If you want to have a good crowd at the opening reception of your next exhibit—and hopefully sell well—you need to get organized. I like to have 3 months to plan for a big show. Once I have a plan, I find the whole process is a lot less anxiety-producing.
Spreadsheet
First thing I do is create an Excel spreadsheet with the dates running across the horizontal top row (one week per column) and a list of every task that has to be done running down the left column vertically. Then I fill in the cells with gray when every task needs to be done. I print it out on one page and that page lives on my desk. Every Monday morning I review what needs to be done for the week. I put a check in each box that’s finished.
Finalize Dates
The most important date to establish is the opening reception. As soon as you work that out with everyone involved, send a “Save the Date” email to everyone on your list. People make plans months ahead of time and you need to leave time for family/friends who don’t live nearby to make hotel reservations.
Promotion Materials
Print: Remember to keep the design of all promotion materials the same so people begin to recognize the event.
Post card: When I’m responsible for printing post cards, I use modernpostcard.com. They’re inexpensive, fast and the quality is good. If you’re lucky, the gallery or sponsor will cover the expense of printing post cards. In any case, you need to carefully review and update your mailing list.
Poster: Posters are a good way to advertise locally. Many local shops with storefront windows let you put up a poster. The library is also a good spot, as well as the community bulletin board and the Chamber of Commerce.
Ecard: The internet is king. You can reach millions if you want to. Create a jpg version of your post card and email the world. (If you don’t use an email service, DO NOT put everyone’s email in the cc box. People get really annoyed.)
Advertising: If you’ve got the money, advertise in local/art publications.
Press: Find out what the submission dates are for all the publications. Magazines will have deadlines at least 6 weeks ahead of publication.
Newspapers: Get a broad list of all publications in the gallery’s vicinity.
Magazines: Include arts magazines as well as local magazines and any other publications that might be interested in the content of your art (ex: for my cowgirl show, I researched publications that are interested in cowgirls/cowboys/horses).
Online/print calendar listings: This is something you do a couple of weeks before the show. Mostly, you can file a listing online that will serve for both print/online calendar lists. Don’t forget your local radio stations.
Art
Survey space: Take your camera and a tape measure. Write down how much space is available and note which are the best spots.
Plan show layout: Figure out what size prints to make and plan where you will hang them.
Plan prices: Decide on selling prices—don’t forget to factor in the gallery’s percentage.
Prep photo files: Clean spots, touch up, etc.
Order frames: Leave enough time for shipping if you’re ordering.
Make Prints: Send files out for archival prints.
Sign prints/put together: Do this before you go to hang the show.
Show
Plan food/drinks
Buy food/drinks/paper products
Hang show
Guest book
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