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November Article, Choosing Which Art Shows to Enter
10/21/2007 21:27:27 / happy
In this month’s issue of Art Calendar Magazine, we discuss the pros and cons of entering art shows, and how to determine which shows are the right ones for you to enter. I wish it were as easy as saying ‘only enter these shows,’ or ‘avoid these types of shows,’ but the issue is much more complex than that. There are just too many different types of shows, and not every artist or artwork is appropriate for every exhibit. Some examples of inappropriate matches are obvious, such as wasting money and resources entering sculpture in a watercolor show, or entering a landscape painting in a portrait competition. However some shows can be a close match, and it can be harder to discern whether to enter or not.
The most important factor to consider is the question of ‘Why?’ What do you want to attain by entering shows? Is it the opportunity for awards, prestige, exposure, representation, sales, or something else? Determining what you want to gain from the experience is the first deciding factor when choosing shows. Only then, when you have established your objective, can you determine which shows meet your criteria to help you to achieve your goals.
The level of the show is one consideration, and an artist must be realistic when deciding whether or not it’s the timing is right for them to try to enter the more difficult shows at the higher regional, national, or international levels. And one can’t forget that just because a show labels itself as a national level show, that doesn’t mean that it is in reality! I’ve seen many a prospectus state that is show is open nation-wide, but then go on to state that all entries must be ‘hand delivered.’ That’s not exactly what we would call a national show! The magazine article explains some of the many benefits of entering art competitions, and guides the reader through a process of determining which shows may be best suited to an artist’s individual needs. But even with the best of planning and research before entering, some mistakes will still slip by! I remember my first art show embarrassment – I had entered a rather large art show, and I was surprised when I attended the awards reception that there were less than a dozen other people at the reception. After the awards were handed out, and everyone got one except for me, one of the winning artists kindly explained to me privately that this particular show calls all of the winners before the reception to notify them. I felt kind of silly, being the newcomer who wasn’t in on this tradition, and thus the only ‘loser’ at the reception!
Another more recent mistake was only about a year ago. I had entered a national show, and when my notification of acceptance or rejection didn’t arrive on time I assumed it was because it was going to be another rejection notice. So I put the painting in a gallery show, where it sold immediately on opening night. Well, you guessed it! I got an acceptance letter the very next day, after the painting was long gone to an out of state buyer. Not only did I miss the chance to exhibit that painting in that juried show, I am now barred from entering that particular national show again for a couple of years. This is a common show rule that I was well aware of, so to add insult to injury, I felt really really stupid, to boot!
So, do any of you have any tales of art show faux paux that you’d like to share here? Don't be shy - leave a comment and share your stories with us. Or am I the only one who makes art show mistakes?
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