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Many artists choose to
curate exhibitions. This process allows you to create an exhibition that
expresses a theme that you are interested in exploring. It can also be a
good way to collaborative with other artists. Galleries that accept
proposals from guest curators are often alternative spaces, non-profit
galleries, university galleries, and community cultural centers. When
you are putting together a curatorial proposal it is important to have a
strong concept.
Some tips for creating a
strong curatorial proposal:
Have a clear & concise
concept
Be specific about the theme of your exhibition. Present a strong concept
with a cohesive group of artists. You want to present a group of artists
that have a strong connection and relationship. This does not mean that
their work must be the same, but there should be a visual and a
conceptual connection between the artists. Do not simply get together a
group of your friends who want to show together - you must be able to
convince the curators or the exhibition committee that there is a focus
to your proposal. Having a unique and original concept for your
exhibition is important.
Be committed to
organizing and coordinating the exhibition
Exhibition planning can take an enormous amount of time. Often this will
be a volunteer effort for the curator. Know beforehand that it takes
some effort to produce and exhibition. This includes the planning,
publicity, installation, reception, and de-installation of the
exhibition. Often the alternative spaces that accept curatorial
proposals do not have a large staff, so you will be responsible for
coordinating your own exhibition from start to finish.
Consider the space &
the audience
Make sure that you visit the gallery before you send in your proposal.
It is important to be familiar with the gallery and their audience.
Often a gallery will have a specific focus, so you must make sure that
your exhibition concept is a good match for that space.
Be organized
Each gallery will be slightly different, so you should do your research.
Find out more about the gallery, their mission statement, their
audience, their space, their application procedure. This will save you
time and effort before sending out your proposal. Follow up with a phone
call or email about 2-4 weeks after you have sent in your proposal. Make
more than one copy of all of your proposal materials, because often your
materials will not be returned, so if you want to approach another
gallery, your curatorial proposal is ready to go.
Calls for curatorial proposals will be
listed in the artist opportunity sites:
Artist Opportunities
Some of the materials that you will be
expected to provide in your curatorial proposal:
1. A cover letter
2. A curatorial statement - outlining the
theme of the show and a brief statement about the artists and their
work.
3. Images of the work. Provide a CD with
high resolution jpegs of the art.
4. Your C.V.
5. Bios of each artist.
Some examples of Curatorial Statements:
Curatorial Statement 1
Curatorial Statement 2 |
