How to Name Your Solo Art Exhibition

The title can tell your viewers how to approach the piece

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Choosing a good title for your piece of art says something about what the drawing or painting means to you and gives the viewer clues about approaching the piece.

Because you take your art seriously, it’s easy to go a little over the top. Everyone has seen it: the bored nude sitting in a cold, poorly lit studio, titled “Summer Reverie,” or an artificial arrangement of crockery titled “Afternoon Tea.” Possibly worse is the complex, mysterious abstract piece with the unhelpful name of “Untitled.”

With a little thought, you can avoid a confusing or off-putting title and find a good fit for your art and your audience.

First, an Argument for ‘Untitled’

There are good reasons to have reservations about major pieces going untitled, yet there can be justification for taking that route. Artists might wish to let a work speak for itself and not impose a text upon the image and viewer. Also, the very “untitled-ness” of it—the absence of a label—might be in itself important.

Quite often, artwork really doesn’t need a title. This is particularly true of smaller sketches, studies, and preparatory works, many of which are simply that: working sketches that weren’t intended to stand on their own as works of art.

If you find yourself putting such a drawing on show, don’t be pressured to give it a fancy title that might be incongruous with the nature of the piece. Instead, identify the drawing with a name that includes theme or subject, medium, and date:

• “Landscape Sketch, December 2001”
• “Untitled Figure Study”
• “Domestic Scene”
• “Sketchbook Page: Hands”
• “Study from Rembrandt: Two Philosophers, National Gallery”

Figure Drawings

Studio nudes given a melodramatic title can seem pretentious, so be careful. Your best strategy is to take a leaf from Francis Bacon’s book and give a descriptive title.

Admittedly, there are only so many “Standing Nudes” that you can do before your catalog becomes confusing. You can combat this by using unique features in the title or subtitle: details such as the model’s name, date/time, medium, pose, or location:

• “Figure Drawing 23” for the basic naked model
• “Torso: Graphite Pencil” or “Seated Figure in Charcoal”
• “Red-Haired Model with Pomegranate” or something similarly descriptive
• “2-hour Pose Number 1”
• “Sarah Jane with Drapery”
• “David in the Conservatory”
• In a pinch, a little humor: “Boredom Sets In”

Still Life

Still life drawings can be rather tricky to title. Keep it simple.

Creative still life setups will give you more opportunity for interesting titles, with natural slice of life arrangements offering a story more than something artificial. Applying some thought to your still life arrangement, creating a deliberate mood or theme, will be helpful when it comes to choosing a title integrated with the work.

For less developed still life works or studies, your title can be descriptive without stating the obvious. Consider using time, season, or mood as part of the title:

• “Still Life 1985” or “Still Life: Color Study”
• “Fruit Bowl,” “Found Objects,” “Spring Blooms,” depending on the objects
• “Katie’s Favorites” or “Autumn in the Kitchen”
• “Conversation,” “After the Argument,” or “Too Late,” for metaphorical pieces.

Pets can evoke a lot of emotion for people, so artists too often give pet portraits overly emotional names that can come across as saccharine. Once again, simplicity is usually the best approach, unless you’re working with an image that tells a very strong story:

• “Winston,” simply the pet’s name
• “Ch. Doogie Zanbern of Prague,” the full pedigree name
• “Branford at Central Park”

If you’ve drawn a sad zoo lion, don’t name the drawing “King of the Jungle” unless you are after irony. If you’ve drawn a magnificent wild lion, don’t call him that either; the cliche is too painful. “London Zoo Lion” or “Lion, Kenya 2000” are simple but adequate titles.

By all means be more creative, but watch out for cliche and sentimentality.

Landscapes

Sometimes the location doesn’t matter, but often people want to know if those familiar mountains are ones they know, so let the title tell the viewer where the landscape is.

Never assume that the viewer will be familiar with the scene. Even “famous” monuments might be unfamiliar to young people or people in other countries:

• Revealing personal knowledge or connection is interesting: “Oak Tree on Grandpa’s Farm, Ontario” tells the viewer something about the artist. too.
• Often the title can pick up on irony, contrast, or drama in the scene: “Midsummer, Greenland” for a frosty northern landscape, or “Waiting for Rain, Mildura” for a parched Australian paddock.

Abstract Art

Unless you want to make your art obscure (and many artists do), the title of an abstract image is particularly important. Often the title is the only key to the art other than the piece itself:

“I spend a lot of time looking at ‘calls for art.’ Most of them require a good chunk of money in terms of application fees. Sometimes I feel like there are opportunities that I would have gotten to hear about had I been in art school. I feel restricted and lost. I yearn for an art community. The only thing that I can think of as a solution is going back to school for my master’s degree. I just don’t know where to start, to make a mark as an artist until that happens. I wish I could create a daily plan, and set aside a scheduled amount of time to just look at artist opportunities online, but then again I’m not sure about which doors to knock on. How can I get into art exhibitions?”

When I was at the very beginning of my career I had no exhibition history to speak of, so I had to start somewhere. Beginning locally seemed to be the most accessible way into exhibitions, so I looked online for local juried exhibitions that I could enter, and spent a lot of money on entry fees. I was not selective about where I showed my work. Anywhere anyone would exhibit my work, I jumped at the opportunity. This strategy was effective in terms of raising my local visibility and building my resume, which is essential when you’re just getting started. I exhibited my work at all sorts of contrasting venues: an office building, local art centers, a gallery that was in a subway station, open studios and many others. Don’t be shy and be sure to attend the opening reception of every exhibition you’re in to meet the other artists, the gallery director and the juror in person. This is a great way to network with other artists and get your name out there on the local art scene.

However, after some time, doing all of these juried exhibitions seemed to be only going so far for me. Many times it felt like a total crapshoot in terms of whether I was accepted or not into the exhibition, and paying the costly entry fees was becoming a burden. The other issue is that juried exhibitions are always group exhibitions, where you only get to exhibit one piece of your art at a time. In a large group exhibition, it’s easy to be overlooked. I was starting to feel like I was a needle in a haystack.

I needed to bring myself to the next level, so I abandoned group exhibitions temporarily and began approaching venues to do solo exhibitions. One strategy that I still use is to look at other artists’ resumes online. I search for local artists, peers and colleagues who are at about the same stage at their careers, or at the next stage where I want my career to be. I analyze what venues these artists have shown at, and make a list of venues to approach from their resumes. I ask my local artist friends where they have shown their work, how they got that show, and get them to make recommendations. Eventually, I got myself into enough solo exhibitions that I stopped entering juried group exhibitions altogether.

At this point, the galleries will not come to you, so you have to start taking the initiative to knock on doors. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. After all, the worst case scenario is that they will say no. Local college and university art galleries are great to target because they are not commercially driven and therefore are usually more open to different kinds of work. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how many college galleries are willing to consider you for an exhibition if you approach them in a professional manner. Write a brief email to the gallery director asking if they are accepting artist submissions. If they respond and say yes, write a courteous cover letter to the gallery director introducing yourself and your work to the director of the gallery and enclose your artist statement with high quality printouts or a CD. The last three solo exhibitions I booked were because I approached the venue in this way. If you approach 30 galleries and get one or two responses, those are good results.

Another option that works well for many artists is to apply for membership in a local artist’s co-op. Once you’re accepted as a member, most co-ops will give you a solo exhibition every 2-3 years, as well as member’s shows, so you are guaranteed to be exhibiting on a regular basis. Being a member comes with other responsibilities like a member’s monthly fee, gallery sitting, attending meetings, etc. so be prepared for that.

Now that I am a mid-career artist, I can be much more discriminating about where I exhibit my work. I always heavily research the venue first to see what kind of place it is. I look for red flags: if the gallery doesn’t have a website or if the gallery charges a fee to exhibit. I am established enough that I am in a position to be able to turn down opportunities if I feel they will not advance my career. Instead, I now focus my energy on building relationships with art dealers and specific curators at local, regional and national museums.

Your ultimate goal with exhibitions is to be well known enough by curators and other artists that the exhibition opportunities come to you. Invitational exhibitions are the best ones to be a part of, and are usually in high caliber venues with more established artists.

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One of the best, and certainly fastest ways of getting an exhibition is doing it yourself and organising your own.

This could be a one off exhibition or something more. Very often, it’s necessary for artists in the early stages of their career to proactive about creating their own exhibition opportunities, and promoting them properly to raise their profile to the point at which they begin to be invited to participate in more ‘formal’ gallery shows. This article highlights the key things to consider if you do decide on a D.I.Y. approach.

The Empty Shops Network’s howtopopup resource provides information and advice for artists, by artists, on setting up a pop-up project or exhibition space.

Mailing Lists

Some artists find it beneficial to use a visitors’ signing-in book to build up a mailing list, and also to get their email addresses for a far cheaper way of mass mailing. Remember, that under the Data Protection Act, businesses have to let people know what they intend to use contact details for.

Event Sponsorship

It is possible to get funding or sponsorship for private views and other events where catering or entertaining might otherwise be expensive. Local businesses (e.g. wine merchants or suppliers, cafes, restaurants etc) might supply wine or food in return for a mention on your invites, posters and press releases. Be sure to always tell the gallery what you are planning to do in terms of marketing, carefully checking your contract.

Press Releases

One of the most effective ways to let people know about an exhibition can be to send out press releases to local and national press (mainstream and arts specific) with images. Many national and local arts magazines include listings for free and you might get a larger piece written about the work if you approach them professionally and really sell yourself. Email is a cheap and easy way to get images and text about your work to a mass audience, but post still commands a certain respect from people who receive it.

Hire galleries

When presenting work in hire galleries the costs of marketing and promoting an exhibition can outweigh the income from sales. Avoid taking loans out to hire expensive venues in the early days of your career. Artists often have to take risks when establishing themselves, but it is often better in the first stages of artists’ careers to work in groups when hiring out spaces as the costs are shared.

In general, hire galleries are well known on the art scene and curators and collectors are wary of them. While many artists organise shows of their own work in a group with other artists, putting on your own solo show in a gallery space that can be hired can suggest that no art world professional is willing to select your work for exhibition and thus tarnish your reputation.

Goals can feel scary. Tasks are to-dos. What we could make all of our goals to-dos, unassuming and not intimidating to-dos?

For my example I’m going to talk about a solo exhibition. It’s something many artists strive for in the art world, and something I want myself. But, where do we begin?

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, or that a project or goal feels too big, I start a mind-map, like this one.

Mind-maps really help me organize my thoughts.

Because when I do have an idea or inspiration, they come from all directions without any sense of priority. Creating a mind-map allows me to have a brain dump of all the thoughts running through my mind. And as I map, I begin to organize the information. And I can start to see relationships between my different thoughts and show that on my map.

Since my big focus here is a solo exhibition I wrote it in the middle of my blank paper. Then I let my mind wander. What do I think about when I talk about executing a solo exhibition? I will likely need a proposal to send to a gallery. Oh, and I need to find a gallery who is a good fit for my project. Who is a contact there? What information can I find about applying for an exhibition through them?

It continues. What else do I need for an exhibition? I’ll need to update my artist CV. And of course, I need a body of art to show. What medium will I use? What is the larger message of this series of artworks? What will be my strategy to pitch this work?

As you can see, the map let’s you fall down multiple rabbit holes at the same time, so you don’t lose any of the ideas you have flowing forth.

Another thing happens too. As I list and write out all the facets that relate to having a solo show, my list of tasks emerge. As well as my priorities.

For example, why cold-call or email galleries if you don’t yet have a body of work?! All galleries expect a CV and even better a website. So, there is work to be done.

Each item on your map can also be filled with even smaller tasks. For a website you need to: (1) find a host, (2) choose a theme or design, (3) photograph your art, (4) create an artist biography… the list goes on.

Laying out all of these lists will also help you understand how long you need to give yourself to achieve your goal.

If you have no art, no website, and no CV, it’s going to take a year or more to achieve these things. THEN you still have to make connections and find a place to show your art!

I don’t say this to discourage you, but I want you to remember this is the long game. A goal like my example takes time, commitment, and sustained effort. Be realistic about a timeline to achieve your aims and you are more like to achieve them!

Once I have a master list of to-dos, I can see which items should be a priority and now I can schedule them in my life. Obviously, if there are any notable deadlines related tasks should be done first. Now it’s time for the Ivy-Lee Method.

The Ivy-Lee Method is the sole reason I’m productive as I am.

It’s super simple and efficient. At the end of the day I look at my calendar and I write down 6-7 tasks to complete tomorrow. When I wake up the next day there is no mulling about wondering what I should work on. I have a numbered list in order of priority.

If I don’t finish all 7 tasks (and this happens a lot for me), when it’s time to make tomorrow’s list, those unfinished tasks make the top of the list. It’s simple, I don’t need special organizers or any other system. I wrote about how the Ivy-Lee Method has changed my life and I’ll link it below this video.

You are capable of achieving anything you hope for in your art.

The bigger question and challenge I have for you is: are you willing to take ACTION to aim for and reach those dreams?

If you want help breaking down your goals into achievable, actionable steps I’m answering all kinds of questions art related every Friday at 12:30 EST for the rest of November on our Facebook page Becoming Artist Strong. If you want feedback on your website or CV I can do that too!

Feel free to ask your question in the comments below and I’ll be sure to answer them in our latest Becoming Artist Strong. There is replay access to the video for those of you who can’t make it live, or catch today’s post at a later date, so go check it out and see what going on with your peers and how you might apply their questions and answers to your own artist life!

Now, it’s time to Be Creatively Courageous: Tell us one of your big goals. Saying it, or in this case typing it, can feel brave enough. So let’s start there. And if you are feeling really ambitious, take a photo of your mind-map and share it with me on social media. I’m @ArtistStrong most places and Becoming Artist Strong on Facebook .

All this month doors are open for my mastermind program called The Circle. If you want or miss the community experience of being part of an artist collaborative group, The Circle is 6 months of community and accountability. We work on building your voice, your portfolio as well as building promotional strategies for your art.

My free challenge in October, called Be Creatively Courageous, offered a small taste of the program. If you enjoyed the accountability and community you experienced from working all month long in the FB group image Be Creatively Courageous magnified.

The Circle includes video workshops on everything from finding your voice, organizing your art in an inventory, to understanding how to write about your art.I also offer monthly Q&As where you get feedback on your work, much like my November free Q&As on the Facebook page, and a whole lot more.

If you want to take advantage of the early bird pricing available this month visit I’ll be sure it’s linked below this video as well. Watching this video after The Circle has closed? Be sure to use that link to sign up for the waiting list, and you’ll be the first notified when it opens again.

Thank you for watching and see you next week!

Congratulations! You’ve bravely bared your soul as an artist, you’ve worked hard, and you’re finally ready for a solo gallery show.

As a self-described ARTrepreneur, I’ve always tried to produce great results from a limited budget—and what I’ve learned is that for $250 or less you can plan an exciting two-day exhibit that will make you money, build a following and leave people wanting more. So how do you go about it?

Quick announcement – EmptyEasel has created a quicker, easier way for artists to have their own art website. Click here to learn more and get a simple art website of your own!

Ideally, you should start planning three months in advance. Your first objectives will be booking a location and setting a date.

What to look for in a location

The location cost will be your greatest expense, but don’t exceed $150 if possible. Search out an area that provides walk-in traffic allowing you access to potential customers unreachable through your advertising.

A great idea would be an empty storefront along a busy street that’s currently waiting to be rented. Many landlords are happy to liven the space up for a couple days in exchange for a few dollars. Local community centres may also have space to rent.

Be creative with this! Don’t be afraid to approach business owners (restaurants, coffee shops, etc) and barter some artwork in return for a location. Your budget is $150, but your goal is to get it as cheaply as possible.

How to choose the right date

Unless you’re located in a popular tourist destination, plan your solo show for the middle of the week and avoid the summer months. If you don’t, you may miss a large portion of your potential audience to vacation and travel.

Coming up with a creative theme

Once you’ve set the date and location you’ll need to develop a theme for your show. Most likely you can do this for under $30, if not for free.

Always present your exhibit in a way that ties in with your artwork and leaves visitors with something they’ll remember. For example, if much of your art is about beaches, oceans or waterscapes, plan your decorations with that in mind.

Bring in buckets of sand, seashells and rocks. Add a beach chair with towels and an umbrella. Play ocean sounds in the background and wear shorts and a t-shirt to top it off. If you’re having fun, others will notice and respond positively.

Cost-effective ways to promote your show

I love no-budget marketing—if you’ve never done a solo show before, you might be surprised how much free advertising is available for artists.

However, you’ll still want to set your budget at $40 to allow for printing costs. Print 100 or more fliers announcing your show and distribute them to businesses and community bulletin boards throughout your area.

Plan to distribute your fliers a month before your show and then take advantage of the free advertising provided by community cable, radio and newspapers along with any other art marketing channels you know of. You can usually give your information online or through a phone number provided by these services.

In addition, contact your local newspaper(s) a week before your show with a press release providing who, what, when, where and why. Remember, editors want stories their readers will be interested in hearing, not a sales pitch—so make it interesting .

Don’t forget to add your contact number and information to the press release. (You can research sample press releases on the net for proper formatting.) Hopefully you’ll be contacted to do an interview, but there’s never any guarantee.

Don’t hesitate to contact individual journalists on your own, either—specifically those who write for the arts and entertainment sections of the paper—if you don’t hear back from the newspaper within a few days.

Last minute details

By now you’ve booked your location, set a date, developed a theme and advertised your show. All you have to do is tie up the loose ends in the final week.

Plan to spend $30 for finger foods and drinks. Don’t go gourmet, but don’t be cheap. This shows your customers you care about them even if they don’t make a purchase.

Make sure your art is completed and ready to hang and everything priced properly. As a bonus, something I highly recommend is writing down the history of each piece of art, along with the name, price, size and medium, and posting it next to your work.

Most of all, keep in mind that when it comes to art, people want to buy more than just an image—they want to buy the experience as well.

If you’re creative and willing to follow the steps outlined above, it’s quite possible to create that experience without breaking the bank.

For more articles by Robb Scott, visit .

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Artist is driven to create arts. He loves what he does. This is why art names are essentially good looking and give a unique and creative meaning and a sense of accomplishment. Naming your creative studio is one of the most important things while setting up your own beautiful art shop or gallery.

Why is it important to have catchy names for art clubs? Because people remember catchy, short and memorable names more than any other business name. This makes it crucial for your idea to be named perfectly. Why so many people love new ideas? For some, it may be a choice but most of us naturally fall in love with creativity and creative arts. If you are starting a creative studio, and you are passionate about it then it’s the best thing to do today!

Without wasting any time, let’s start discussing these beautiful art names for your best startup idea.

Creative Studio Name Ideas

These are some of the creative studio names:

• Creative Crew
• Think & Brand
• XYZ Innovations
• We the Designers
• Z Design Ideas
• Soft Designs
• Visions and Variety
• 360 Creativity
• Design Tactics
• Bugs & Mugs
• Creative Classic
• Graphics Glamour
• Design your Thoughts
• Real and Tangible
• Handy Candy
• Stunning Studio

This name infographic will help you!

Let’s see some cooler names for your artwork.

Do you have some art club ideas? Let’s see if our ideas are better. Pick any from these beautiful art names. The best thing you can find over the internet today.

Catchy Art Club Name Ideas

These are some of the catchy art club names:

• Crazy Artsy
• Fine Arts Club
• Delight Studio
• Artistic Moves
• XYZ Dream Arts
• Trending and Arty
• The Thrilling Arts
• Platinum Gallery
• The Art Guild
• Friday Ideas
• Glory in arts
• Punching Designs
• Alpha Designers Club
• Essence of Designs
• Hanging Arts
• Capital Design Gallery

Creativity is when your work speaks itself. You might have heard that words speak louder. Yeah. You are right, these creative studio name ideas speak itself. They are inspiring and attractive.

Let’s have a look at some beautiful blogs! Arrested Motion – is a California based, the site focuses on street art and contemporary urban art. It is a wonderful blog. Do you want to make one?

Beautiful Names for art blogs

These are some of the beautiful art blog names:

• Art with Genius
• Arts & Acts
• Adapt Shape
• Art Stylize
• Artistic Band
• Arts is Clever
• Be Innovative
• Ideas & Shapes
• Boom Vibrations
• Boost Comic
• Chic Slick
• Combine act
• Crafty Clever
• Creative dream
• Creator Arts
• Crisp Travel
• Crispy Graphic
• Custom express
• Digital colorful
• Dream Edit
• Dream inspire
• Dream Originate
• Fantasy Inspire
• Fantasy plan
• Fashion Intellect
• Fashion Mind
• Flexible Paint

If you are thinking to start an artistic blog, then it is super important to showcase your talents across the world. There are many art blogs which even sell their arts, ideas, and design throughout the world. What are you waiting for? Start today, learn how to grow by time!

These are some of the best art name ideas:

• Form Sculptor
• Ideas Decorator
• Impact of Beauty
• Improvised Beast
• Ingenious Arts
• Inspire Crisp
• Intellect Sculpt
• Kitchen Chef
• Medium Author
• Mind artist
• Mind Form
• Modify Fantasy
• Original Express
• Paint display
• Pioneer Masterpiece
• Pioneer Think
• Produce Inspire
• Retro Fit
• Shape Vision
• Soul Space
• Stylize Unique
• Talent Edit
• Unique Find
• Unique Infusion
• Vision Act
• Vow Fun
• Form Sculptor

Creative Design Studio Business Names

These are some of the creative design studio business names:

• A To C Creative
• Charlie Creations
• Actionable Design
• Ages of Concept
• Ambitious Agency
• Bees are Creative
• Boundless Ideas
• Spy Corp
• Brand Alliance
• Brand builders
• Build A Bang
• Build A Brand
• Build A Vision
• Do Creativity
• Capital Creative
• Capstone Ideas
• Catchy Creations
• Coherent Crispy
• Collaborative Corp
• Communal Creativity
• Complex Creativity
• Cornerstone Designers
• Cosmic Creative
• Active Like Agent
• Creativity with Ally
• Creativity Coalition
• Cohort Work
• Cool Competence
• Concepts in Class
• Build a Hive
• Partners Blogs
• Designs with Reason
• Creativity in Space
• A Cool Strategy
• Crispy Vision
• The Visionaries
• Creature All
• Crystal Ball Creative
• Daring Design
• Design On A Dime
• Find Inspiration
• Goodness Graphics
• Impact Input
• Limitless Designs
• Outside The Box
• Rave Creative
• Sunny Skies Creative
• Tactical Ideas
• Five Creates
• Victorious Visions
• Vision Victory
• Solid Wall Designs

It can take a considerable amount of time and effort (not to mention expense) to create a full exhibition of artworks so its wise when setting the date for your opening night to set realistic dates by which you can produce enough works.

As a rule of thumb when creating a mixed exhibition of large, medium and small paintings I try to present between 24 and 30 artworks as a body of work, but the space you will be using for your exhibition, your concept style and how much time you have will all be a factor in how many works you actually need.

When preparing for the exhibition it helps to have a firm idea of the physical dimensions of the space you will be exhibiting in. If possible pay a visit to the exhibition location with your tape measure before you start creating your artworks. This will save you from any nasty surprises when you are setting up your exhibition, when you find that either the artworks don’t fill the space or are too big to fit in.

If you haven’t got enough artworks to put on an exhibition of your own then you might as an alternative consider grouping together with other artists to put on a collective exhibition instead, thereby dimming your star a little in deference to the collective, but also giving you a chance of exhibiting some time soon and sharing the considerable organisation load.

Hey! Just wanted to say that your site totally rocks! I had my first art exhibition last year and am planning to have another next year..after reading stuff here i have realized that for my last exhibition, i missed out quite a few things like essential press and the right audience. I am much better prepared now for the next year. Your website kinda make me feel like i will cover all bases if i follow your pointers..Thanks a bunch!

I’m planning an exhibition this summer, I just started painting 3yrs ago but the information hear has given me great pointers on how and what to do, if there’s anything else you think that might help please feel free to leave me a message,I was married 42yrs and when my husband died painting & drawing in what help me though,I don’t have many friends but I’m praying I can pull this off by word of mouth and the internet,so any help I would be grateful for Thank you

I wrote it all down here… as much as I could think of at the time anyway. To guarantee success talk to as many people as possible directly I’d say and then invite them personally. Just putting things on the internet and hoping for the best might not be the best approach unless you already have a massive following of fans.

Approach the making of the wall labels you place next to your artwork with thoughtfulness and common sense.

Installation of 4 works by Margaret Kasahara at the Boulder Public Library in 2018.

The Basics for Exhibition Labels Next to Your Art

Many art exhibitions open with a statement by the curator or artist. Those longer labels give context to what the viewer is about to see and are placed at the entry to the show.

Then there are individual labels next to each artwork.

Your art labels should include your name, object title, and media/support/technique—at a minimum.

A retrospective of your work should also include the dates.

In a one-person exhibition, your name need not be as prominent on labels and you might, instead, make the title larger and put it before your name. When showing with other people, distinguishing between artists is more important and names should be first.

If there are multiple rooms in the exhibition and your show’s title text doesn’t appear anywhere near your works, you might need your name on every label.

This gallery in Denver went to great lengths to match the text to the colors in Barbara Gilhooly’s art. This label references 3 works in close proximity.

If your work is hanging at a restaurant where a customer could stare at it for longer periods of time, your name should be on every label.

If the exhibit is small or in a single room and there’s a large sign with your name on it, you probably don’t need your name on every label.

Feel free to put more than one artwork on a label (as in the image to the right) as long as viewers can discern which information belongs with which piece.

Make the font size at least 14 points. Larger is better when you want the majority of your audience to be able to read the labels.

1 Art Label, 3 Ways

Traditionally, titles of artworks are italicized. You could, instead, make them bold, all caps or larger than the other text. Distinguishing the titles is especially important if they give clues about the content of your work, such as the location of a landscape.

“Mixed media” isn’t a medium. Using it is like saying something is a “painting” instead of “oil on linen” or “sculpture” instead of “bronze.” Spell out the various media you use within each mixed-media artwork. A curator is going to ask you that later anyway, so you might as well start treating your art like it’s in a museum now.

If the work is for sale, show the sale price on the label next to the art.

Labels can be printed on cardstock and stuck on the wall with rolled masking tape or something like Elmer’s Tack removable adhesive putty. I don’t recommend using the latter on textured walls because the adhesive gets caught in between the bumps.

For a more polished presentation print labels on regular paper, adhere the paper to mat board with spray glue, then cut out with a mat cutter.

Labels next to Margaret Kasahara’s art at the Boulder Public Library in 2018. Margaret is now represented by Michael Warren Contemporary in Denver.

Labels within an exhibition should all be the same size unless there is need for longer, explanatory text.

Place object labels to the right if at all possible. Large sculpture may require that you place a label on the nearest wall or floor.

Hang all labels at the same height and use a level to make sure they are parallel to the floor.

Art Label Cheat Sheet

1. Viewers must be able to see your name when looking at your work.
2. People shouldn’t have to guess what your work is made of.
3. The price, if for sale, should be clear.
4. Exhibition labels should be thoughtfully made. Any crooked sides or torn edges will detract from an appreciation of your work.
5. Above all, the labels should be consistent throughout the exhibition.

Your Art Exhibition Installation

Compose your art show just as you would a composition. Each aspect can contribute to the success of the show or make it seem less than impressive.

It begins with curating the work, but there is so much more that goes into a successful exhibition: preparation, installation, documentation, marketing, self-promotion, follow-up and more.

Click the graphic below to download a free comprehensive checklist for your show.

This post was originally published September 4, 2012. It has been updated with comments left intact.

Every contact you have with someone is an opportunity to wow them with your art and your professionalism, so you don’t want to miss the chance to wow from the beginning.

Robert Mapplethorpe knew this. For his first solo exhibition in 1973 at New York’s Light Gallery–a show of Polaroids–Mapplethorpe’s invitation was a hand-printed image from a Polaroid original.

©Timothy J Chambers, Carnation Vase. Pastel on sanded Canson, 9.5 x 17.5 inches. Used with permission.

Mapplethorpe embossed his name on the outer edge, included the protective Polaroid cover, and inserted everything into hand-addressed, cream-colored Tiffany envelopes.

His invitation was a work of art in itself because, he believed, an exhibition doesn’t begin when you go to the opening, but when you receive the invitation.

The moment people hear about the show, they start judging. Will it be any good? Who else will show up? Is it worth my time? Is there something better I could do that night?

What experience do people have when they get an invitation from you?

Here are 7 ways to use your invitation to wow guests and set the tone for your exhibition.

Real Mail

1. Send it via post.

The simple act of putting a stamp on an envelope and dropping it into a mailbox automatically increases the prestige of your exhibition.

In these days of email reliance, almost anything you send real mail will get more attention than if it were sent via email.

2. Make it one of a kind.

Your invitation will be extra special if you can make each invitation by hand: hand-printed, painted, or collaged.

©Simonne Roy, Baguette et Fromage. Oil on canvas panel, 6 x 8 inches. Used with permission.

However, recognizing that it’s not easy to make a large quantity of handmade invitations, it’s possible to begin with a mass-produced image and add embellishments, such as:

• Areas of paint
• Embroidery
• Collaged elements

If you aren’t able to produce handmade invitations, get a professional to design them and use high-quality paper for the printing.

3. Focus on the art. Focus on the art. Focus on the art.

This should be obvious, but take a clue from Mapplethorpe and hyper-focus the invitation on the art. He embossed a reproduced image from his show and reinforced the Polaroid theme in the invitation.

Consider making an invitation that is a creative preview of the work people will see when they attend.

©Laura Hunt, Embrace. Mixed media/found object assemblage, 8.25 x 21 x 7 inches. Used with permission.

4. Don’t skimp on the envelopes.

If you use a printing company, ask them to save their envelopes because they’re usually too flimsy to impress.

You can catch someone’s eye without Tiffany envelopes, and you’ll pay significantly less than what Mapplethorpe shelled out for those back in 1973. Two of my favorite envelope resources are Envelopes.com and Paper Source.

5. Embrace a gimmick.

Your invitation shouldn’t look anything like the bills and junk mail landing in mailboxes. Swanky envelopes and hand embellishments will eliminate all possibility of that, and you can expand on this desire to stand out.

Enclose your invitation in something with an odd shape.

You can mail in square or clear envelopes, mailing tubes, and almost anything else you can dream up.

6. Add handwriting.

Write a personal note by hand on the invitation and address the envelope by hand. Anything with your handwriting will get more attention.

Even if you’re only sending a postcard, write a personal note somewhere on it.

If the envelope or invitation is a dark color, I recommend the Uni-ball Signo broad white gel pen. I’ve tried my share of white pens and had almost given up on them before I came across this brand, which was a lifesaver for holiday cards.

Email

As I mentioned above, an email invitation will never have the gravitas as one delivered in real mail. However, because we use email so much, it’s important to be aware of how you can enhance the value of your email.

The best (and perhaps only) way to do this is …

7. Send 1 email to 1 person.

It’s easy to send an email to many people at once, but there’s not a whole lot that is special about those. If you want people to act, send a personal message to a single person. They’ll notice the difference.

©Renee St. Peter, Love-A-Fair. Watercolor on paper, 15 x 30 inches. Used with permission.

Here are some pointers for this process:

• Address the person by name.
• Add a line or two (or more) that acknowledges the relationship you have with them.
• Tell them, with sincerity, how much it would mean to you if they would attend your show.
• Use a personal subject line such as I’d love it if you could come to my show.

Your Turn

How do you use invitations to add cachet to your exhibition?

This post was originally published on April 26, 2016. It has been updated with the original comments left intact.

Application fee: $10/free for members

Click here to watch our 2020 Open Calls Information Session Webinar
or click here to view a transcript

The Solo Exhibition Open Call provides emerging and under-recognized artists the necessary resources to present an exhibition at CUE in 2021. The selected artists will receive valuable mentor support from an established artist or curator on the selection panel, including a studio visit and installation guidance in preparation for the exhibition. In addition, exhibiting artists each receive a $5,000 honorarium and an accompanying exhibition catalogue with an essay written by a participant in CUE’s Art Critic Mentoring Program.

ELIGIBILITY FOR UNDER-RECOGNIZED ARTISTS
CUE’s Solo Exhibition Open Call is for artists who:

Have not had a solo show in a commercial NYC gallery within the last five years

Do not have current, consistent commercial gallery representation in the United States

Are not currently enrolled in a degree program

Have a demonstrated, consistent studio practice outside an academic setting for three or more years

Must currently live and work in the United States

GUIDELINES

The exhibition program is open to artists working in all disciplines.

Extra consideration will be given to artists who present ideas or topics that are not well-represented in the commercial sector.

CUE strongly encourages applications that contribute to our ongoing commitment to diversity.

WHAT FINALISTS RECEIVE

Five-week solo exhibition at CUE Art Foundation in 2021

Curatorial support/mentoring from an established artist or curator on the selection panel

Opportunities to develop related public programming

32-page full color catalogue with essay produced through the Art Critic Mentoring Program and a statement by the curator

$5,000 unrestricted honorarium

An art shipping and art handling budget

Press materials and PR support

THE SELECTION PROCESS

The Open Call is judged in two stages. After applications are screened for eligibility, an initial jury reviews applications online to select a shortlist of applicants to proceed to the next stage. The initial jury remains anonymous and includes representatives from CUE’s network of alumni and advisors.

The finalists are decided by a separate jury comprised of four established curators and artists that will convene in New York City in late spring 2020. Each panelist then selects a finalist to work with as a Curator-Mentor throughout the planning stages of the exhibition.

The final jury panelists change each year and remain confidential until finalists are announced. Recent panelists include curator, Marcela Guerrero; artist, David Humphrey; curator, Daniel J Sander; curator, Michelle Yun; artist, Ali Banisadr; art historian, Andrianna Campbell; and artist, Steffani Jemison, amongst others.

All applicants will be notified of results by the end of June 2020.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Narrative Bio – up to 200 words

Artist statement – up to 400 words

Short synopsis of exhibition – up to 60 words

Detailed exhibition proposal that outlines both the concept and plan for the exhibition, and the relationship of the work samples to your proposal – up to 600 words

A completed Budget Worksheet (see Resource list below)

Work samples – IMAGES:

Upload up to 10 images. Images must be submitted as JPEG, PNG, or PDFs, with filenames formatted as: ARTISTLASTNAME_1.jpeg. Images should be optimized for web/screen preview and no larger than 2MB each. We recommend images that are 72dpi and around 2000px on the longest side.

A detailed work sample list formatted as follows:
– Filename (eg. ARTISTLASTNAME_1.jpg)
– Artwork title, year, medium, dimensions
– Any additional description

Work samples – VIDEO/AUDIO:

If applicable, please provide up to 4 URL links for video and time-based work. Vimeo is preferred for video. Soundcloud is preferred for audio. Please note: Video/audio samples exceeding 3 minutes may not be viewed in their entirety. For longer pieces we recommend creating an excerpt or providing a cue point in the notes.
Include the following information:
– URL
– Password (if applicable)
– Artwork title, year, duration
– Any additional description

All applications submitted will be considered final and treated as such. Applicants will not be permitted to add to or edit an application once it has been submitted. All incomplete or duplicate applications will be immediately disqualified.

Use this 7 step guide to promote your art exhibition and make sure your art gains the recognition it deserves.

S o you have an exhibition coming up? That’s great! Have you given some thought to how you’re going to promote it? No? Not so great. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – however wonderful your art is, no one will buy it if they haven’t been exposed to it. And most of the time, that doesn’t happen by accident. You need to put some effort in order to make it happen.

Gallery goers admiring the artworks of Fahim Somani

The amount of effort that you need to invest in self-promotion depends significantly on where you are exhibiting. There are many galleries, including Agora Gallery, which provide considerable promotional material and make efforts on your behalf.

However, it is important for you to make yourself aware of what is being done by others to promote both the exhibition and your work, This will help you recognize the steps you need to take in order to promote yourself as an artist as well as your upcoming exhibition.

And just in case, you are not sure where to begin, here is a 7-step guide to promoting your art exhibition and making sure your art gains the recognition it deserves.

1 What Makes Your Show Different?

The first and foremost thing to do before you begin promoting is to recognize the ideas or details that will make your exhibition stand out. This is relevant both on a personal level – what is unusual about this for you? Is it your first exhibition in New York? Does the work represent a new departure? – and regarding the exhibition – is it in an interesting location? Is it an annual event? These details can help your show stand out.

Consider these criteria as your selling point. These ideas will be the ones you make use of during your promotional campaign while this process will also help you narrow down your target audience and reach out to more like-minded people that will appreciate your art style.

2 Exhibition Paraphernalia

Press releases, artist statements, catalogs, posters, exhibition cards, invitations – all of these can be extremely useful before, during, and after the exhibition. You can place these places to advertise the event as well as your art before the exhibition.

During the exhibition, you can have them near your work, at the reception desk, and so on, for those who are interested in your work and would like to know more. Once the exhibition has run its course, these can be useful for maintaining records and highlighting your past experience.

At Agora, we make sure that every artist is provided with a carefully drafted press release and that their artist statement is exhibited along with their works in order to provide a good contextual background to the gallery guests. We also make use of press releases for online promotion as well as in the exhibition catalogues.

3 Approach Relevant Organizations

Once all your exhibition information and material are in place, you might want to start contacting relevant organizations about the upcoming event. Inform journalists and media professionals about your exhibition.

Think outside the box and try to come up with connections to specific groups or individuals who would be likely to be especially interested in your exhibition. Do not forget to take help of friends and family to spread the message and reach out to potential buyers.

Don’t ignore the local art scene even if you are not exhibiting in your hometown. It’s true that art lovers will go some distance for an exhibition or art fair, but the obvious population to target is always the one that lives next door.

If there’s a local art scene, then that should be a priority, but local businesses, newspapers or magazines, cafés and cultural centers can all be useful places to advertise. Explain the appeal in local terms and they will be more likely to let you put up a poster or leave some exhibition cards.

Artist Helen Rosenkranz with the Director of Agora Gallery, Angela Di Bello during the opening reception for Kaleidoscope Of The Mind.

4 Work With Others

Are you participating in a collective exhibition in a gallery or fair that doesn’t provide promotion? You might want to be in touch with other participating artists so that you can work together to produce a greater effect. You can share the costs of printing materials, and make sure that your promotional efforts don’t overlap so that you cover more ground.

Even if you are exhibiting at a gallery like Agora that takes care of most of the exhibition promotion, get in touch with the gallery professionals and let them know your expectations. Make sure you provide them with as much information about your art as possible so that they can market your artworks as well as the event extensively.

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5 Target People Who Already Love Your Work

You probably have a list of collectors who’ve purchased your work in the past or a mailing list of those who have expressed interest at some point – make use of them! If they love your work, they’ll want to see you succeed. Make sure they know that they could really help and thank them when they do.

We, at Agora Gallery, make use of social media platforms to promote our artists extensively.

6 Use Social Media To Promote Your Exhibition

Online promotion is increasingly becoming popular. Not only is it a great way to reach out to people all across the globe within seconds, but also a platform to connect with like-minded people, sell your artworks and learn more about the latest art trends.

Do you have a Facebook Page? If not, you might want one – and no, it’s not the same as a personal profile. A Twitter feed? Do you participate in art-related discussions on forums or groups? These are great platforms to get the word out because it’s so easy for people to re-share the information with others. If you don’t spend much time updating your Facebook page, you might want to put more effort in, especially coming up to the show, so that people who see the posts in their newsfeed start getting excited too.

7 Share Your Excitement

This really is important – with anyone you want to help you in any way, from a journalist to a café owner, to your cousin. You’ll find they’re more likely to respond if you show them how exciting this opportunity is. It’s infectious; you want them to start to feel that way too.

An art exhibition, however small, is a great opportunity for you as an artist. However, making it successful and turning it into a stepping stone for a memorable career, is in your power. Promote your exhibition right!

As a promotional gallery, we take pride in the diverse group of artists from across the globe represented by us. Want to give your art more time, and leave the marketing and promotional hassles to someone else? Visit our Gallery Representation And Artist Promotion page for more information.