How to Submit Your Artwork to a Museum

Nearly artists would walk miles for the adventure to show their piece of work on Museum Mile. Luckily, that's not necessary because we accept all the communication you need.

by A. Richard Langley

1000any artists would walk miles, under whatsoever conditions, to show their work in a venue on Museum Mile . If that isn't realistic, showing your piece of work in any museum — major or small, large city or suburban — tin be the ultimate validation of your talent and persistence.

Museums are the premier venue to showroom and receive feedback on your creations.
Countless millions in the public and fine art earth visit museums to view works — recognized and new —and discover (or rediscover) artists across many mediums and periods.

Landing a museum show is a challenging try. The proposal process is highly competitive and circuitous, and museums take express infinite. Fifty-fifty being an established, commercially successful artist is no guarantee that any museum volition show your creations.

Here, we discuss how to navigate this enervating process, the elements it includes, and its effect on your career.

The Proposal Process

Before preparing and submitting a proposal, you need to know the pros and cons of the procedure. Understanding these items tin can help you decide if a museum show is a skillful option for you.

Benefits

The proposal process can exist daunting—and it's hard work. You will immerse yourself in researching the history and missions of museums, building connections in the community, and creating impassioned works. Everything you acquire and exercise will assistance y'all master the process, and with each ane you practise, the process becomes easier.

If yous land a museum show, know that it's a major commitment that tin take away from your studio time and pursuit of other projects. There are many rewards, nevertheless. The recognition of you and your work typically increases later on the outcome. Accordingly, the toll and demand for your pieces should rise—specially if you lot proactively marketplace the issue online, on social media, and in the community.

Bug

Be aware of creative, commercial, and fourth dimension concerns. Your creations will compete against countless works, unsolicited like yours and those from gallery representatives and dealers. To assist your chances, yous may be tempted to produce work in the museum'southward core areas of interest—even if they go confronting your creative vision. This can stifle your creativity, and may even turn off your followers.

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Notice a Suitable Museum

You must exist honest with yourself well-nigh your career and achievements —and your CV and bio should reflect it . Research multiple museums and be realistic about which museums are right for your work.

Commencement, larn the history and mission of each museum y'all're considering. When you lot submit a proposal, the reviewers will annotation your passion about the museum's focus
and mission.

You should also know the museum'southward electric current and future schedules, the types of shows and exhibitions (solo or group), and their focus and themes. Near of this content should be on the museum's website. Again, your submission must reflect your creative passion and forcefulness.

Side by side, research the contacts in the museum's Curatorial section. This group controls shows and exhibits. Contact and bio information virtually them should be on the museum'due south website or on social media (e.g., Facebook or LinkedIn).  s content should be on the museum's website. Once more, your submission must reflect your creative passion and stren

Naturally, you want your work to connect with an audience who appreciates and understands it. Below are common questions yous should ask yourself about the museum's audience.

  • How many people visit the museum annually?
  • What are the demographics of visitors?
  • What are their artistic tastes?
  • How many people visit each show/showroom?
  • What are the peak periods of attendance?

If a museum'south website has informative and fresh content, nearly of this data should exist on it.

Your final concern is location. Ideally, choose a museum within driving distance from your residence. Y'all want to be nearby so you can consult with museum staff should they have any questions nigh your proposal or work.

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Make Personal Contact

Connect Straight

For a more personal connection, you should consider connecting directly —by phone, email, on social media, or in person— with the appropriate curator at the museum. Based on your research, yous can identify a museum and pick a mid-level curator, or someone like, who handles your specialty and isn't overly busy.

Ideally, you should have three proposals for projects of dissimilar sizes and themes.
This will appoint them with multiple options, and show them that you lot're proactive and confident in yourself and your work. If your proposals and creations align with the museum's needs, the curator will usually listen and react.

Be prepared when you lot initiate contact. Accept brief talking points, in writing and chat, gear up and rehearsed. Key topics include your art background, your
expanse of specialty, and a loftier-level view of your proposals. You want to get a
face-to-face meeting—it'south your best chance to present your creations and testify them your personality.

Face-to-face Meeting

If you secure an in-person meeting with the curator, go along it simple and respect their fourth dimension and knowledge. Inquire for a brief meeting (15 minutes is platonic) in the museum cafeteria. Bring iii to v images (hardcopy or on a device) of the work you want

to exhibit.

Keep your presentation brief—and lead the conversation, just always let the curator fourth dimension to consider your information and comment on it. To gauge their true feelings about you and your ideas, enquire them a targeted question (eastward.g., Does the museum have a special room for one-off exhibits like yours?). Their response and torso language are informative. If their actions are positive, tell them you'll submit your proposal through a formal channel (U.Southward. Mail or online). If they're unclear, enquire them for contact information of individuals who tin help get your piece of work shown at other venues.

No matter how the interview goes, ship the curator a thoughtful thank-yous email within one solar day. They may ultimately not accept your proposals for a myriad of reasons (eastward.k., timing, schedule changes , or funding), so don't take rejection personally. You want them to have a positive impression of you, and to tell their peers the aforementioned.

Manage the Proposal Process

The proposal procedure is demanding and exacting. Along with your art, the proposal is your calling card for a museum. Always follow submission instructions exactly, and know the deadlines and materials required.

Direct your questions to the museum'due south website or contact the Curatorial department.

Prepare Proposal

No matter your status — emerging or established artist — y'all will typically include the post-obit items in your package. Ensure they're detailed, error-free, and easy-to-read.

  • High-quality digital photos of your work
  • CV (art-related achievements simply)
  • Brusque biography
  • Prototype list
  • Statement

You must also customize the items higher up with each submission. The documentation should be as singled-out as your piece of work and reply the questions below.

  • Your art education and professional background
  • What is the meaning, theme, or purpose of your submission?
  • How did you brand them?
  • Why exercise you desire to exhibit them?
  • When will they exist bachelor for exhibit?

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Submit Proposal

If you do your due diligence researching and collecting data, the submission process should get smoothly. Be aware of deadlines, include all requested materials, and follow instructions exactly.

Direct contact—past phone, electronic mail, social media, or in person—with the museum'south Curatorial section is best. This volition show them your initiative and your interest in the museum. Over again, subsequently a positive personal interaction, submit your proposal through a formal channel (U.S. Mail or online).

For submissions by U.South. Postal service, assemble your proposal in a professional folder according to the museum'due south guidelines.

Online is fast becoming the preferred method for many museums to receive proposal submissions. They can manage submissions more efficiently, and you accept a quick, convenient mode to submit them. Pay shut attention to make certain y'all're inbound information in the correct fields and answering questions completely.

Receive Response

Be patient for a response. Information technology may accept four months (or longer) before they contact y'all.
If you don't receive give-and-take after one month, transport a follow-up alphabetic character (email or print) to inquire on the status of your submission. Sympathize that you may non hear back if your proposal isn't accepted.

Other Submission Options

Social Media

If you want to avoid a formal submission procedure, you can submit your work for posting to a defended folio on the museum's website or on social media channels (e.one thousand., Facebook, Tumblr, or Instagram).

The popularity of this option is increasing. The approval process is less stringent, and you receive quicker approval to post. As e'er, follow instructions exactly.

While this immediacy can assist attract new followers from within and outside the community, information technology besides draws many submissions. Treat this option as if you're hanging your piece of work in a museum, and only mail service your all-time work to help you stand up out.

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

Managing the proposal process is highly competitive and fourth dimension-consuming. You must have the drive to complete it—especially knowing that y'all may non country a show—and the passion to piece of work with a museum. Have inspiration from Orhan Pamuk'southward The Museum of Innocence , in which he notes, "Real museums are places where Time is transformed into Space." Also, the fourth dimension and free energy you invest in the procedure may issue in your piece of work having infinite on a museum's walls.

Richard Langley is a freelance writer in Marietta, Ga. His byline has appeared in various consumer art and civilization publications. Among them: Art & Antiques, Atlanta Citymag, Pic Threat, and BlackBook. He as well has feel in art sales. For three years, he co-managed and stocked a booth of European art, antiques, and furniture at Scott Antique Markets in Atlanta.