Approaching public galleries Pippa Little, Curator

“ it would be terrific if, … a gallery owner saw one of your paintings and offered you a showing. In this fantasy, critics and collectors discover you. That’s it… You’re written about in Time magazine by Robert Hughes. You are invited to show at the Whitney Biennial.” Molly Barnes

“ it would be terrific if, … a gallery owner saw one of your paintings and offered you a showing. In this fantasy, critics and collectors discover you. That’s it… You’re written about in Time magazine by Robert Hughes. You are invited to show at the Whitney Biennial.”

Molly Barnes

Approaching public galleries Select Write a three year plan Skills to develop Research (what do they offer) Network Remember galleries programme in advance

Select

Write a three year plan

Skills to develop

Research (what do they offer)

Network

Remember galleries programme in advance

Proposal writing Mission statement Identify funding sources Get proposal guidelines Budget CV Visual materials Timeline Covering letter

Mission statement

Identify funding sources

Get proposal guidelines

Budget

CV

Visual materials

Timeline

Covering letter

Select Limerick has the following publicly funded galleries Limerick City Gallery of Art Hunt Museum Printmakers Belltable Arts Centre Bourne Vincent Gallery-UL

Limerick has the following publicly funded galleries

Limerick City Gallery of Art

Hunt Museum

Printmakers

Belltable Arts Centre

Bourne Vincent Gallery-UL

LCGA mission statement to provide artists with the opportunity to experiment, develop and above all display their work; Neva Elliott, 2005

Write a 3 year plan Short and long term goals Example Put together exhibition in local library Apply for County Council artists bursary Apply for Arts Council Travel Award Have solo exhibition by 2010

Short and long term goals

Example

Put together exhibition in local library

Apply for County Council artists bursary

Apply for Arts Council Travel Award

Have solo exhibition by 2010

Break into goals, strategy, deadlines Goal exhibition in local library Strategy Approach librarian Fundraise from local businesses Get press coverage Invite curator from arts centre to open the exhibition Deadline 6 months

Goal exhibition in local library

Strategy

Approach librarian

Fundraise from local businesses

Get press coverage

Invite curator from arts centre to open the exhibition

Deadline

6 months

Skills to develop Proposal writing Teaching Computing, database management, word, Photoshop Project management Press releases Negotiation

Proposal writing

Teaching

Computing, database management, word, Photoshop

Project management

Press releases

Negotiation

Tips Think of Ireland as a whole Use open submissions strategically Spend time preparing application forms and proposals Rejection and success is all part of the process Use Visual Artists Ireland

Think of Ireland as a whole

Use open submissions strategically

Spend time preparing application forms and proposals

Rejection and success is all part of the process

Use Visual Artists Ireland

What do galleries offer Publicity mail out database postage private view invitations preparing the press release advertising inclusion on web site

Publicity

mail out database

postage

private view

invitations

preparing the press release

advertising

inclusion on web site

What do galleries offer Exhibiting transport Installation (technicians) space production costs catalogue Insurance invigilation

Exhibiting

transport

Installation (technicians)

space

production costs

catalogue

Insurance

invigilation

Network Do not drop in on spec Phone and find out about exhibition policy and open submissions Sign up to the mailing list Attend openings Get to know staff and add them to your mailing list Good quality post cards for minor correspondence

Do not drop in on spec

Phone and find out about exhibition policy and open submissions

Sign up to the mailing list

Attend openings

Get to know staff and add them to your mailing list

Good quality post cards for minor correspondence

Alternative Networking Can you meet for another reason (research, transport advice, voluntary) Can you invite the curator to open an exhibition of your work Do any of your colleagues know the curator Look out for staff changes What about the education or lecture programme?

Can you meet for another reason (research, transport advice, voluntary)

Can you invite the curator to open an exhibition of your work

Do any of your colleagues know the curator

Look out for staff changes

What about the education or lecture programme?

Proposal writing The screening process

Why write a proposal To plan your project To manage your project To fundraise for your project

To plan your project

To manage your project

To fundraise for your project

Goals and objectives Define broad project goals, then identify objectives Goal To publish a one off art book Objective Select five artists to contribute

Define broad project goals, then identify objectives

Goal

To publish a one off art book

Objective

Select five artists to contribute

Mission statement Example Cabinet 's hybrid sensibility merges the popular appeal of an arts periodical, the visually engaging style of a design magazine, and the in-depth exploration of a scholarly journal…. a valuable sourcebook…for a wide range of readers, from artists and designers to scientists and historians. inIVA creates exhibitions, publications, multimedia, education and research projects, designed to bring the work of artists from culturally-diverse backgrounds to the attention of the widest possible public.

Example

Cabinet 's hybrid sensibility merges the popular appeal of an arts periodical, the visually engaging style of a design magazine, and the in-depth exploration of a scholarly journal…. a valuable sourcebook…for a wide range of readers, from artists and designers to scientists and historians.

inIVA creates exhibitions, publications, multimedia, education and research projects, designed to bring the work of artists from culturally-diverse backgrounds to the attention of the widest possible public.

Identify funding sources Arts Council- Bursaries Award, Projects New Work, Projects Once Off, Commissions, Travel and Training Awards, Small Festivals Local Council CREATE (Artist in the Community) Culture Ireland Heritage Council Galleries CAFE Publications / Clann Credo Irish Fundraising Handbook, 5th edition, 2003-2004

Arts Council- Bursaries Award, Projects New Work, Projects Once Off, Commissions, Travel and Training Awards, Small Festivals

Local Council

CREATE (Artist in the Community)

Culture Ireland

Heritage Council

Galleries

CAFE Publications / Clann Credo Irish Fundraising Handbook, 5th edition, 2003-2004

Get Proposal Guidelines Read thoroughly Constantly refer to guidelines Check the following Deadlines Eligibility Accompanying material Funding goals and priorities Evaluation process and criteria

Read thoroughly

Constantly refer to guidelines

Check the following

Deadlines

Eligibility

Accompanying material

Funding goals and priorities

Evaluation process and criteria

Contents

Budget What do you need? Matching funding Quotes In kind support Timetable of payment schedules

What do you need?

Matching funding

Quotes

In kind support

Timetable of payment schedules

CV Up to date Include things that are relevant Remove things if they are not Skills based (if you are running a project) Exhibition based (if you are applying for a bursary)

Up to date

Include things that are relevant

Remove things if they are not

Skills based (if you are running a project)

Exhibition based (if you are applying for a bursary)

Visual materials Use a photographer Don’t send slides unless specified Do send CD with contact sheet Name your images on CD Give title, medium and date Make sure they are in a compatible format Label ALL accompanying material

Use a photographer

Don’t send slides unless specified

Do send CD with contact sheet

Name your images on CD

Give title, medium and date

Make sure they are in a compatible format

Label ALL accompanying material

Timetable

Press coverage

Covering letter Address to a real person (find out on internet or phone) Explain why your work might be suitable for the venue/programme Keep to one page

Address to a real person (find out on internet or phone)

Explain why your work might be suitable for the venue/programme

Keep to one page

Submission checklist Requested number of copies Copy to file Be sure to include required documentation

Requested number of copies

Copy to file

Be sure to include required documentation

Summary Approaching public galleries Select Write 3 year plan Research Network Proposal writing Mission statement Funding sources Budget CV Visual materials Covering letter

Approaching public galleries

Select

Write 3 year plan

Research

Network

Proposal writing

Mission statement

Funding sources

Budget

CV

Visual materials

Covering letter

Bibliography Barnes, M., How to get Hung: A Practical Guide for Emerging Artists , Journey Editions, 1994. Denvir, B., & Gray, H., Making Art Pay , Phaidon, 1989. http://www.a-n.co.uk/cgi-bin/db2www.exe/home.d2w/input?textonly=0 http:// www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html http://www.artscouncil.ie/ http://www.create-ireland.ie/ www.cultureireland.gov.ie . http:// www.cabinetmagazine.org /information/ http://www.iniva.org/general/index

Barnes, M., How to get Hung: A Practical Guide for Emerging Artists , Journey Editions, 1994.

Denvir, B., & Gray, H., Making Art Pay , Phaidon, 1989.

http://www.a-n.co.uk/cgi-bin/db2www.exe/home.d2w/input?textonly=0

http:// www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html

http://www.artscouncil.ie/

http://www.create-ireland.ie/

www.cultureireland.gov.ie .

http:// www.cabinetmagazine.org /information/

http://www.iniva.org/general/index