www.awardsforall.org.uk
Princes Trust www.princes-trust.org.uk
Get in touch with them and see what's up for grabs.
Above all.... GO to galleries yourself! See what's on, and if something seems to appeal to you, go... see how work looks in galleries and how artists have put together a body of work.
Open Eye, Liverpool www.openeye.org.uk
Impressions, Bradford www.impressions-gallery.com
Focal Point, Southend www.focalpoint.org.uk
Ffotogallery, Cardiff www.ffotogallery.org
Photographers Gallery, London www.photonet.org.uk
Pavilion, Leeds www.pavilion.org.uk
Photofusion, London www.photofusion.org
National Media Museum, Bradford www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
If you want to know what a proposal to a gallery looks like, PM me... I have examples from a variety of photographers, but I can't post them in here as it would be a copyright infringement. However, there's nothing to preclude me from showing you on a 1 to 1 basis.
Some proposals are a bit "flowery" with their language, but don't assume you need to do the same - most curators can read between the lines and will recognise BS when they see it.
I'll see if I can dig out some old proposals I've submitted, and I'll post them up in here too... but that may take some rooting through archives as I've not exhibited anything for years.
I hope this helps... get in touch if you want to know more.
I'll copy and paste from another post I made some time ago.... as I wrote a great deal...
Few galleries would be interested in single or random images, unless the exhibition is just to showcase local talent etc. or a group exhibition. Most galleries are after a body of work to exhibit. Group exhibitions are the easiest way in, as you can then only have a single image if you want.
Visit galleries and begin to work out where it might be possible for you to fit in. Look at the list of artists already represented. Look at their work. Make sure you understand what the gallery is about.
Understand the gallery's submission policy. They'll have one... ask if you're not sure. Get familiar with people at the gallery and network. For example, lots of galleries run all manner of public activities. As an example, Pavilion in Leeds...
http://www.pavilion.org.uk/pavilion.php?pid=6
Go along, network.. talk... get your foot in the door.
Have you considered organising your own exhibition? It's not as difficult as you think. Look into spaces in civic centres and local public spaces. You'll be surprised how many are willing to do this for minimal cost. Also, it's something to put on your CV, and once you start being able to prove you have been exhibited elsewhere, it's easier to be taken seriously by galleries.
Most galleries want you to submit a proposal. This is more of a personal statement outlining the work, and yourself.
Typically a proposal should:
- Establish theoretical context / explain your mindset
- Outline the questions you want your work to ask
- Explain your idea in the context of previous work
- Show evidence of research
- Explain what your proposed work is about
- Give some indication of visual approach
What not to do.
Don't:
-Cold call a gallery with your portfolio
-Send out loads of unsolicited proposals to lots of galleries... chose carefully and approach one at a time - these people talk to one another
-Expect feedback on unsolicited proposals as this will never happen.
Do:
Expect to wait some time for a reply
Expect galleries to plan months / years in advance
Most galleries will not fund your work, and there will be cost involved. However, if you're serious, there is funding available from a variety of places.
Arts Council: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Mediabox www.media-box.co.uk
Local Council (contact your local area council)
British Council www.britishcouncil.org
Awards for All www.awardsforall.org.uk
Princes Trust www.princes-trust.org.uk
Get in touch with them and see what's up for grabs.
Above all.... GO to galleries yourself! See what's on, and if something seems to appeal to you, go... see how work looks in galleries and how artists have put together a body of work.
Open Eye, Liverpool www.openeye.org.uk
Impressions, Bradford www.impressions-gallery.com
Focal Point, Southend www.focalpoint.org.uk
Ffotogallery, Cardiff www.ffotogallery.org
Photographers Gallery, London www.photonet.org.uk
Pavilion, Leeds www.pavilion.org.uk
Photofusion, London www.photofusion.org
National Media Museum, Bradford www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
If you want to know what a proposal to a gallery looks like, PM me... I have examples from a variety of photographers, but I can't post them in here as it would be a copyright infringement. However, there's nothing to preclude me from showing you on a 1 to 1 basis.
Some proposals are a bit "flowery" with their language, but don't assume you need to do the same - most curators can read between the lines and will recognise BS when they see it.
I'll see if I can dig out some old proposals I've submitted, and I'll post them up in here too... but that may take some rooting through archives as I've not exhibited anything for years.
I hope this helps... get in touch if you want to know more.
Wow thats an incredibly useful reply, thank you so much. I will PM you now, thanks again.
Pookeyhead
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- Name
- David
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PM sent