An exhibition proposal can be one of two things: the entire package you submit to a gallery for an exhibition, or an individual document within that package.
You’re probably more familiar with the statement and artist CV, which discuss you as an artist and your artwork in general.
The exhibition proposal should address details specific to the exhibit you are proposing, including any practical concerns.
Important questions:
- Which art pieces will be included? (if different from your submitted portfolio)
- How many pieces?
- What size, or what is the range of size?
- What is the depth?
- What is the physical form of the work?
- Is there a specific way you’d like the work displayed? Arrangement, lighting, or any other unusual considerations.
- How does the work hang? (By wire, by the canvas frame, etc)
- Is the work framed?
- How heavy is it?
- What type of hardware is needed? (nails, screws, reinforcements, etc)
- For sculpture, do you need plinths?
- For multi-media work, do you need electronic equipment or plug-ins?
- Anything else the gallery may need to know about the physical and practical properties of your show.
These details will help the gallery’s selection committee decide if they are equipped to host your show, and also lets them know what they will need to do and provide to display your work.
So, what is a proposal? It’s the entire package of information all about you and your work that you send to a gallery. It’s your resume, essentially, the purpose of which is to convince curators that your work needs to be in their gallery.
Your standard proposal should consist of six things: a cover letter, an artist statement, a CV, an exhibition proposal, an image list, and images of your work.
It’s important to read the submission guidelines and see what each gallery wants in a proposal. Some specify exactly what information they want from you, and some even specify how they want it bound. Some galleries also require that you fill out an application form. Whatever it is, follow it exactly! Remember, this is like a job interview and if you show them that you can’t follow instructions, it’s just another excuse to throw your proposal out!
If galleries don’t specify what they want in a proposal, it’s always a good idea to include the following:
Cover letter - This is your introduction, your chance to catch the curator’s attention.
Artist Statement: This is an explanation of your interests, motivations, and reasons behind your art.
CV: Short for Curriculum Vitae, this is like an actual artist resume that covers all of your professional experience.
Exhibition Proposal: I call the entire package the proposal, but this document addresses the specific show that you are submitting to the gallery.
Images of Your Work and Image List: These should represent the best of your work.
You may also include additional items in your proposal like press releases and catalogues from previous shows. It can be useful to provide curators with information on your work that has been written by someone else.
When putting together your proposal, professionalism is key! You want your information to be laid out in a way that is clear and easy to read. Each page should follow the same format as the others. Check carefully for spelling mistakes and make sure your presentation is nice. I usually put my proposal into a clear folder, unless the gallery specifies that they want it unbound.
That being said, a little bit of creativity can go a long way; you are an artist after all! If you can think of a creative twist that you can put on your proposal that reflects you and your work, and doesn’t get in the way of your message, go right ahead! Anything that will catch the curator’s attention is a good thing!
One other thing I almost always include is a title page. This is a very simple page that has my name and a print of my work. I submit digital images, so this is a good way to provide the gallery with an example of my work that doesn’t need to be plugged into a computer to be viewed.
What’s more important, the statement or the art?
Well, I’ve read guidelines from some galleries that say they won’t look at your images until they’ve read your written material… I’ve also seen some galleries who judge your work before reading your other information. Either way, you want to make sure that both are of the best quality!
