Vera Khairutdinova

Artist, member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia, designer. Over 6 years of exhibition activity, she organized and held 29 personal exhibitions, 9 of which were in China.

The main advice for aspiring artists: do not be afraid to exhibit your work. I am sure that by following the further plan, you will realize your dream and hold your first exhibition.

How to tell about yourself

Write a resume

Include information about the place of study, about exhibitions indicating time, place, name. Surely you have participated in group activities. Constantly update your resume, add new art-related events, and delete less important ones. Also write about internships, master classes, bonuses, awards, if any. Add your photo.

Write a biography

Briefly tell us about yourself. Literally on half a page: write about who you are, where you were born, where you studied. Probably, some of your works are in private collections (even if you donated them) and, possibly, in different cities of Russia or abroad. Add this information too.

Prepare a booklet

This is an optional item, but it allows you to present information about you in a bright and colorful way. Post your photo, a photo of one or more paintings. Add brief information about yourself, what you write, contacts, mention your website or pages on social networks. A good option is a double-sided A5 leaflet. More informative than a business card, and also inexpensive.

Create pages on social networks

If you have them, post photos of your paintings more often. Very interesting are the shots in the process of painting, in the open air, and photographs of paintings in the interior. Ask to be photographed at work. Make short videos.

Register on artist portals

Perhaps some of the other visitors will want to purchase your work. The main advantage of such sites is that when your name is entered into search engines, your paintings will be among the first links in the search results. You can use these sites to post your work:

How to prepare works for an exhibition

Decorate the paintings

Paintings need to be framed in baguettes; for watercolors it is better to add a mat. Don't forget about the fastenings. IN Lately I switched to gallery-stretched canvases, 4 cm thick.


With gallery stretching, the edges of the image overlap the ends of the stretcher and no framing is required

I kill several birds with one stone: I save on decoration (baguettes are not cheap) and make it easier to transport the paintings. Frames are heavy and fragile, they are easy to damage, it is necessary to protect the corners with special corners, and if so, then we count every kilogram. And gallery-stretched canvases are lighter and more convenient for transportation and packaging. Besides, in modern interiors Such works look stylish.

Signatures

Be sure to sign on the front side of the work. On the back, indicate your last name, first name, title of the work, size of the painting (write the height first, then the width), material (for example, “canvas/oil” or “watercolor/paper”), year. You can sign with charcoal, then be sure to secure it with a special spray or hairspray so that it does not fall off.

Take pictures of the paintings

It's best to have it professionally filmed. Photo good quality You can use it for a catalog, album, booklets, prints (making copies) or when printing on clothes and accessories.

But such photography is expensive, so at first you can take photographs yourself. For shooting, it is better to take the work outside and shoot in the shade. Then trim off the excess and process it in a photo editor. Make sure that the colors in the photo match the actual colors in the painting.

To store photos of paintings, create a separate folder on your desktop. Pictures can be pre-sorted into collections - this way you can always quickly find the ones you need. For photographs of paintings in interiors, also create a separate folder, as well as for photographs from plein airs and your photos at the easel.

Make a list of jobs

Make a list of all your paintings in a table. You can sort by collection or year. So you yourself will understand how many paintings you have, and put things in order. In the table, indicate the number, name of the painting, year, size, material, if necessary, cost, attach a photo. I add notes to paintings when they are sold or placed in a collection. Be sure to mark the paintings that you are donating to an exhibition or somewhere else.

What else should you consider when preparing for the exhibition?

Name

Come up with a name for the exhibition in accordance with the style and theme of the paintings. Select works according to the concept so that together they look good and logical. Make a separate list according to the principle described above, only include in it those paintings that you want to demonstrate at this exhibition. Write about how the idea of ​​painting came, a story about the collection.

Site selection

There are many opportunities to exhibit for free: exhibition halls, galleries, business centers, libraries. Ask questions by mail or phone, come in and meet in person, ask if the staff can post your work or recommend who is best to contact. Show off your paintings.

If you are in Moscow, you can contact the head of the “Art in Nature” project Valery Senkevich or the Izo Art Gallery in the Romanov Dvor business center - for little money you can take part in a group or personal exhibition.

Packaging and delivery of paintings

Take care of your packaging in advance. Of course, it all depends on where and how you are going to transport the paintings.

  • If the work is framed, protect the corners - a small chip on the frame can ruin the whole look.
  • If you are delivering by car and not very far, a layer of plastic film and bubble wrap will be enough.
  • If you are transporting long distances, transport companies They suggest adding cardboard packaging or rigid sheathing.
  • When transporting paintings abroad, do not forget to obtain an export permit. In Moscow, this is done by the College of Experts on Cultural Property. The cost for artists is 500 rubles per painting, but sometimes it is possible to cheat. Works from one series can be framed as a diptych or triptych and paid for as one painting.

Arrangement of paintings

Think in advance about how your work will hang. There should be 140–150 cm from the floor to the center of the picture. Check the lighting. It is best to use spotlights. If you exhibit in a gallery, they will definitely help you with hanging.



Press release

Specialists helped me make my first press release. The text should contain the name of the exhibition, brief information about you, what will be presented, the address, duration, opening date, telephone number. You can make further press releases yourself using the example of the first one.

Invitations

Issue invitations to the opening of the exhibition. Indicate the name, address, time, phone number, what other events are planned (I often invite singer friends to perform). And send it out! It is very nice. I prepare a list of those I want to invite in advance and note who agreed to come and who did not. This way you can roughly count the number of guests in order to decide on the number of drinks and snacks for the buffet.

Photographer

Be sure to invite a professional photographer. You can post photos from the exhibition on social media pages and send them to guests and friends. Such photos will remind you and your event.

Shooting video

A nice addition to your portfolio, although not required. If you decide to make a film about the opening of the exhibition, discuss in advance with the operator what you want to see in it, what close-ups are important to you, interviews with what people. In general, write a script for your evening and movie. When you apply for the next exhibition, don't forget to attach a link to it.

Your image

Think over your appearance in accordance with the concept of the exhibition and its location. If necessary, contact a stylist who will take care of your hair and. Such details will help you create a cohesive image that will definitely be remembered by your guests and will delight you in photographs for a long time.

Opening speech and communication with guests

Greet the guests and briefly talk about the paintings. Don't forget to thank the people who came to you. Pay attention to each guest, walk around the hall, make acquaintances, communicate, find out where the person learned about your event. And be sure to enjoy your evening!

Buffet

Of course, you can do without it, but usually guests come to the event after work, and a glass of water or champagne would not go amiss. It all depends on your budget, you can add baked goods and snacks. Guests will appreciate such signs of attention.

Closing

Conducted upon request. You can invite those who didn’t make it to the opening.

Of course, organizing the first exhibition is an exciting and difficult event, but at the same time it is a way out new level professional development. Think about where you would like to see your paintings, tell your friends about your plans, ask advice from people connected with art, send your resume. In general, knock on all doors and show your creativity. And then the first exhibition will be the beginning of a series of exciting events that will open up new facets of your talent and give you many amazing acquaintances and discoveries. Good luck to you!

Most artists, unless of course this is a job for them and not a secret hobby for the soul, at some point the thought arises of the need to organize an exhibition of their works. At this moment, mainly for beginners, a lot of questions arise that can be boiled down to one thing - how to hold an exhibition of paintings, the very first, debut one.

In this material I will try to answer it, based on my experience and the experience of those artists with whom I had the opportunity to communicate. Presenting your work to the public is very important, because in this way you will give connoisseurs and art lovers the opportunity to learn about you.

However, now, as my personal experience, the most important thing is to show yourself and your creativity to the public on the Internet. Yes, galleries and exhibitions are still open, but really effective tool Nowadays, the Internet is the source of choice for all aspiring artists. Watch about this in my video.

How and where to sell a painting - all possible options

Artist's personal website

You definitely need to have your own personal website - a gallery where your works will be presented! Friends, this is as important now as connections were needed before. Nowadays, the fastest way to convey your creativity to the viewer is through electronic channels. And it is advisable to have, first of all, a personal website.

This is not difficult if you choose ready-made solutions, when both hosting and domain name are already configured, and your main task is to work on filling the site without being distracted by technical aspects.

I recommend Beget as a hosting provider. This site of mine, by the way, works for them. Even if you don’t know at all what a website, hosting, or domain is, then consultants will help, advise and, at your request, set up your website for you. Highly recommend!

Well, if you decide to go the old fashioned way, then I have collected recommendations for offline promotion for you. Although, I repeat once again, the past cannot be returned, yes, exhibitions in real life will remain, like theaters and cinemas, for example, but the prospects of the Internet are so great that it would be very imprudent not to take advantage of them. I am sure that in ten years, the world will recognize new names that will become known solely thanks to the artist’s social networks and Internet activities.

Setting goals

Before you start any venture, you need a plan, the same applies to how to organize an exhibition of paintings. Before you start compiling it, you need to answer two key questions: what is the purpose of this exhibition, and how much money does the artist have.

The goal can be one of two: to express yourself or to sell your work. It is clear that for beginners, the goal is mainly to gain popularity. As for the money issue, it determines the entire subsequent plan. Whether the artist will organize the event completely independently or delegate it to professionals depends on the funds at his disposal.

Depending on this amount, the exhibition hall is selected, advertising costs are calculated, what guests will be treated to at the opening of the exhibition is determined, and whether journalists are needed.

How and where to hold an exhibition?

Therefore, if an exhibition of paintings is organized by a novice artist, then it is worth looking for an opportunity to do it for free. This can be beneficial for both parties. For example, if you hold an exhibition in a bar, the owner of the establishment can receive additional profit from the guests of the event. Among banks and corporations, there may also be those willing to help aspiring talent in a free organization.

You can also try to hold an exhibition of paintings in the library by agreeing with the management. Cultural workers are very loyal to such proposals. In addition to libraries, you can visit cultural centers at enterprises or municipal ones.

Room decoration

So, the first point is to choose a room. Further, when the issue with the premises has been resolved, the need arises to prepare the exhibition, decide on the design, and the place for the paintings. Such issues are usually decided by a curator, so it makes sense for a novice artist to find a specialist who would draw up a script. Typically, an experienced museum staff member is hired for this purpose.

On the other hand, you can hire specialists from a PR agency and completely delegate all the work to them. For those who have limited funds, you can try to open your own exhibition yourself. There are two advantages here: budget savings and the opportunity to fully express your creative potential.

Choosing a theme

When the artist has decided on this point, it is necessary to choose the theme of the event. Usually it is formed from the direction in which the creator works. You should not choose a topic for an exhibition in which the artist only practices and is not a professional. You can exhibit only those paintings that reveal the author’s special, clearly developed style, his “zest.”

This also includes the name of your exhibition. This is also a very conceptual point. Think carefully, write down on paper all the options that you could come up with. Then cross out the ones that definitely don't apply. Well, then - either at random, randomly select from the remaining good names, or using the one-to-one method, comparing, highlight the best.

How to hold an exhibition - Advertising

So the second point is to choose a topic, come up with a name and design the exhibition. After all the preparations, you can begin your advertising campaign. You can also do it yourself, or you can do it with the help of advertising agency. In the second option, you just need to come to the agency and explain the concept of your exhibition. The professionals will take care of the rest.

They will print the posters, either according to your sketches, or their designer will design everything himself, and they will release a series of advertisements in the media so that people can find out about the upcoming event.

  • — post an announcement of the upcoming exhibition on the Internet;
  • - create groups in in social networks;
  • — independently create a poster and event program using graphic editors;
  • - advertise on radio, television or in a newspaper;
  • — compose and send invitations to friends, acquaintances and journalists.

Most often, when the latter are invited, they send out 2 invitations per publication. So, the third point is to conduct an advertising campaign. The number of visitors will depend on its quality.

The first impression can rarely be changed, so the artist should make sure that every point of the plan is carried out at the most professional level. You can do this yourself if you familiarize yourself with the topic well in advance, look at similar solo exhibitions of other young artists, and pay attention to their organization and reviews in the press.

By the way, you can try to hold a joint exhibition with a more famous artist. This option also works well, since people who know the famous painter are guaranteed to come to the exhibition. Well, they will also find out about you.

You can also try to cooperate with the same novice artist. Paired exhibitions always attract visitors. Perhaps just because you can see the difference, compare the worldview and approaches of the authors. My husband and I ourselves love to visit such joint exhibitions of oil paintings in other cities.

Glow everywhere

For those who are just thinking about how to hold an exhibition, the most important thing is to gain popularity among the media and connoisseurs of beauty. It is not so important whether you will be able to sell your paintings during the first exhibition. The main thing is that any exhibition is a resonance and a serious chance to declare oneself as a professional and talented artist.

I know several examples when fame came to an artist not because of his paintings, but because of his outrageousness. What can I say, you yourself have probably seen and heard such examples. What does it cost, for example, nailing down sensitive places on Red Square, or setting fire to the door of the FSB... The path, in my opinion, is still not the same... But since there is one, we will voice it too.

In St. Petersburg, I know a girl who dresses in very revealing clothes at her exhibitions. And the purpose of men’s visits to her exhibition is not entirely clear - either to admire the paintings, or to admire their author. In short, you can experiment in different ways.

Video on the topic

As for me, I have never exhibited in my native Voronezh. My domain is the Internet. And I suggest that all young and aspiring artists explore this particular platform for painting exhibitions. This area is very promising, hundreds of people will know about you, you will become famous person even without having any real life exhibitions.

I believe that in fact, even without exhibitions you can make a name for yourself and even sell successfully. The age of the Internet and technology allows any gifted artist to express himself and gain fame among a wide audience. If you create and want to gain fame, then I advise you to focus on the Internet - it is now much more promising than all these exhibitions of the past, believe me, friends!

By the way, I advise you to subscribe to my author’s YouTube channel, where I publish new videos with useful tips for beginning artists. It’s easy to find me there - type in the search for Bright Pictures of Natalia Shiryaeva and watch for new videos.

And remember that even the great ones started by selling their paintings at affordable prices. Otherwise they simply would not have been known about them. These are the realities of life and I see this as the key to future fame and success. If your painting is exhibited on the Internet, it will be seen by the maximum number of people. If your painting is cheap and beautiful, then people will want to buy it and will buy it.

Whether you are presenting your own work or that of other artists, hosting an exhibition is a uniquely enriching experience. Although it can be quite difficult to bring together so many elements so that it all forms a single whole and at the same time makes sense. Therefore, when you organize an exhibition yourself, it is extremely important that you have a plan of action. Once you have decided on the theme of the exhibition, you can accept applications from interested artists, choose a suitable location for this event and launch an advertising campaign so that your collection is seen and appreciated by as many people as possible.

Steps

Part 1

Search for works of art

    Choose a unifying theme. A well-thought-out art exhibition is characterized by a clear theme that ties the different pieces together and makes them feel like they are part of a whole. Consider what message your exhibition should convey. This could be an image or phenomenon, a feeling or a certain visual technique.

    Choose the most impressive work. Select a few of your best or most recent pieces to display. If you are holding a personal exhibition, which should feature your own work, you will need 10 to 30 paintings to present to the public. The theme of the exhibition must be reflected in each copy.

    Contact local artists to provide materials for display. Do a little research looking for creative people in your region who may be interested in participating in your exhibition. A collaborative effort can be a great opportunity for many different artists to present their art at one event, resulting in a more diverse and comprehensive selection.

    Work through different channels. Your exhibition should not consist solely of canvases and drawings. Feel free to include works by photographers, sculptors, and other figurative artists. A wide selection of works will give cooperation a dynamic atmosphere and bring more joy to your clients.

    • The best solution is to take on works that can be framed, hung on the wall and sold. Although you can also invite poets or musicians to perform at the event, especially if their work complements the theme of the exhibition.

    Part 2

    Event organisation

    1. Decide on a date and time. Organizing an art exhibition requires intense coordination, so be realistic about the time frame you set for yourself. It's a good idea to start planning your event at least 2-3 months in advance so you have enough time to prepare. If possible, choose a date towards the end of the week when many people have the day off and people are looking for things to do in the city.

      Book your venue. Start looking for a suitable venue for the exhibition. The most obvious solution is to rent a studio or art gallery, but remember that the choice is not limited to traditional art locations. You can ask around in restaurants, cafes, cultural centers, churches and business centers to see if they are willing to help with this event.

      Price your work for sale. The purpose of the exhibition is not only to display the artist’s works, but also to sell them. Once you have your exhibit together, it's worth considering how much you value each piece. Try to set prices that are acceptable to both you and the buyer, taking into account the painting technique, technical complexity and labor put into creating the work.

      Let the word go. Let people around you know that you are working on an exhibition. You can mention this when personal meeting or post information about the event on your social media pages. In some cases, it may be possible to work with the venue's management to ensure that the news reaches a wider range of visitors through their website, press releases and official announcements.

      Part 3

      Holding a successful exhibition

      1. Ask for help. Enlist the help of volunteers, as well as the help of professionals: movers, framers and lighting experts. All together it will be easier to cope with coordinating the unloading and loading of work, placing necessary equipment and displays in the designated place, monitoring works of art so that they are not damaged or stolen. A dedicated team can lighten your burden and their (team's) presence ensures that the event goes off without a hitch.

        • In addition to movers, it’s a good idea to hire a photographer or cameraman to film the event, as well as a band or DJ for unobtrusive musical accompaniment.
        • Delegate tasks and responsibilities to a team of volunteers so you can put the finishing touches on the preparation.

      2. Prepare your exhibition space. Your first order will be to mount and place the works in the designated place. From this, you can adjust the lighting so that each work is well lit and clearly visible. Visualize how you want visitors to see and interact with the space, then consider a final layout that will meet your goals.

        • As with everything related to the exhibition, when creating a menu, you need to take the location into account. Also consider what kind of atmosphere you want to create (casual or formal) and what kind of attire those present should wear.
        • More established art galleries sometimes cover the cost of food at larger events.
      • It is highly recommended to obtain liability insurance for the location where the exhibition is held. This way, you won't be held responsible if anything happens to the guest, the painting, or the premises itself.
      • Plan, purchase, arrange delivery, clean up, framing and placement as early as possible to reduce the stress associated with the event date approaching.
      • Wrap your artwork in bubble wrap to protect it during transport to and from the venue.
      • If you're not afraid public speaking, give a short speech at the opening. Thank your guests for coming, then take a few minutes to briefly explain your chosen theme, introduce the artists you've collaborated with, and your overall vision for the project.
      • Consider selling other items (T-shirts, bags, pins, etc.) that might interest people who may not be interested in buying original art.

      Warnings

      • Be sure to warn future visitors if the exhibition contains mature themes that are not suitable for young viewers.

Exhibition is the only unique and universal event in which you can use all marketing tools. Often participation in an exhibition does not require huge expenses, but it is correct and responsible preparation for the exhibition allows you to achieve significant results: increase sales volume, introduce new products or services, improve the image of your company, form a network of dealers or distributors, study the market, etc.

There are many reasons to take participation in the exhibition.

Exhibitions provide the opportunity to:

  • conclude agreements with potential partners
  • bring a new product to market
  • find new customers and partners
  • develop a new direction for your commercial activities
  • stimulate staff activity
  • obtain information about the current market situation
  • support local sales agents
  • meet business partners, etc.

Where are the exhibitions held?

Specialized exhibitions of the industry most often carried out in two large exhibition centers (complexes) in Moscow: Krosus Expo or Expocentre. (link calendar of exhibitions in Moscow>>)

If this is your first time deciding participate in the exhibition, we will try to explain the simplest concepts that you will encounter when preparing for the event.

Preparation for the exhibition

How to participate in an exhibition correctly, how to effectively hold an exhibition and get excellent results? Tips and tricks for participants/exhibitors.

First of all, it is necessary to determine specific and realistic goals what you expect to achieve with participation in the exhibition. The most common of them:

  • present new product or service
  • replenish your customer base
  • find new partners
  • advertise your company
  • analyze a certain market segment, etc.

Of course, your company's goals may be unique.

Once the main goals have been determined, it will be useful to outline plan their achievements, by selecting the tools that are acceptable to you, to prepare stand staff to work at the exhibition. Undoubtedly, you are well aware of the basics of marketing and advertising, and we would not like to repeat simple truths, so we will give just a small example as an illustration.

Let's say your company is new to the market. In this case, it would be logical to focus on the stand in order to attract as much attention as possible to it. To do this, you can book a “favorable” place on the plan in advance, having studied in advance where the entrance to the pavilion, toilets, food points are located, that is, places where visitors gather. It may be helpful to know where industry leaders and competitors are located.

How to set up a stand at an exhibition

The new participant's stand should be catchy and bright. Can be used in the design of an exhibition stand colored pasting, lighting, bright banners, beautiful and stylish furniture...

Exhibition stand(standard stand, exclusive stand) - this is the face of the company at the exhibition, it largely characterizes its position in the market, its potential, ambitions, opportunities, therefore many participants are focused on building an exclusive stand.

To decorate your company's exposition, you can use additional equipment for exhibitions: collapsible exhibition structures or a mobile exhibition stand. If the exhibition format and budget allow, exclusive development will help achieve the desired effect.

The photo shows the exhibition stands of the participants of the exhibition “…. – 2011, 2012",
exclusive exhibition stands, non-standard construction.

How to determine the size of the stand?

Often the exhibitor finds it difficult to determine and select the size of the exhibition stand, because... has no idea what the stand (exposition) will look like.

Exhibition stand size determined based on the budget, technical necessity: demonstration of the brought equipment, placement of booklets, meeting area, reception and the number of workers at the exhibition.

Small stand(from 6 to 12 sq.m.) will allow you to compactly place information: posters, information desk, chair.

Middle stand(from 12 to 18 sq.m.) allows you to place display cases with product samples, several conference tables.

Large exhibition stand(from 20 sq.m. or more) - this is a large exhibition area for a group of managers to work, includes negotiation areas, product demonstration areas, determines the company’s level in the industry market.

Rules for working at the exhibition for participant staff

You have probably attended many events, and you will agree that it is not enough to attract visitors to your stand, you need to be able to work with them. Because we would like to remind the main staff work rules at the exhibition.

It will be great if the employees of the participating company are neat, friendly and attentive to every visitor.

Before the exhibition, conduct training for employees, explain to them the purpose of participation in the exhibition, the functions of each of them, who represents your target audience, etc. Awareness by employees of the goals of participation, methods and principles of work at the exhibition can turn your stand from an ordinary “showcase” into a springboard for moving towards new customers and new markets.

Employees must be sociable and knowledgeable about the company's activities, products and services. It would be great if they were experienced sales people. Visit the exhibition different people, and the ability to determine the type of visitor and keep his attention is an important component of success.

If the exhibition is international, knowledge of a foreign language will obviously not hurt.

Even if a visitor passes by your stand, it is important for him to feel that you are interested in him. Then you will become interesting to him. While waiting for visitors, you should not get carried away with phones, tablets, reading extraneous literature, or eating food directly on the table - no polite person would want to distract you, and you probably won’t notice him. It is for this purpose that we propose to build small utility rooms for organizing catering at the exhibition (company stand) or use specialized catering points on the territory of the exhibition center.

When communicating, show your interest, conduct an active dialogue, invite the visitor to send materials via e-mail– you receive his contact information in advance and even save on printing, which they often refuse to take due to its impressive weight. If you promise to contact your interlocutor after the event, be sure to do so. If you want the name of your company to remain in a person’s memory, the letter must reach him within 48 hours. During the exhibition, contacts should be systematized in order to remember their owners and not miss anything important.

If you plan to negotiate with foreign visitors and partners at the exhibition, then you need to take care in advance of having an interpreter at the company’s stand.

Attracting visitors

We recommend making targeted phone calls to key partners and clients and informing them that your company is participating in the exhibition. Definitely, your website should contain information that the company will take part in the exhibition and what you will present there.

Of course, whatever the company’s goals, exhibitors usually expect an increase in sales and meeting new clients from participating in an exhibition. Organizers often hear complaints about an insufficient number of visitors. Indeed, one of our tasks is to conduct an advertising campaign and attracting the target audience to the exhibition.

However, do not forget that it is the participating company that should take care of a sufficient number of guests at each specific stand. For this we offer:

Publication of information about your company on the exhibition website;

We provide an unlimited number of free invitation cards so that you can send out targeted mailings to potential partners and clients in advance and invite them to visit your stand.

According to some experts, industry media should not be neglected. You can send press releases or other information materials about the activities of your company for publication in industry media, especially if these are media partners of the exhibition. In this case, you can agree to conduct an interview during the event or report about the company itself. This way, even before the event starts, you will have the opportunity to create a tight schedule of meetings and negotiations at your stand.

Evaluation of exhibition effectiveness

Summing up and assessing the effectiveness of exhibition activities.

It is worth remembering that after the exhibition ends, your work does not stop. To consolidate the emerging successes, it is necessary to act without delay. Arrange your next meeting with people you are interested in, send letters of gratitude for your interest to all new “acquaintances”. Every visitor who pays attention to your products or services deserves attention. Often, after participating in an exhibition, a lot of business cards with promising contacts accumulate, but, having returned to your usual work schedule, you forget about them, wanting to deal with urgent issues that accumulated during your absence. Indicating your priorities is, of course, your right, but remember that business cards and contacts established at the exhibition very quickly lose their relevance.

To summarize, we can say that exhibitions are an excellent opportunity to promote a company in a specific market, provided that:

  • If participation in them is planned in advance.
  • If some visitors go to an exhibition specifically to your stand, while you leave others no chance to pass by.
  • If the staff is able, willing and ready to work at the exhibition.
  • If during the exhibition accurate and informative records of negotiations are prepared, “hot on the heels” of which work immediately begins.

    Come up with a concept

    If you are suddenly struck by the idea of ​​opening your own exhibition, the main thing is to calm down. Think soberly about the idea, and most importantly, the concept of your project.

    At the beginning of June, I successfully completed the session at the master’s program “Art Criticism and Curatorship” at St. Petersburg State University and realized that the upcoming Manifesta 10 biennale this summer will not allow the city to die from a lack of contemporary art. But the curatorial activity in the air awakened the desire to debut with my own project.

    The idea for the exhibition was born almost immediately: the topic of exploring urban space was close to me, and several works by familiar artists came to mind. After the concept was formulated, I invited five young artists to take part in the project. Luckily for me, each of them agreed to work with me.

    In the world of contemporary art there are three pillars of your professionalism. The first is the display of works created by the artist specifically for a specific curatorial plan. The second is a demonstration of previously unexhibited works. Well, the coolest thing is the discovery of new names - promising authors whom no one has yet exhibited. This was the young photographer Oleg Leinov, who has studied at the PhotoDepartment foundation. Unexpectedly for myself, I managed to follow all these unspoken rules.


    Find a site

    The next burning question for every exhibition organizer is the premises. Naturally, a novice curator - like me - should not immediately count on the white walls of respectable commercial galleries or the halls of the Hermitage. Do not despair! Contact your acquaintances and friends who have exhibition venues (during your studies, did you develop professional connections?).

    In my case, the artist and curator Viktor Kudryashov turned out to be the most open to cooperation. He gave me the space of his independent gallery “Coexistence” in the Artmuz art cluster for two weeks. The name of the gallery, by the way, reflects my personal conviction that in the world of Russian contemporary art much depends on friendly relations and mutual assistance. Before the opening of my exhibition, I helped Victor with the organization of his personal exhibition.


    Conduct information training

    Mine was not in vain. I’ll tell everyone a well-known secret: a curator is also a PR manager, a coordinator, a production manager, and even an installer. In other words, multifunctionality will become your second self.

    I recommend starting by writing a press release, which I sent to the city’s online media. As soon as information appears in the media, be prepared for calls and letters from friends asking to include their work in the exhibition.

    So another name appeared on my list of participants - Sasha Zubritskaya. Her “Law of Paired Cases” series, dedicated to the systematization of many graffiti tags found in different European cities, accurately reflected the concept of the exhibition.


    Notify the art community

    The opening date was inexorably approaching, and it was necessary to personally notify the art community and friends about the upcoming event. Use both digital technologies and the old-fashioned method - paper invitations.

    A good friend of mine shared the role of designer with me, and together we created invitation cards, which were then distributed at the opening days of other exhibitions. The main way to disseminate information is Facebook. Create an event of the same name, add information about the artists and their works presented at the exhibition. Speaking of texts: the curatorial text is the frontier of work that needs to be given enough time. It is here that the curator can explain his plan and prove that each work in the exhibition space did not appear by chance, but is an element of a verified idea. I created a small explanation for each of the six participants, in which I explain how this or that work relates to the exhibition as a whole.


    Take out the installation

    The finishing line before the opening is installation of the exposition. We started it two days before the exhibition, and the main difficulty was that three of the six artists were not in St. Petersburg at that time. So I had to invent the system for hanging graphics by Asya Marakulina, who went on an artistic residence in Belgium, on my own. The artist set a fair condition - the paper cannot be glued or perforated.

    I recommend a simple design made from ordinary badges and double-sided tape. Also be prepared for the fact that installation is one of the most time-consuming stages. And in general, curating contemporary art means drilling, gluing and painting yourself.

    In my case, it lasted until the last few hours before the opening. A single thought was spinning in my head: “Last night I shouldn’t have uncorked a bottle of sparkling wine from those that were prepared for the opening day.” The artist Sasha Zubritskaya proposed for her series original idea recreate a fragment of an urban environment in a gallery: she attached her works with magnets to crumpled sheets of metal found in the loft's courtyard.


    Hang out at the vernissage

    The final touch is to change the look “workdays of a curator” to “artlife from beautyful”. I devoted the last hour before the opening day to checking the readiness of all exhibits, adjusted the sound level in Viktor Kudryashov’s video art, and artist Evgenia Machneva perfected the look of her seven-meter-long trellis dedicated to the route of tram No. 36.

    Ten minutes to seven: I pour the sparkling wine into glasses. At seven o'clock the most punctual guests arrive, among them my parents - naturally with a bouquet. It's a debut after all.

    “Coexistence” is gradually filled with guests: artists, curators and art critics, friends and just spectators. According to the laws of a social event, I walk between the visitors, introduce everyone and get to know people myself. My unplanned thank you speech was a sign of a novice curator; I definitely won’t repeat it next time. For two hours there was active communication in the gallery, everyone was interested in the authors, questions were asked about prices, and I spontaneously also acted as a gallery owner. My first exhibition opened, and it seems to be successful, but I only realize this the next day, when I come to a deserted gallery and sit down to work inside my own exhibition.