Fact Sheet: Presenting your exhibition
The final stage of the exhibition planning process is the presentation of the exhibition itself
(see also, Fact Sheet: Developing your exhibition plan).
Once you have a location for your exhibition you will be able to plan the timetable and
budget for the show, if the location for your show can’t give a date straight away, makes
your plans with all the information available to you.
Confirming a venue may also mean you become eligible for some funding programs. The
challenge here is to work in the timeline of any funding application and notification, with
your overall exhibition and budget plan. Funding is never assured, so have a back-up ‘nofrills-no-funding budget’ should your funding application be unsuccessful. This will ensure
you can still use the valuable opportunity to show.
After a gallery has agreed to show your work, you would also return to the exhibition
action plan you began at the beginning of your planning process (see Fact Sheet:
Developing your exhibition plan for a sample action plan).
A confirmed venue will provide detailed information for your plan. If you have a written
agreement with the gallery you would refer to it for important dates, deadlines and to
clarify what are your responsibilities and what is the gallery’s. If not, you might meet with
staff to get this information. Open and frequent communication is important in both cases.
Exhibition checklist
An exhibition checklist is a list of things an artist needs to think about when planning an
exhibition. It can be a really useful tool especially for the first-time exhibitor. This
document can be used in the venue-research stage of planning to help identify suitable
spaces, but it is also valuable after an exhibition space is confirmed to clarify the roles and
responsibilities of the artist and the gallery.
1. Exhibition details
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Which space(s) will the work be exhibited in?
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Is the venue physically accessible for wheelchair uses and people with limited
mobility?
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What are dates and the duration of the exhibition?
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Is the artist required to mind the space at all during the exhibition?
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What information do any non-artist gallery minders require, e.g. regarding work, sales,
or safety issues
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Who is responsible for the installation and deinstallation of the artworks?
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What are the key dates or deadlines for publicity, promotion, installation and
deinstallation?
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Is after-hours access to the gallery possible for installation and dismantling?
Visual Arts Fact Sheet: Presenting your exhibition
© Accessible Arts, September 2011
aarts.net.au
Page 1 of 4
2. Sales
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Who will decide the price of any works for sale?
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What percentage of a work’s sale price is payable as commission directly to the
gallery?
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Who is authorised to accept deposits and payments?
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How is the artist notified of sales?
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How much is the deposit upon the sale of an artwork?
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How long after the sale of the work does the gallery pay the artist?
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Which payment types will be accepted (cheque, credit card, cash)?
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Will the gallery collect and pass on details of all purchasers?
3. Exhibition costs
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How will the exhibition be advertised and publicised and who will be responsible for
these costs?
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Who pays for the design and printing of invitations and catalogues?
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Is there a hard copy mail-out or an email invitation and how are these costs allocated?
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Who pays for additional costs such as framing, equipment hire, documentation,
storage, transport, travel and insurance?
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Who organises and pays for food and drinks at opening night?
4. General details
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How often is communication expected between the gallery and artist?
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Does the artist have any promotional responsibilities?
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Will the work be insured, against which risks and for what amount?
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Can the artist call on extra support for the exhibition from staff or volunteers if
required?
Publicity and promotion
Apart from making the work, the main task in the lead-up to the exhibition is one of
publicity and promotion.
Publicising your exhibition will generate interest in your practice, by attracting the attention
of potential buyers, curators, fellow artists and the general public.
Sometimes this is a task the gallery will undertake with input from the artist. In other
situations it is the sole responsibility of the artist. The major tool in this process is the
media release, which should be written as early as is feasible before the exhibition
opens. The exhibition action plan suggests it is written two-months prior to the show and
sent out around 14 days beforehand.
Different media outlets will have varying deadlines, so it is useful to arm yourself with this
information when deciding the fine detail of your publicity plan.
In the context of publicity and promotion, it is useful to know how moral rights and
copyright come in to play for artists. See the RAW law resource at artsaccess.com.au
Visual Arts Fact Sheet: Presenting your exhibition
© Accessible Arts, September 2011
aarts.net.au
Page 2 of 4
Planning the positioning of works
The display of your work in the venue you are using can play an important role in how
viewers experience, interpret and even buy your work, so planning it carefully is vital.
Visit the gallery several times to get a feel for the space and to notice any quirks that will
affect how the space can be used. As you do this picture how your works will appear in
the location.
Give yourself as much time as possible to install the show. Think about spacing, the
height of the works, the number of works on a wall and how the works interact together. If
they are 3D works is there enough space around them for people to view the works? A
resource on accessible exhibition design is available on the resources page of the
Accessible Arts website www.aarts.net.au
Ensure you have all the materials and tools necessary to install the works. Check relevant
wall surfaces, as you may need different fixtures for different areas. Check with the gallery
to see if they have tools you can borrow, so you are clear about what you need to provide
yourself.
It can be valuable to provide some extra information about your work to make it more
accessible to interested viewers. Standard information would include a short curriculum
vitae, an artist’s statement (that sets out your key ideas as an artist or for the exhibition)
and labels or a list of works. Individual labels for each work would ordinarily include artist’s
name, title, date, medium, and dimensions.
An alternative is to provide a printed list of works and simply number the works in the
gallery space. This is the usual approach when the works are for sale, and in this case the
price is added to the title, date, medium and dimensions. The advantage of the list of
works is that it is less time-consuming to produce.
Exhibition action plan (week of exhibition)
Time period
(before/after exhibit)
5 days prior
Action
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3 days prior
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Day(s) of installation
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Write labels and list of works with any prices (print only after the
hang is known)
Know what you will be asking your support team to be doing and
when they will be doing it – develop a task/action sheet
Check access details for the day of the hang
Check the condition the space will be in
Organise delivery of equipment and check it works
Follow up media
Organise a visitors’ book to record visitor details/comments
Check gallery opening time and when they would like you to be
at the gallery on opening night
Organise tools you will need for hanging, lighting, labelling on
installation day
Hang your artwork (if possible)
Write and print labels
Print a list of works and prices where relevant
Organise any supporters with what they should be doing and
when
Hang, light and label your artwork as early as possible
Check and double-check hanging, equipment, lighting and
labelling. Have tools and assistance on hand for any last-minute
adjustments
Visual Arts Fact Sheet: Presenting your exhibition
© Accessible Arts, September 2011
aarts.net.au
Page 3 of 4
Opening night
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Post-opening
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Post-exhibition
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Allow ample time to set up for the opening
Have tools and assistance on hand for:
o hanging
o lighting
o labelling
o serving food and drinks
o catalogue sales
o photographing the opening
Be present to meet and greet visitors
Document the exhibition as early as possible
(refer to documenting art work factsheet)
Update mailing list with new contacts
Confirm any end-of-show freight arrangements
Thank those who assisted or reviewed
Dismantling of show and restoration of space to agreed
condition
Document the exhibition allowing time for re-shooting if
necessary
Update mailing list
Thank those who assisted
Evaluate what did and did not work
Pack and transport artworks to studio/storage/new owners
Return borrowed or hired equipment
Visual Arts Fact Sheet: Presenting your exhibition
© Accessible Arts, September 2011
aarts.net.au
Page 4 of 4