Transcripts
1. Intro: Are you an artist who dreams of having their own art show? Does the world of art
galleries and art curators make it seem like having your own show just
isn't gonna happen? Good news. You don't need
them or their permission. Because today, I'm going
to show you how I produce my own art shows in
pop up gallery spaces. And sometimes in a city
I've never even been to. Why? Because this is the fastest way to get
an art show of your own. You don't need
permission. You just need the initiative
and a game plan. Hi. I'm comedian and artist Adam Pometer and I curate my own art
shows wherever I want. This course is here to help you produce your own pop
up gallery art show. In a place that's not
actually an art gallery. I find places that are
ideal for art shows, and I simply turn them into one. Using a few skills
that I've learned in the past decade as
a traveling artist. What is a gallery,
exactly? Four walls. So lights, maybe a door or two, someone with a clipboard who seems uptight but
very important. But if you haven't noticed, a lot of places
could be galleries, even if just for one night. In this class, you're going to learn how I've
been able to have over a dozen art shows across seven countries without waiting for some curator's permission. I'm going to show
you everything I've learned in regards
to finding a venue. Pitching your art show idea, hanging your
artwork, advertising for your show, networking, bartering your work, and
everything you need to have a successful art exhibition
that is all your own. My name is Adam Pometer and if you're ready to
have an art show, let me show you how.
Let's get started.
2. Class Project: But in this class, you're
going to learn how to put on your own art show. I'll share all the
skills I've acquired in the last decade of putting on my own international art shows. By the end of this class, you're going to have
an action plan to hit the streets and find your
next pop up gallery to host your next art show all without having to wait for a gallery to offer
you an exhibition. Your project with
this class is to have an art show and tell me all
about it. Where was it? How did you make it
work and, of course, upload all the photos and
videos from your exhibition. I'd love to see what
you accomplished. Let's jump in and help you
find your pop up art gallery.
3. Your Vision: But before we even get started, let's talk about your
art, your vision, and your goals
because this will all determine what it is you
get out of this class. Think of it as it choose
your own adventure, but every ending
is your art show. And there are a ton of considerations to
take into account. And this class is really more of a guidebook to help you navigate all those
considerations. First, your art. What do you want to show, and what is your medium? Do you want a big art show? Do you want to sell your work? Do you want to make
social media videos? Do you want to network with other artists in the
creative community or just getting a showing under your belt for the sake
and love of doing it? I've had several
different versions of art shows with several
different goals in mind, and this class is really about helping you meet your goals. So begin by actually asking yourself what it is
you really want. Once you've made that clear, then you can start to develop your show around those goals, which may or may not change
throughout this process. I know I've had to make
several adjustments, but getting clear on your goals is the best way
to start this process. When you're approaching
venues to discuss hosting, it's best to have
a very clear idea of what it is you want to do. If they're considering
your show, they're going to want to know exactly what
you're planning. And think of your artwork
and medium because that's going to have a huge impact
on this whole process. Paintings, drawings,
photographs. These are the most important
considerations when considering a venue and how
you want them displayed. Preparing examples of
your work in an outline of your goals and ideas are a
really good place to start. A could give a venue the confidence that you might
know what you're doing, even if that's not
totally the case. Confidence. But preparation for this process is going to be your
best foot forward. Start a mood board, if
that speaks to you. Now that you've got your
vision and goals set, let's jump into location
and find you a venue.
4. Venue: This is going to be the
biggest consideration and probably the most
difficult part of this class. Finding a venue that is a
good fit for your work, a good location, and, of course, willing
to work with you. We're going to go through a few very important
considerations to help find the
best place for you. Consideration type of venue. In my experience, cafes, bars, co working spaces, and community centers are all
great places to start. They're the most likely to have the freedom and flexibility
to help you make this happen. If I'm in a new city and
scouting for possible venues, I'll first check out Google Maps and just see where all
the popular areas are, the areas that get the
most foot traffic. I'm thinking about who is the audience that I
want from my show. People who are the
most likely to enjoy my artwork and
even purchase it, which brings me to where? Where are these people who I want to see my art hanging out? Maybe you want other
artists to see your work. Where are all the artists
hanging out in Blank city? This is a great question
to ask, like, a reeditsub, social media pages,
about the cities or wherever else you might
find these answers online. For me, trendy neighborhoods
are a great place to start. They usually attract
creatives and tourists alike. Plus, it's generally easier to find places that will work
with you in those areas. Social media groups,
WhatsApp groups, all these things on the web. These are all going
to be important parts of the class, and we'll
get into it later. So charge your phone. Once I've found the areas
that I want to explore, then I'll get back
into Google Maps and find the cafes, bars, co working spaces, et cetera, et cetera, all in that area. Google Maps usually has photos and reviews
of all these places. So that's going to be a
big help getting you to narrow down which places
will or won't work. Make a short list of possible locations that
you want to visit. Of course, thinking of
your artwork, your style, and your goals when you consider these venues are all
going to help as well. And this is how you can
find your perfect fit. For me, I just
know a good option when I see it. Trust your gut. The process of
researching venues can take a little time now, but it will save
you a lot of time. I'm just walking
around aimlessly. And once I've got my short list of locations, I'm ready
to hit the street. I grab my iPad with examples of my work so I can show
possible venues. I put on my shoes and get a big coffee because
I've got some exploring. I'll visit a location and can usually tell within a minute
if it will work or not. If not, I take off. No hard feelings. But
if it feels right, then I start envisioning what
this show will look like. Where would I hang
my art on the walls? How do the lights look
and start taking in all the general considerations
I have for a venue. Now that you've got a
list of contenders, let's get into more specific
details for these venues. Walls. Do they already have artwork hanging
where your artwork can be easily swapped out? Or will you need to make holes in the walls to
hang your artwork. Think of all the display options because this will be
pretty important. Think of this as the
overall environment that you want to see
your artwork in. Lighting. How's the
lighting situation? Is the lighting good enough to see your artwork day or night? Are there electrical
outlets nearby that can be used for additional
lighting if you need it? How your artwork will
look in the light is a very important consideration
I've had in my experience. You've done the work
of creating the art. It'd be a real shame if no one could see
it. Business hours. Do they keep normal nine
to five business hours, or is it a late night spot? Taking into account
if your show will disrupt their business hours
should be in your mind, because it definitely
will be in their. Social media. Do they have a large social media following
with loyal customers? It's not detrimental,
but it certainly helps if they're
popular. Foot traffic. Is the venue easy to find? Is it on a high traffic street or is it on a quiet side street? Are people walking
by who might be intrigued by your
art? Is it too quiet? Is it too busy? Food and drinks. If you're planning
an opening night, figuring out food and drinks for your guests could be an
important consideration. Also, music. If you're planning a
party and want to have, say, a DJ, see what their
audio situation is. Do they have good
speakers? What's the deal? Pro tip. A Bluetooth speaker
could work just fine. All these questions
will help you determine if this place
is right for you. And doing a survey with
all of your goals in mind is a great way
to not waste time. Yours or the venues. Now, let's jump into
all the considerations that I go through when
considering a new venue.
5. Pitching: It my experience approaching this as a collaboration
with the venue and not just as a client can
make a world of difference, especially if they're
interested in your idea. On the other hand,
I've also worked with venues where they've really
only offered the space, and we've come to a
rental agreement. So I've had to pay
a little out of pocket just for venues to
stay open for my show, but I was willing to do that. Sometimes you have to give a
little to get what you want, but these are all unique
considerations for every artist. When approaching a venue
that is definitely not used to having pop up
art shows happen there, it might take a little
explaining. Totally normal. This is a weird
idea, but it can be a cool idea if you make it that way to whoever you're
pitching this idea, too. I had my first art show in a used clothing
store in Brooklyn, and, yeah, that took
some convincing. But they were excited. They like the idea, and
it was pretty cool to see my artwork next to vintage
shoes and hip clothing. Make it sound and look cool. Sometimes I'll take photos
of the venue walls and quickly add my artwork to
those photos in my iPad. This helps give them a
visual representation of my idea and really
see my vision. If you can clearly show them
what it is you want to do, they have a way better chance
of understanding your idea. You are just interested
in wanting to show your artwork and
not have an event, now's the time to chat about hanging the length
of time and if they require a deposit or a portion of your sales,
if you should make any. These are all specific
to the venue and important chat about in the early stages of you putting
together this art show. That's going to help avoid
any confusion down the road. But if you're planning on having an opening night party, as well, this is where you should start
to discuss those details, setting the figuring out your
hanging and your lighting. Music, drink, and all
the other details that come up in
putting this show together with the venue. They all need to be discussed, documented and shared
with everyone involved. Start an email
thread or What's at group so we can keep everyone in the loop
on what's going on. Trust me, write down everything. Emails have the
best memory. P tip. Framing the show as a joint
venture or collaboration with the business and making
it their event to host is, in my experience, a
great way to pitch. Perhaps they've
already hosted events before and have a built in
audience to advertise, too. When a venue feels
ownership over an event, they work harder to
ensure it's a success. Because your success
is their success. And if you're
watching this class, then it's also my
success. So, thank you. I knew you could do it. Plus,
you're now working with a team of people that have way more resources
than you would alone. And if you're not really
familiar with the city, it can be pretty
valuable to you. It's also a fantastic way to build a relationship
with a business by tapping into their networks and overall making this
whole experience better.
6. Group Show: Maybe you don't have a
huge body of artwork, but you still want to show. Maybe you don't know that many other people in the
creative community, and you want to meet more. Maybe a group show could do wonders for your professional
life as an artist. Sometimes organizing
a group show and inviting several artists to show their work is a great way not just to
get more artists involved, but can help enrich your own place in a
creative community. Congratulations. You're
now a local curator. I'm so proud of you. Networking and building
relationships with artists have always been a huge benefit
to hosting group shows. You never know who
you're going to meet, but by tapping into the
networks of other artists, you can get more people
attending your show, more eyes on your artwork, and probably the
best opportunity to network within
a creative scene. This can take a bit
more organizing, but it can be very
helpful for you to access other
people's networks, especially if you haven't
been to the city before. Here's a quick list
of things that I do to find artists for group shows. One, social media and online. Search galleries, art
fairs, street artists, fine artists, photographers, anywhere where you
can see local talent. Two, make a list of possible artists to invite
using their contact info. Three, think of how many
pieces you want them to show and where they're going to be showing
in the venue. Four, reach out and
be friendly. Five. Ask. I go to art stores, cafes, record shops, tattoo studios, et cetera, and I ask
them a question. Who is your favorite
local artist, and where can I find
them on social media? This is so easy. Trust me, just ask around. I love meeting creatives, and I've hosted six group shows, and it's led me to all sorts of opportunities
and connections. In fact, it's a fantastic
way for you to level up. Also, pitching a group show to a venue might seem
more enticing to them if it means
more attention to their business and more
customers attending the event. Okay, you've got the venue. You've got the date set for your show's big
opening night party, or for all you
creative introverts out there, your
biggest nightmare. Just kidding. It's not
that big of a deal. This is going to be
fun. Now, let's jump into how we advertise
for your big show.
7. Advertising: Advertising. Now that
you have your date set, it's time to get the word out. You can do this
however you want, and of course, there's
a lot to consider. But here are the
steps that I take when promoting my art shows. One, create a poster that you
can share on social media, websites, or chat groups. Be sure to include all
the important info, time, date, place, social handles,
the venues, logo, example of your and, of course, a blurb. Photoshop, Canva, or any of the other popular apps are
an easy way to do this. Also, have fun with this. You're an artist.
This is your show. Print out some posters
and post them in the venue and the
surrounding block of where your show
is going to be. This is a great way to attract locals who
live in the area and the regular customers of local businesses,
just like your venue. Prepare a write up
of your show and who you are as an artist
in a quick little bio. Give people a chance to learn a bit about you. The artist. For social media or email, create an event that people can respond to and be
updated through a Facebook event or one of the several email
invitation services. Those are both going
to be an easy win. Now you have an
easy link to share. Definitely get the
venue to be a co host on the event so they can
share it with their audience. My favorite places to share are Facebook groups and
WhatsApp groups. They're organized
and easy to reach a lot of people who might be interested in
coming. Pro tip. There's always
what's happening in Blank city Facebook pages where people post
about local events. The bigger the city, the more
pages you're going to find. Look for art, gallery, or museum lovers, local groups, and post
your event there. Reach out to local
art galleries and publications and invite
them to your reach out to local businesses in the area and tell them
how much you would love it if they would
come to your event and support a local
business because a lot of businesses actually like to network with
other local businesses. Also, the power
of group shows is multiplied when it comes
to the advertising aspect. If you're doing a group show, make sure that you set the expectation that they're also going to help
to get the word out. This way, you can all
have a great turnout.
8. Hanging & Lighting: Hanging and lighting. These are the
technical ears on Mx. Hanging and lighting. These are the
technical aspects of your show and will heavily
depend on your venue. First, let's chat about
hanging your artwork. Some places might have
artwork already showing, and it could be very easy
just to swap out your work. However, in some places, you might need to
install wall hangings. Again, this is going to depend on your individual artwork, the type of walls,
and, of course, what the venue will
allow you to do. Brick is going to be
hard to put nails into, and sheet rock
without a stud for the nail might not be strong
enough to hold your artwork. This should all be
considered with the venue and is going to
be unique to each place. So there's really only so much
guidance I can offer here. When I've had to hammer
in some new nails, I've also had to find
some small containers of speckle and white paint to cover my tracks
when I'm finished. It's not hard to find
these cheap materials. And if you're handy,
you can do it yourself. But keeping the venue in
the loop of what needs to be repaired should be done together while you're
planning the show. Some places did not
care what I did. Some cared very much and did not want
holes in their walls. Then I needed to find other
options to show those pieces. For instance, just leaning
my painting up against a wall on top of a table was
an easy win for everyone. For artworks that are
on the lighter side, I've even used double sided tape to hang photos or
small canvases. It's very easy to remove and also leaves no
damage on the wall. Also, cleanup is quick and easy. Now let's get to lighting. Let's think about how you want your art to look in
regards to lighting. During the daylight hours, your artwork should
be nice and visible. But if you're having
an opening party, that usually means it's
going to happen at night. Unless your show is above
the Arctic Circle in June, chances are you won't have much help from natural daylight. When I scout for venues, I look for good lighting, so I have to do the
minimal amount of work. I don't need to worry about
how my art will look. However, several times I've had to figure out
lighting on my own. That means I've had
to problem solve the best way I could renting
or even buying lights. This doesn't need to happen, and as I've mentioned before, these are just considerations. I've always planned
a reasonable budget just so I can have
the show that I want. If this doesn't align
with your goals, then you just need to simply figure out what
works best for you. Again, just considerations. I've rented lights
from light shops. I've bought a couple cheap
ring lights from the mall. I've changed light
bulbs in the venue or just borrowed desk lamps
for directional lighting. Check out the venue's lighting
situation in the evening. Think about where your art will go and how easy it's
going to be to see. I then map out where
I would add lighting and how to make sure they
all have power sources. Aside from lights,
you might need an extension quarter many times the venue or even
just the people working there can help solve
these problems for you. But lucky for us, it's
not rocket science. After all, we're artists, and I'm afraid of
rockets and science. But this goes back
to making this a joint venture with the venue. So they're trying
to actively solve these problems right
alongside with you. Now, let's get into a few details about
your big opening night.
9. Opening Night Party: Opening night party
considerations. Each venue, show, and
artist are all different. But here's some final
considerations you might want to consider and
how I went about them. Depending on what kind
of vibe you want, I find it's always helpful
to add a musical element. It gives the event a bit more of a professionally
produced feeling. If you happen to know a deja who wants to play for
cheap or for drinks, those deejays are also artists who might have a network
that you can promote. Times there are aspiring
deejays or friends who wouldn't mind playing in exchange for a piece of art or
some free wine. You can always barter
and make a trade. If not, a playlist and Bluetooth speaker has worked just fine for me in the past. Photos and videos. I've had photographer friends come shoot shows for me before, and maybe you would want some high quality
photos and videos. My advice is to hire
someone to do that. There are several options at all sorts of values and prices. So find what works best for
you if you had the budget. If not, just take photos
and videos yourself. Huge pro tip.
Document. I really, really wish I had started
taking photos and videos much earlier because I would have had more to share. But here we are. Use your phone and get people from
the venue to film. Get photos, as well, and make sure you share them all in the
same Google Drive. This way, you can use them for social media content
or anything else. Also, this way, you're not hunting down footage
from weeks ago. Ask people at the venue to
take photos and videos, too, and have them all upload their videos and photos
to a shared Google Drive. That way, you're
not hunting down footage weeks after your show. I speak from experience. Plus, this is a big opportunity
for you as an artist. So make some memories and be
sure to get it all on video. Food and drinks. Will your
guests be eating and drinking? If so, work out with the venue. What would be the
best way to do that? If they have food and drinks? Perfect. If they don't, maybe you can get
some stuff for free. I've had beer sponsors. I've had wine sponsors. I've had local bakeries drop off desserts and even a guy
do a pop up taco stand. It's not impossible to find local businesses to help
make your event better. This does take a bit of networking and reaching
out to places, but I've also traded artwork for wine and gotten a
free keg of beer, just for putting a sponsor's
name on my event page. Don't forget your artwork is currency and can
be bartered with. Customers come in all
shapes and sizes. And sometimes they
give you free stuff. Think of who you would want to sponsor your event
and reach out. It can't hurt, and you might
be pleasantly surprised. Keep in mind, even
if they say no, you haven't lost anything. Now, get out there. There's plenty of
other considerations, of course, but these have been the biggest ones
in my experience. And now I want to share
a case study with you of exactly how I went
about to do all of this. So let's get into it.
10. Case Study: My very first chance to
test this whole process was in the summer of 2018,
and I learned a lot. So I'm going to share this as a case study that you
can use for reference. In July, I had arrived
in a city that I had never been to before,
Lisbon, Portugal. I was going to be
there for two months, and I wanted to
host an art show. So on day one, I explored so many art galleries inquiring
about having an art show. And I quickly realized that if I wanted to have my
show in a gallery, I was going to have
to create a gallery. In fact, it seemed pretty
hard to get into galleries. So I shifted my focus to find a venue that would serve
as a pop up gallery. After scouting out some options, I decided that a co
working space in a busy area was going to be perfect for
what I had in mind. Outst is a very trendy co working and co
living space chain, and they were already
hosting events and continuing to look for new and interesting
events to showcase. So an art show was
actually perfect for them. They had big walls, bright lights, a
bar and cafe, food, and a built in
audience of coworkers, digital nomads, and tourists that were in and out
of there all day. They also had a ton of
local foot traffic, a good sound system, a big
social media following. And overall, it just
checked a lot of boxes that made this
an ideal venue. We made my art show
one of their events. Outside presents Line Lisboa by Adam Pometer an artist
you've never heard of. It was going to be a collection of photographs of
murals I've painted, some big canvas and
even a few umbrellas. They actually took a lot of
ownership over the project and ended up helping me way more than I thought was
going to be possible. In fact, they gave
me a budget of 300 euro so I could
buy canvases, paint, and then they offered me an entire meeting room
that I could use as a studio for a full month
before the show happened. They offered all of
this because they wanted a really successful
event for them, and that's why
they supported me. They also offered it
to me because asked, and it never would have
happened unless I asked. So ask for stuff. In my previous class,
How to Get walls, I discussed the idea of trading your talents for
things that might help. I realized I wanted
wine for my art show, and I happened to find
a wine store that had big blank walls in their tasting room. So I
made a deal with them. I'd paint two murals on
their walls in return for several cases of free wine that I could offer my
guests at my show. Because what's an art
show without wine? DJ. I asked this dude Jordan I met to come
up and DJ the party. He did it for free wine, and he even brought his
turntables and speakers. He's awesome and was just super cool about being
part of the event. I hope you're noticing a
trend here because just asking can get you a lot further with your show
than you thought possible. The show was a big success. I sold two pieces. I made a bunch of new friends. I got a lot more followers on social media and even
had some wine leftover. What a night, and it
didn't cost me a thing. Proving to myself that I
didn't need permission or a gallery changed the entire way I thought about
myself as an artist. It gave me the freedom to start curating art shows wherever
I am in the world. Thank you to Lisbon, Otsight and everyone
who made that possible. Next up, just a few final
thoughts to wrap this up.
11. Final Thoughts: Well, fellow artists, I truly hope that this
class has inspired you to get out there and curate
your own DIY pop up art show. By taking all of
these considerations and applying it to your vision, I really believe that you can
produce something special, get some stuff for free, and let the world see
your art on your terms. You'd like to see where I'm
painting walls or performing comedy or where my next pop
up art show is in the world, just follow me on
Instagram at Adam PalmeterO at my website,
adam palmeor.com. And don't forget to click
that follow button up top. That way, you'll be the first to know when I drop my
next Skillshare class. Also, please let me know what you thought
about this class. Reviews are a huge help. Thanks, Sam. Okay, artist. I've been Adam Palmeter and that's enough
out of me for now. But keep on creating. And I'm sure I'll catch you on the road somewhere out
there. Bye for now.
Adam Palmeter, Artist / Comedian / Teacher / Author
