There is bound to be some excitement in the air for your upcoming exhibition. However, the experience could easily be tarnished by a fear that no-one will attend your big event, or worse yet, your fear turning into a reality. If you want to ensure your artwork gains as much exposure as possible, you must actively promote it to art fans and collectors. Read our helpful guide on how to promote your exhibition.
Publish a Press Release
Announce the news of your upcoming exhibition by writing and publishing a press release, which should also feature a quote from the artist. Also, encourage the exhibition coordinators to submit a press release to various distributors. Ensure it is as newsworthy as possible to capture the attention of journalists, who may also cover the story, which could significantly boost the exposure of both the event and artist.
Reach Out to Journalists
Don’t publish a press release and wait for journalists to find it. Reach out to journalists and editors to inform them of the event, and detail why you believe it could be a newsworthy story for them to cover. Try to think outside the box when pitching an event. For example, if this is your first exhibition, you’ll have to persuade journalists to attend and give them something worthwhile. If this is your second or even fifth exhibition, however, then you may not have to use as much persuasion.
Promote the Event on Social Media
If you haven’t already done so, create social media pages to promote your work. The free platforms can increase your exposure and may generate new fans, who might be more than happy to attend your exhibition and buy one or two of your works.
Video marketing can also significantly boost your reach. For example, a Facebook video can considerably increase your awareness, as it’s believed it can receive 135% more organic reach than a photograph. So, if you want people to learn more about your work and upcoming exhibition, consider creating an entertaining video, which should be shared on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Turn to Adobe Spark, and use their free thumbnail maker. You’ll want to create an engaging thumbnail, otherwise people may ignore your video and continue scrolling by it.
Target Your Existing Fans
Ensure your exhibition is a success by contacting people who already love your work.
For example, you may have a list of collectors who have previously purchased your work, and they might enjoy attending the event to view your latest pieces and possibly make a purchase. Your friends and family are also bound to be your biggest fans, so encourage them to spread the word about your exhibition.
Promote the Event in Your Neighborhood
Art collectors might be happy to travel far and wide to view your works, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook the local population. There will likely be many art lovers across the community, so advertise the exhibition in newspapers or magazines, and hand out flyers to locals. You can trust many residents will happily support a local artist by attending the event, spreading the word, or buying a work of art
