GUIDANCE

Bravery

Applying for opportunities can be an extremely rewarding procedure by opening new doors to show work and earn a living, but it can also be a dispiriting, costly and time-consuming endeavour.

In recent years there has been a furore and increasing publicity around duplicitous opportunities which overemphasise unpaid internships within the arts. Whilst there is an increase in the visibility of opportunities for artists through social media and online platforms – advertising on various e-groups, e-bulletins, regional and alumni printed newsletters and specialist websites like Arts Council - Arts Jobs and a-n jobs – the onus is on artists to selectively assess and apply only for those opportunities that will further and nurture their careers.

Artists are well-versed at balancing competing needs, and whether looking for new collaborators, showing or selling opportunities, identifying appropriate competitions or new commissions, or finding arts-related employment, making applications can also be a chance to undertake some administrative maintenance, reflect on practice and update portfolios.

Knowing which opportunities to apply for and which ones to disregard can save both time and money – but how do you decipher which are the most appropriate for you, and which will yield a higher success rate? And how do you assess if a subsequent offer is then worthwhile accepting?

The Two big questions are, what is the deadline and what is the fee? And then ask these four questions before accepting an offer… 1) Is the commissioner aware of the artist’s needs as well as their own? 2) Is the budget appropriate to the job specification? 3) Has a budget been put aside for any community participation element and is this additional workload requirement reasonable? 4) Is the timescale appropriate for the project requirements.

Who are they?

But if only an email address is given, then it is not at all unreasonable to send a quick email indicating your interest, requesting a telephone number (and address and website) so that you can speak to them directly. Also, ask for names of other artists they have worked with, or ask about how a project is funded to help you ascertain an organisation’s validity, and check the websites, Google the organisations, get the low-down. If they are asking for money upfront from you to participate… treat with great caution!

Ask yourself is it professional? Look at their website; look at its professionalism and at the work on there – would you be happy showing your work in this context? Sometimes there can be issues of professionalism. It can be a case of NOT going for something the moment it looks a bit clumsy. So, does it look like they know what they are doing? Why are they offering it? Have they got a track-record? Is it connected to wider networks? If it feels like you are jumping through hoops to get the opportunity then it may be worth stopping early on, as it could be that you are not for them, nor them for you.

If there is a brief period between the show and the deadline for proposals etc, think again. Is this a sign of bad organisation? Will this affect what you are able to produce? Because, if you have responded to an opportunity and been successful but find that there are issues you are uncomfortable with once contracts are presented, discuss this with the organisers and, particularly around fees, indicate the ‘going rate’ for the type of work on offer. You can cite other projects as examples.

What is their reputation?

When you have been practising for a while, you know the reputation and type of work that they show – whether it is a club you want to be a member of, and so do they have a track-record? Look at who else they have worked with in the last year. A track-record is not everything, but it does help as there is no substitute for word-of-mouth. Talk about opportunities amongst people you know who operate within the art world – peers, curators, local arts officer, etc. to find out information about opportunities and experiences others have had of working with an organisation.

Do they only want your money?

Be wary if there is a cost to apply. Consider the quality of the exhibition opportunity and weigh up whether it is worth the fee. If you are thinking about paying for a stand at an art fair, treat it as a business decision – can you justify it within your marketing or sales strategy? Opportunities should be about helping you generate an income, not to spend it. One year I said to myself that if I got a 20% success rate, I would be happy. I did about three days of research into open calls that had a strong history or link with medium specific products – and that were ethical and transparent about how they used the submission fees.

Do you know your bottom line?

Know your bottom line so you do not operate at a loss. If the opportunity allocates several budgets for the different elements of the project (e.g. travel, stipends, accommodation, materials), then this shows they have thought about how to support artists and what the artists need.

Do not always take things at face value, really consider your financial situation and weigh this up against what is being offered to you (e.g. fee, accommodation, time needed to be taken out of paid work, workshop requirements). If an opportunity is expecting a lot more from you for the money (and/or in-kind support) than they are providing, negotiate with them to agree a mutually beneficial situation. If there is a risk that the quality of your work will be sacrificed, do not do it.

In developing your practice, is it compatible with your opportunities? As they should not be prescriptive, there should be room to work accordingly to your own practice and your own needs. So do your homework and always ask for and read the additional information, and check out websites to get an idea of past projects or exhibitions and an understanding of the kind of work they are interested in. Do not forget to ask yourself what it is that you want to get out of it… and remind yourself of this if you get the opportunity.

Does it have long-term potential?

You should be clear about who you are and what you can and would like to achieve in the long and short term. Then ask yourself: ‘is accepting this opportunity going to help. Make a check list of pros and cons such as: Will it improve my track-record? Offer me a financial reward? Give me a promotional opportunity? Be enjoyable or fulfilling? Teach me new skills? Strengthen my network? Give me time/money to develop new work? If the opportunity you are offered is all give and no gain, you are wasting your time.

Will the opportunity open your work up to new audiences and expand your networks? Ask yourself whether the opportunity has the potential to start the ball rolling and snowball into an ongoing professional relationship / something more sustainable.

And if in doubt… organise it yourself because the best way to make work is to create opportunities yourself or network your way into opportunities.

In an ideal world you would only embark on projects where there are sufficient funds available. This guide outlines an approach to finding workable compromises whilst maintaining quality for times when money is tight. Because in an ideal world you would only embark on projects where there is sufficient if not a surplus of funds available. You are wise to review and manage the work you take on with a degree of pragmatism. We know things cost more than they are budgeted for, therefore it is prudent and good practice to think ahead of financial ambiguities than to have to dig deep to solve them, often out of your own pocket, in the moment.

Give some thought and structure to approaching all projects that you embark on and suggest workable compromises to affect the highest quality when and where the money might be less available. You may not be able to ask for blank cheques, but you can plan to be more effective with your monies.

Assuming value for money is an assessment of realism and one of the criteria you should use to address your initial selection of interest in a project. Seeing if there is a budget for what needs to be done should conclude for you whether to apply or not. With restricted funds you may still choose to apply, compensating for the lack of money with strategies from your previous experiences. It will be this that gets you the job – your ability to deliver a quality service on a tight budget. But at what cost to yourself.

• Contributing materials from your studio to the project

• Documenting the process with your camera and resources

• Attending meetings that are not planned or paid for

• Concluding the evaluation in your own time

• Running one more workshop than you are paid for, to boost numbers

Your materials, your knowledge and your time all have a cost, and the challenge is to question the assumption that you are content to continue with this hidden economy of matched funding from the artist. Are you able to be making such financial contributions, subsidising the budget? It is not admissible as ‘in kind’ matched funding, so why contribute to it?

Do not trade on your reputation of doing more than you are paid for to get the job done, quality has a cost, and it is a combination of our experiences and an immediate gut, head and heart reaction that tells us whether a project is attainable. Trust yourself to question, to challenge and change the parameters in which you successfully work. Excellent work does not go unnoticed, but it is easier to spot a less–than–best project. It is in your own interest to engage with work that exemplifies your skills and abilities to the best. Settling for work where the finances pose potential threats can be seen as self-sacrificial. As threats to the quality of the outcome of the work, the quality of the experience for the participants/audience and for yourself impact on the quality of your reputation.

These are familiar answers from artists explaining the reasons why they are compensating for a lack of sufficient funds to pay for the satisfactory completion of a project. It is the responsibility of the purchaser of your skills/services to pay for you or to find the funds to pay for you. Qualify to them that quality outcomes need quality resources, funding, and support. If the money is not there what can be done?

It is critical that all parties share a collective understanding of the vision and know that this is not what is changing. To fully appreciate the aims, objectives, and motivating forces behind the brief is essential in revealing the bare bones. Taking it back to the spirit and tick box elements that need to be covered to warrant the success, which enables you to flesh it out appropriately. There will be several opinions on this according to the number of stakeholders, commissioners, funders, participants, and yourself. Keeping them all motivated and engaged in the process is about good clear communication.

Engage all perspectives by naming, listing, and prioritising their needs. Seek common ground, where desires and outcomes match. This is what you must deliver on first. Additional values will also be met and identifying this where it happens is beneficial to your case. From this you can step forward to look at the dimensions of the project that must remain at a realistic cost. Eliminating and not worrying about the excess needs of a project can be critical in getting it back to budget with an overspend and delivering what is needed on the money available. Elasticity over ambition and a desire for innovation make sure the brief is not overstretched.

Clarity and focus on a revised project specification is a quality that you can bring.

1. Describe the shared purpose, aims and newly prioritised deliverables.

2. State parameters (timescale, budgets, range, scope, geography).

3. State people and partners involved (strategically, production and relationships; reporting and decision-making processes).

4. Establish ‘review points’ at which to check and review progress, results, and budget.

It is not about changing the purpose of the project as you will remain accountable to the initial plan, but it may take a different route. It is not a less–than project, it is one that has answered to its rationale. Go to the core and prioritise the crucial outcomes and deliver this within the resources available. It is now achievable, and this should encourage everyone involved.

Re-budgeting from the actual time of spending the money, things could have changed. It is good practice to review budgets regularly. Identifying the flexible and static costs illuminates the manoeuvrability you have. Investing a small amount of time in the analysis of the future spending can prevent overspends and pinpoint areas of concern surrounding lack of funds. If you are confident in the value of the project and have a sense of what is needed to achieve success, the exercise of appropriating money from one budget heading to another without losing the integrity of the project is manageable.

Static costs

• Your fees and expenses (including research, planning, development of materials/resources and meetings). Where division of your time is not clearly stated, ask for it. If the fees available to you are fixed, then a proportionate spread over these duties may inevitably mean less production/contact time unless the budget can be altered.

• Fees for professional services, facilities, and/or equipment. Though with sponsorship you could get them provided as in-kind support, releasing the budget cost.

Flexible costs

• Materials

• Production and postproduction costs

• Marketing

• Administration/Project management

• Documentation

• Monitoring and evaluation

• Dissemination

• Contingency

Can you manage your time successfully?

Taking time to review a project considers the insights offered in this guide. You should also ask whether the timescale of the project is realistic. The timescale of a project often aligns itself with funding cycles or other external deadlines. Even with these restrictions there are often opportunities to extend dates and deadlines. Talk to the stakeholders in the project. It is prudent to start at a time that is considered rather than one written in a proposal several months back. Because in identifying if there is any flexibility in deferring the start, time may develop for further funds to be sought.

Where there is no luxury of managing time, a harsh assessment of whether the project can exist must be made. Working back from the deadline, if there are not enough hours to do the work, you must reduce the volume of the work. Additional money can be found but we are always restricted to the number of hours in a day. Most projects come in late – that is just the way it is – so if there is a fixed deadline, plan to meet it earlier, and work back from that date.

Time can additionally be found by segmenting the project. Splitting the entire process into sections of a larger plan may have the benefit of separating funds available for distinct activities. Beginning, middle and end. Such as:

• Planning, research, and development

• Production, workshops, and evaluation

• Exhibition, dissemination, and publishing of outcomes

It brings a sequence of events into order and their achievability into manageable activities. These rolled out over a longer timescale can allow for additional funds or partnerships to be secured for each subsequent phase, based on the success of the previous project as a ‘pilot project’ may enable you to legitimise the changes by managing the success and value of the project on the initial limited budget, and allow you to go back for additional funds to develop the ideas further in the future.

Additional funds can often be found late in the day. But decide whose role this is. Undertaking it yourself will have an additional cost of your time and efforts. Do you want to be a fundraiser? The options are:

• Ask for more money from the original sources

• Partnerships and opportunities for support ‘in kind’ either as products, materials, or services

• Business sponsorship

A wise thought is to raise an excess of what is needed in advance of the project. Do not just go for the exact costs of the project from one or two places. Go wider, at best twenty per cent more than what is needed. This allows for less than full offers and provides a contingency to review the budget upon starting it. Take control and remember, you have the choices to accept, reject or manage the projects you embark on. Take a lead responsibility in controlling the review and revision of the project and consider your experiences with actual costs versus the budget. Manage this with some of the foresight that this guide suggests and in summary be assertive in valuing yourself and your knowledge. It might be worth considering the following project management principles. Seek:

• Clarity

• Agreement

• Communication

• Motivation

• Engagement

• Review

• Adjustment

• Completion

• Report

Make it work for you by approaching every project with the intention of it bringing value to your developing career profile.

Fundraising is a competitive activity – there are always more applications than there are funds available. This guide introduces you to the main funding sources and offers guidelines to help you make winning funding applications.

In fundraising and trying to generate financial support for what you want to do, it can be very time consuming in developing an efficient method of sourcing funds which do make the best use of your time – freeing you up to develop your practice and projects – and will increase your likelihood of success. Securing funding is a process of:

1. researching sources.

2. making a case for your project.

3. making applications.

4. awaiting assessment and feedback.

5. working with funders if the application is successful.

Can you do your research properly?

Always be available to do research on potential funders – you need to match what you are doing to the aims and objectives of potential funders. Keep a careful record of your research, as this will be useful for the next time you are looking to raise income. Take a note of all deadlines and ensure you have enough time to apply. Applications that have deadlines must be adhered to. Draw up a ‘hit list’ from your research – do not waste your time on applying to sources which are unlikely to be successful. Instead draw up a top ten list of funders, and approach the top five, leaving the others as a contingency plan if you are unsuccessful. Before applying it is important to establish:

·       what is the potential funder interested in funding?

·       what kinds of activity will it fund?

·       what approaches will the potential funder expect?

·       what kinds of funding do it offer? E.g. start-up funds, running costs, capital funding, project funding, core funding.

·       Are you eligible? You might need to be a charity, or to be located in a specific geographical area, for example.

·       Whether you can complete your project within the required time period?

·       Whether you have the financial and management skills, and can prove it?

The three main sources of financial support for arts projects are:

·       public funding

·       grant-making trusts

·       commercial sponsorship.

·       Public funding

Various British Arts Councils offer funding schemes targeted across all art forms in a range of areas, including:

·       individual artists

·       projects

·       organisations

·       research & development

·       arts education initiatives

·       Visit the relevant websites for current information

Grant-making trusts are charitable organisations, registered with the charity commission. Trusts usually set out to create change, promote a better quality of life, or realise the potential of individuals and communities. Always bear these factors in mind when approaching them. This focus makes trusts as interested in small projects as large ones. The areas a trust can cover are:

·       Education

·       Health

·       Social causes

·       Development and housing

·       Arts culture and amenities

·       Religious activities

·       Environment and animals

·       Civil society

·       Law and advocacy

·       Science and technology

·       Philanthropy and volunteering

Remember that the arts can take place within the remit of other categories. All trustees receive more applications than they have funds for, so you will need to target what you are doing. Always take the time to analyse each trust’s criteria.

The support of a private company could be in the form of:

·       donations

·       advertising

·       media sponsorship

·       staff secondment

·       corporate membership or entertainment

·       sponsorship-in-kind

Companies will have specific reasons for sponsorship:

·       advertise a name or brand.

·       improve their public image.

·       make new contacts.

·       reach new client base.

·       give a good local image.

Think about a price for sponsorship. This is difficult, so take the time to research similar sponsorship/donation arrangements. In your proposal say how much money you need and offer a sliding scale of prices.

Some guidelines on sponsorship are:

Include a cover letter saying what is enclosed with your proposal, how you found the company, your contact details. Give a specific day when you will call to follow things through.

Establish why the company will want to sponsor you – remember both parties need to benefit. Link the company’s target market to your potential audience. State the advantages of involvement. Ask the company to sponsor a cost centre that is exciting or ‘worthy’ e.g. education or commissioning of new work. Think about what you can give the sponsor in return e.g. publicity, limited-edition artwork, dedicated events, promotion of a product to a specific market. Do not treat sponsors as one-off assistance and burn your bridges, think local first, then plan ahead.

Always draw up a written contract following any verbal agreement. Make sure that all conditions of support are specified – it makes things much easier overall to stay connected with your local arts business who look to spark new relationships between commerce and culture. They can also provide advice and are sometimes able to offer a matching scheme.

When it comes to funding proposals you need to prepare your case for funding – funding is competitive, so demonstrate your project is viable, achievable and has long-term relevance to your practice, to audiences, and to the development of cultural practice. Try to define your project as an identifiable, unique project for which you have developed a practical plan of action. Your proposal must communicate:

·       demand for your project

·       how you fit into the funding criteria/profile of the funder

·       why you are collaborating with your chosen audience and artists

·       who you are

·       your goals

·       your monitoring processes

·       detail costs

·       provide a detailed time schedule

·       project sustainability

·       be clear and demonstrate what you are proposing

Some funding programmes will have application forms, others will not. Follow this format to make sure that you communicate the right information:

Introduction:

·       How the project come about

·       Justify your project

·       Introduce your time scale

·       Introduce partners

About you:

·       Remember the funder knows nothing about you

·       Describe your background and experience

·       Outline your current activities

·       If an organisation – describe your legal and financial status

The project:

·       What are your aims?

·       What relevance does your project have?

·       What do you hope to achieve?

·       Who is it for?

The process:

·       Time schedule

·       Working team and roles

·       Location

·       Methodology

·       Evaluation

·       Budget

Moving on:

Make sure your project has a clear end. How will you move on from this project? Funders like to feel that their input will have a long-term effect – this will inspire confidence.

It is good practice to ensure you have the full funding guidelines for each application. Analyse the funding criteria in detail before filling out forms. Always indicate why you are approaching each funder and adapt your case to the guidelines. Always keep a copy of forms and application letters for your own reference. Ensure any additional material is included, and if visual material is requested, make sure you follow the stated format and volume of material.

·       Title/credit each digital image

·       Submit applications to the deadline

·       Wait to hear from the funder rather than pushing them for an answer

A note about assessing applications?

Funders will filter applications and will automatically reject those who do not fit. They will assess your application in terms of you fitting the purpose of the target/funding profile, ability to realise the project and the quality of your project, because to justify their support any funder will need to have confidence that you can achieve what you set out to do. If a funder supports you, there will always be terms and conditions which will be outlined in the contract. Always make sure that you can fulfil your side of the contract before accepting the funds.

Remember to always involve your funder and cosset the contact for future applications. Thanking sponsors and providing them with full documentation is essential. Most funders will ask for an evaluation report, and it is good practice to include this whether requested or not.

How to write a clear proposal?

Write a few bullet points summarising your proposal at the beginning. This will give the funder a clear snapshot of what you want to do from the start, and try using a table to outline your timescale, with columns for activity and when you are doing it – it’s amazing the difference this can make in clarifying what you want to do and when.

If you have the luxury, leave your draft application for a week or two. When you come back to it you will spot the gaps and weaknesses yourself and be able to make appropriate changes and get someone else who doesn’t know your project and who will give you honest feedback, to read your proposal before you submit, and remember to give yourself time to make any of the resulting changes.

Do not make generalisations, be specific and articulate your idea/concept clearly and succinctly without going down the path of any hermetic or high-theoretical language, and for every claim made in the application make sure you include evidence.

Try to compile a realistic budget?

To ensure you have included all the expenditure for the project and planned it thoroughly, think your way through what is involved to make it happen, even day by day, so write down headings for each element of your project. Under each heading include all the minor details, like people to serve drinks at private views or to stuff envelopes for the mail-out, money needs to be allocated to each of these, if not it can be a service in kind which has a value in a budget.

Make sure that you budget adequately for your time. There is no point in being successful with an application only to realise that you do not really have the funds to cover it, but equally, your own time can be a particularly useful source of match funding. Look at what time, if any, you can afford to give the project in kind and write this in as match funding at the suggested daily rate for artists. This can prove an especially useful way of finding some extra resources.

Incorporate costs for research/familiarisation/consultation time to inform initial design ideas and profile the value of mentoring/collaborating with local artists at cost to support the local creative economy, and make sure your budgets tally.

Ask for as much money as you need. Do not comprise on either budget or the idea to second guess the selectors priorities, but be realistic, include all relevant costs, but also be aware that there is always high competition for funds and that smaller grants are often more successful. It is a fine balance and sometimes it is possible to discuss these aspects in advance with the funder.

Can you speak the language?

It can feel a little false to reflect the same language used in the application guidelines when you answer each question, but it is important to do this. It will make it easier for the officer judging your application when assessing. So read any guidelines and really analyse what they are saying.

And make sure every question raised in the guidelines is answered in the order that they are asked. Do not be afraid to repeat yourself if you need to, sometimes the same information answers more than one question.

What are outcomes and evaluations?

Look at the funder’s priority areas, you will not hit them all, so just focus on those that cover your project when describing the public benefit. It is wise to think in broad terms and identify the groups or communities the project will touch throughout its life from inception to completion. Drawing up a list of these people will make identifying and assessing benefits easier to think about and articulate how the project contributes to your long-term career development as an artist.

Where it comes to benefits from the project, it is quite easy to forget that you are allowed to benefit too. Whilst activities will be of benefit to an audience or community the fact that you, as an artist, are being given the chance to undertake this activity, will reflect positively on the region in which you are based, feeding in to the profile of the area. This can be written as a benefit into your application. Evaluation does not have to be a feedback form, it can be an event or a publication, and you can include money for it in the budget. A useful way of evaluating research and development is to pay an artist/curator who you respect to meet you and discuss how your project is going. This is also an effective way to make links with people and organisations.

Describe your research and tactics?

Read the job description of the type of officer who will be assessing your application. Remember, when answering the questions refer to your personal creativity, whilst the focus of your art school education is rarely what public funding is there to support. Find out which funding bodies are suitable for your project and try to speak with all of them. Discuss issues such as eligibility, percentage of overall project costs they might fund, the amount of grant they normally give and how they view in-kind support. If you are applying to a trust or foundation, find out what the success ratio is. Some trusts and foundations may fund as many as one in three proposals, others may receive fifty-plus for one award. Judge the likelihood of success before committing time to an application.

Some of the Arts Council regions offer surgeries for first time applicants and there are organisations that offer advice. It is also crucial to contact the appropriate Arts Council officer and get as much information and advice, as they are willing to offer.

What are the next steps?

If you have an application rejected, do not think that it is the end of the line. Take on board the advice from the letter you are sent, speak to your visual arts officer, and rewrite your application. Because sometimes, there are too many good applications and not enough money to fund them all in that round, in which case you can ask your visual arts officer if it would be a good idea to resubmit the same application, learn from the process and use it to hone your application writing skills. And remember, ask for feedback on applications that have been successful so that you can both understand and develop your skills.

When preparing for a pitch, keep a complete record of all your ideas, designs, and creative input, ensuring that there is a complete paper trail of your work, from the first brainstorming session through to initial sketches and detailed design drawings or detailed explanation of your ideas. Ensure that you are clearly identified as the creator of your ideas by putting your name and the date of your idea on each document.

Archive your ideas by sending your documents to a bank or solicitor or by sending them to yourself through the post in a sealed envelope. This will give you independent evidence that you created your ideas at the time you say you did

Ensure that you know what intellectual property rights subsist in your ideas if any, it may be possible for you to obtain registered protection before disclosing your ideas to anyone and thereby strengthen the legal protection available to you.

Keep a record of any other parties who have been involved in the creation of your ideas and make sure that you have confirmed the legal ownership position with them before using the idea. If necessary, ask them to sign an assignment agreement or, at least, an acknowledgement of your ownership of the intellectual property rights. This helps to avoid problems with third parties later when you need to rely on your rights.

Always keep a written record of your discussions which you have with your client at any pitch meeting or over the telephone so that they cannot argue, for example, that you waived confidentiality in your ideas.

You should send a follow-up letter to your client a few days after your pitch to them to confirm the content of your discussions with them and to remind them about your intellectual property rights and the confidential nature of your discussions.

It is particularly important where your client is paying you a pitch fee to make clear that you own the intellectual property rights in what you produce for the pitch and that you wish to maintain the confidentiality of the ideas presented to your client as part of the pitch. In certain circumstances, the person who commissions the idea for payment can be the owner of the intellectual property rights in the design produced.

If you are unfortunate enough to lose a pitch, always ask your client to return any presentation materials left with them to reduce the risk of your materials being reproduced without your consent and remind them while you have retained your intellectual property rights in your materials. Remember that the object is to ensure that the recipient of your ideas/designs is aware that you consider them to be confidential before they see them and for you to be able to prove this to a court if necessary.

Pitching an open studio event?

Artists will be opening their individual home studios, and this can be a part of a large art trail, a smaller art trail or just the studio complex alone. It is prudent to make a long checklist in the run up to the event to make sure you do not forget. I have spoken to many artists about their experiences and seen how other people do it and have compiled all this into some more lists.

Sales from your studio, contacts with artists, partnerships with curators for future projects,  and contact with collectors for future sales. Some feedback and discussion about your current work can come as a deadline to encourage you to finish work by reflecting on what you have decided to show from the past year. The benefit of a thorough tidy to your space. Catch up with the other artists in your studio building. Time to visit with friends and collectors.

Finish making work early. Leave time for oil paintings to dry, for instance pick a day to stop making so you can start on the rest of the stuff. Select the work you will show. Show only the best, old or new. Maybe get help choosing from someone whose opinion you trust. Have various price points. Show enough work to be full and interesting but not so much that it will be crowded. Attach hanging hardware if needed or if it is 3D work make or repaint plinths. Document the work in case it sells, and you cannot later. Photograph your work, create titles, assign prices, and add to your records. Clearly label the artwork and price if it is for sale and think about your pricing. Some artists sell at wholesale prices during their open studio, but most artists do not sell cheaper at their open studios than they would anywhere else. Selling at the wholesale price undermines your retail prices and can confuse collectors and curators as to your price range. Also, the expenses of the event will need to be covered and that is in the retail half of the price.

Some artists cover their costs of the event by selling greetings cards or small prints of their work. The type of Open Studios event it is, and the location will influence how much people are willing to spend on impulse. Frame works on paper if appropriate. Maybe use a print browser and easels for display.

Remove old screws from walls and patch and paint. Scrub the floor. Tidy and pack away. It is about making it welcoming and pleasant and making the art look good, so imagine your space with a lot of people in it, is there room to move around? Is it dangerous for visitors or children?

People love to see how things are made, but you cannot demonstrate making and still chat with your guests at the same time, so consider displaying in-progress work with an information card. If you choose a good example of a stage in your process it will also help you answer visitor’s questions, as you have something to point to. Consider putting out a sketchbook for people to look through or a portfolio of past work. Put out free postcards with an image of your work and contact details or business cards. A visitors book/mailing list sign-up. Put an artist’s statement and CV out for people to read and a few extras to give with purchases. If you are in a building with many artists a door sign with your name and contact details is useful for people to find you. Have bubble wrap and tape for packaging sold work. A receipt book and change. Wear a name tag for you and for your assistants also. Make sure the work is well lit and easy to see. Cordon off areas that are off limits and present chairs for resting or visiting. Water and snacks will be welcome if people are travelling around many spaces but have trail guides to give out to help people on their way to the next venue.

Invite everyone! Use your mailing list. Tell people. The biggest challenge for most events is getting visitors, so spend some time getting the word out. After you have done all the artwork and all the event organising it would be a shame to have only a few visitors. Send out a press release. Announce the show everywhere by creating an event page and post regularly. Put the full information on your website or blog. Photograph your space when it is all set up to use on social media for publicity.

Be prepared to talk about your work and about the story behind each piece. Be prepared with answers to awkward questions like: How long did it take to make? Why does it cost so much, what does it mean? Can I pay in instalments? Can I get a discount? Do you take special orders? I do not understand art/my child could make that. Sometimes they are genuinely interested and do not know how to get the conversation started. If you have thought about them in advance, then you can give considered answers or direct the conversation the way you want it to go. Be friendly to everyone. Introduce yourself to strangers. Acknowledge new visitors if you are busy. Avoid being monopolised. After you have made a sale get all your new collectors contact info. A form to fill out with a few questions has been suggested. Update your website in advance as you should get many new visitors right after the event if you have given out cards. And have contents/liability insurance sorted, if necessary.

Debrief as soon as it is over and make notes for next year or you will forget something that you thought was such a revelation that you could not forget it. Save signage if you can reuse it. Follow up on all commissions and obligations right away. Email your new mailing list sign-ups to welcome them.

How to improve your chances of getting work?

We all know that the jobs and opportunities market is tough and there is lots of competition. Artists and arts freelancers are having to work hard to locate and win the opportunities on offer. Being successful often depends as much on who you know and how you promote yourself as it does on responding well to a call for submissions. Here is some of the tactics you can use to gain an edge during your own search for work and opportunities.

1.     Broaden your horizons: do not limit yourself to things you have done already, but think about your transferable skills and experiences, and see how they relate to a wider range of work opportunities on offer.

2.     Professional development: look strategically into professional development and training opportunities that not only increase your employability but enhance your CV.

3.     Be open-minded: thinking laterally may get you into new contexts. Once you get your foot in the door, you will then have a chance to prove yourself.

4.     Think ahead: research those in your chosen field or location and find out what they are doing and about their future plans. You may get into their grant application as a named collaborator, rather than have to wait for the open submission.

5.     Cast a wide net: General job boards can be useful but be aware there is a lot of dross to wade through and that industry and trade association web sites like a-n’s have the more targeted career opportunities.

6.     Network online and off: Tell everyone you know that you are looking for paid work and interesting opportunities, whether in person or using your social or professional networking sites.

7.     Manage your digital footprint: Think your friends are the only people who viewed those less-than-professional holiday photos you posted online? Think again. With a few mouse clicks, potential commissioners and employers can dig up information about you on blogs, personal websites, and personal networking site profiles, so make sure you do a thorough self-search and take any necessary corrective action.

8.     Customise: Tailor your CV and cover letter for each opportunity. Employers want to see why you are the right person for their job, not everything you have ever done.

9.     Enhance your marketability: Find out what skills are most in demand and take steps to give yourself an edge in these areas. Focus on sharpening both functional and people skills.

10.  Converse with organisations who employ artists and arts freelancers: These people can provide useful feedback on your CV and prospects, know what is coming up within their own organisation and across their network. Some may even provide informal mentoring and advisory opportunities.

Sell, sell, sell?

Artists, collectors, gallery directors, curators and dealers offer tips and guidance on selling your work and maintaining relationships with clients and collectors. Take the time to learn what interest’s collectors, i.e. which practices and works they are most drawn to, so you can tailor your approach and avoid bombarding them with everything you show.

I would recommend keeping a contacts database and emailing list for everybody you have met who has shown interest in your work. Wherever possible, keep some private notes on more detailed background info on that person, such as where you met, what you discussed, any info they gave you on their interests, home, family, collection, or general art interests and if you have any shared interests in particular. If it is somebody who has bought your work before, keep a record and remember what it is they said they liked about the work, as this will help when you make a new work and want to share it with a few select people.

Send superior quality images from the studio as this could make the difference between a sale or not and whether they fully connect with what you are doing. Sending an image of new work is also a good excuse to invite them to the studio to see the work in the flesh, and it also gives you important feedback. Make sure you have a sense of titles, prices etc. Before you send images and have them in your studio. This avoids both embarrassment and selling the work too cheaply.

I would also suggest being generous in relation to other artists and your knowledge – collectors are always keen to know artist’s opinions on other artists and exhibitions, this is how they learn and stay connected. Do be kind to your peers! Artists supporting other artists builds long sustainable networks and so staying on top of what your peers are doing and visiting other’s exhibitions is really crucial.

Artists reward each other’s generosity and often this can lead to shows, introductions to other collector and writers. Collectors talk to lots of people in the artworld, so it is good to be a touch point and build friendships where possible, as they will support you, even when they do not buy something.

Many introductions to collectors come about through galleries. This is a working relationship however that does not mean I completely hide away behind a closed studio door! It is both enjoyable and beneficial to welcome studio tours from curatorial and collector groups.

A gallery is not just about financial sales, it is also about ongoing support in you as an artist and the development of your career. Also, when someone buys work it has a long-term effect as it is a belief in my practice and enables me to continue with my work; this is one reason why I always enjoy meeting those who have collected my work and like to keep in touch over time to show them how my work evolves in the future.

It is paramount to have high quality images of your work. This is often how many collectors first see an artist’s work. It is an effective way of demonstrating that what you do matters, that you are serious and professional in intent; the photographs of your work speak for you in your absence. Employing the services of a professional photographer is not cheap but it is worth the expense, not just for the sales.

When I left my studies, I wanted time to establish myself in my studio and to learn how to make my work outside of college and to understand for myself what I was doing before thinking about commercial representation or the market. However, like any emerging artist, I knew I had to make an income.

At this early stage in my career there was no contract, but an informal agreement to give a percentage of income from any work sold directly through involvement and proved to be a mutually beneficial relationship. I have sometimes seen work I have liked and the more the artist has spoken about it the less I have liked it. Other times work that has not initially engaged me has really grown on me the more the artist has spoken about it – to the point of purchasing.

Do not assume your work speaks for itself?

I have bought artwork for under £300, and a year after I had bought it the work began coming away from the mount very badly. I contacted the gallery, and they contacted the artist. They all offered advice as to where I could take it to be remounted – but did not offer to take responsibility for it. I suggested to them it was their responsibility to pay for the remounting work as this was not ongoing conservation but correcting a fault in the original mounting. Really, I thought, I will not buy from that gallery and artist again.

I went to a gallery opening once and they had done everything just in time – except print the price list. After half an hour all the potential collectors left, so have a think about your priorities. Do those priorities change depending on the circumstances at any given time? We are all busy with work! And is not sending me a certificate of authentication part of the work? Surprisingly, few artists stay connected.

First, we must like the work! It helps if the artist is present and can also talk clearly about the work, giving it context. If not the artist, then a knowledgeable and empathetic gallerist can be a good substitute.

The price needs to be realistic and accessible which is not to say it must be cheap. It should reflect the time and effort that has gone in to it and be appropriate in relation to the artist’s stage of development.

We buy art that we like because we want to support the artist and encourage them to continue making work. We always want to see what they will do next. The works we buy are not in storage; they are on our walls, shelves, and tables.

Artists are in the best possible position in the art world when it comes to having a privileged relationship with a collector. For clients, talking to the artist is the primary emotional driver. However, if you struggle to speak confidently or passionately about your own work and practice, I will seriously recommend you find someone else you trust who can. Most collectors or art want to meet people that love talking about art and exchanging ideas.

It is of course not particularly healthy to be thinking about sales when you are making work, but later on it is good to think about how you would deal with a purchase enquiry. Collectors can be quite adventurous in what they will buy, particularly if they see it as a way of supporting your practice, so it helps if you can be clear, confident, and straightforward in your response, even to unexpected enquiries. And if you are open to negotiation, then say so.

Sometimes a relationship starts with a sale, sometimes it culminates in one, sometimes an ongoing exchange is fruitful on its own terms. In all cases it is vital to stay in touch: develop a mailing list, and if someone gives you their email address, make it a priority to send them details of news and subsequent shows. It amazes me how few artists have stayed in touch in spite of an express invitation to do so!

1.      Compare, Compare, Compare

Buyers will often compare artwork for sale so it should be key for you to do this too. Look at artworks like your style and size by artists with similar experience and see what they are charging. Ensure you spend time doing this and look across several galleries and artists. The internet is a helpful resource for this.

2.      Value your experience

Experience counts for a lot, especially if you have a sales history. It should tell you what you could expect from your work and the market. However, be sure not to jump up in huge increments as no one likes to see work having to be reduced in price, it is a real put off for buyers. Steady and realistic increases should be rolled out over time. Any good gallery should help you with this if asked.

3.      Gallery Commission

Be sure to factor in the gallery’s commission in the sales price rather than slap it on top at the end as this will often make your pricing unrealistic. On this note “ always make sure the commission is fair for both parties, and you know any other costs the gallery charge. Only ever charge a commission when the work is sold and never charge a membership/sign on fee, but some do so be sure to check and adjust your prices accordingly.

4.      Start timing what you do

All other skilled traders charge for the skill and time on some form of day/hourly rate. Figure out how long you spend working on a piece and apply an hourly rate, this is something a lot of artists over look. Of course, you need to be realistic with this but just bear it in mind as you work on it.

5.      Materials

Recovering the cost of your materials should, without doubt, be incorporated into the sale price of your work, this is particularly key when framing comes into play as buyers expect to pay more for both high-quality materials and framed work. We always recommend using the best materials you can sensibly afford and tell buyers/galleries that you have used good materials as it helps justify your selling price.

6.      Delivery

Something to make clear to the buyer from the outset is if delivery is included or excluded from the sale price you give. It is also important to make it clear if delivery is international or UK based. There is no need to worry about delivery, however different galleries and buyers work in diverse ways so be truly clear about delivery. We also suggest offering to ship overseas, but for them to contact you so you can sort out a bespoke delivery cost for them.

Contrary to widely held belief, art galleries do want to look at new artists artwork! Running a gallery should be a healthy mix between managing current artists, finding new artists, finding new buyers, and servicing existing buyers’ priorities often on an hourly basis and so it is key to grab the galleries attention and keep it. Some galleries have times of year they look for new artists but good, yet initiative-taking ones will always keep an eye out.

Remember to build relationships?

Be a consultant and curator and offer advice on how to generate sales and develop a market for your work, through building relationships with clients and collectors.

As an artist you might wonder why it is important to think about cultivating collectors for your work. Surely, it is enough to concentrate all your energies on building a strong practice and the sales and financial stability will naturally follow. In exceptional circumstances, but for the vast majority not – you need to take this as seriously as any other aspect of your career. Unless you are fortunate enough to secure commercial gallery representation and a dealer early on in your career who will take care of the market on your behalf – it pays to take matters into your own hands.

Many artists have grave, often conflicted, feelings about the market for art. I am not suggesting there are no pitfalls, but to ignore it would be to deny yourself the enormous potential benefits, not least an income, however irregular. So with this in mind, here are my recommendations for building relationships with clients and collectors.

Do your homework into the market and the profile of potential collectors as there is ‘no one size fits all’ here. Just as artists have different career aspirations, likewise collectors come in all shapes and sizes.

The serious collectors of art tend to gravitate towards London and the other major cultural capitals around the world. They often have close relationships with commercial galleries, employ the services of advisors, and buy from artists whose work has already been deemed to be significant by the main players within the art world. If you are based outside the capital and without commercial representation it is extremely hard to get your work in front of these individuals. It might be better to start by targeting collectors closer to home.

Whilst the market for art outside is still in its infancy there is plenty of encouraging research to suggest there is enormous potential, and yet, untapped market across the UK. It is wise to spend some time finding out more about what makes these collectors tick by asking, what do they buy? What motivates them? How much do they spend on art? How regularly? Where do they buy from?

Some publications contain some useful insight, but there is no substitute for talking to the collectors themselves. Unfortunately, there is no directory, so you need to do a little detective work. Start by approaching some of the professionals and organisations who are already collaborating with collectors in your locale, for example, commercial galleries and agencies, freelance consultants, public institutions with patron and supporter schemes and other more established artists with an existing network of clients. Bear in mind there is no certainty they will be happy to share their knowledge, but nothing ventured nothing gained.

It is also smart to invest time networking at the events where collectors are likely to congregate such as open studio events, selling exhibitions or art fairs for example, and actively seek out introductions and be prepared with further details about your work and business cards. Better still ask for their contact details and permission to add them to your mailing list. With patience and determination, you will begin to build a better sense of who the potential collectors are and what they are looking for. Equipped with this knowledge you will be in a stronger position to develop a plan for how to build your own network of collectors and keep the net wide open.

It is best not to pre-judge who might be a potential collector; they do not all stride around proudly declaring themselves as such. Neither is extreme wealth necessarily a prerequisite, some of the most respected private collections have been formed on a modest budget and a discerning eye. As such, my strong advice would be to treat everyone and anyone as a potential collector regardless of first appearances. Many artists also forget that other arts professionals also buy art and in fact make up a significant share of the market, so in short, do not dismiss anyone!

Make sure they are backing a winner?

Whilst most collectors make a purchase because they fall in love with the work, it’s worth remembering that they’re often parting with significant amounts of their hard-earned money and other, less emotional considerations will come into play before they decide to make the leap. Some of the questions they might ask themselves include: Is the artist serious about their career? Am I investing in someone who will maintain a practice or go on and achieve remarkable things? Is my judgement shared by those knowledgeable?

I once had a studio visit with an artist and group of collectors. Where one of the collectors who was extremely interested in buying something, got into a conversation after the visit. When the collector asked about future ambitions, no sale was made. It was not the only determining factor for the collector, but it certainly didn’t help being given the impression I had such little faith in my own practice. So, always speak confidently about your work and don’t be afraid to share your long-term career aspirations.

It’s also worth mentioning any public collections or private collectors who have bought your work or expressed an interest in doing so. Collectors like to feel they are backing and supporting an artist who is serious about their career, even at a formative stage, and that their judgement has been validated by others.

What is in the Dragons’ Den?

It’s not something a lot of artists feel confident about doing, but it is essential that you are able to talk about your work in a clear, concise, and confident manner. You don’t have to be Winston Churchill, just be prepared to communicate in your own relaxed style all the key facts including: an overview of your practice; details about specific works you consider defining; and future with work-in-progress.

Don’t fall into the common trap of quoting niche art theory. This will only wash with your peers who are well-versed with the idiosyncrasies of the art world, but remember many collectors invariably come from completely different professions and are likely to be at best confused, or at worst turned off. Try and imagine you have a fixed amount of time to convince them you’re worth investing in, and assume they have no prior knowledge about your practice, the wider art world, or the history of art, and try to speak in an accessible way that anyone could understand.

If it helps, practise on someone who is prepared to provide honest and constructive feedback. The same principle should extend to every other form of communication you employ including your website, social media, and any interpretation you write for exhibitions and events – be consistent. Poor written and oral communication skills are one of the biggest barriers to facilitating a deeper engagement for many collectors.

How to maintain relationships with clients and collectors?

If you want to build a long-term relationship with a collector, the pricing and sale of a work is just the start. The aftercare is vital to ensure continued relationships with clients and collectors. Recommendations on how to achieve this are outlined below, including some suggestions for further reading around the market.

Being clear about how you get your pricing is critical in the art world where work now comes in a bewildering array of forms, and value is no longer based purely on the demonstration of craft or technical skill, many collectors find it hard to determine value and whether they are paying a fair price. To be honest they’re not the only ones, it’s something artists find tricky too. However, there is some good guidance out there and it’s worth doing the research.

Some collectors may want to know how you have calculated the price, and you will need to be able to justify it. They will want to be assured that you won’t decide in the future you’ve over-inflated the price of your work and start to sell it for less – this is a sure-fire way of ending a relationship, furthermore, collectors sometimes want to negotiate on the price or at the very least be offered a discount – so be prepared.

Don’t be shy about stating the price of your work because the more up-front you are, the more likely you are to sell your work. Remember some people don’t like to ask, often for fear of not being able to afford it. Also, make sure you have work for a range of budgets. All sales help, but equally a small purchase can often lead to a larger one later. It doesn’t just stop at the sale I have witnessed countless relationships ruined by poor professionalism; from the outset this will help build trust.

Supply all the relevant paperwork – for example, an invoice including the terms and conditions of the sale, a receipt or proof of purchase once payment has been made and/or a signed certificate of authentication. Although it’s hard to enforce, there’s no harm in requesting they inform you if they decide to subsequently sell the work and ask the new owner if they mind being added to your records. Tracking the location of your work is important as you might want to borrow it back for an exhibition.

Agree a date for delivery of the work and stick to it. Determine who will be responsible for arranging transport, costs, and insurance in advance of any money being exchanged and at what point the work becomes the responsibility of the purchaser. Make sure the work is appropriately and safely packed for transit – more damage to artworks is done during transit than at any other time. Although normally the domain of institutional loans you might even consider producing a condition report detailing the physical state of the work when it leaves your possession and signed by both you and the courier.

On an additional note, prior to the point of sale it can be wise to put yourself in the position of a collector and consider the practicalities of living with the art at home. Even the wealthiest people have limited wall and floor space, and no-one really wants to buy art just to keep it hidden away in storage. So how easy is it to show your work in a domestic context? Are certain works easier than others? Can you adapt your work or produce imaginative solutions for how it might be shown in the home? If your core work is challenging to collect, then you could look at how other more established artists have made work that can be lived with in the home.

Provide advice on how best to look after and preserve the work – light and humidity levels especially are critical and liable to fluctuate wildly in a domestic context. Remember it is in your interest too that the work is kept in as good a condition as possible, so if the work needs framing or special display devices recommend someone reputable who can supply them.

It seems so obvious it hardly seems worth saying, but if you want to maintain a relationship with a collector you need to stay in touch, do not fail to do this. Even if someone hasn’t bought anything from you yet, if they have expressed an interest then make sure they are added to your mailing list. Keep them regularly informed of developments in your practice and make sure that that they receive invitations to the private views of the exhibitions you are in. You might also like to arrange special visits to your studio and give them a privileged insight into your workplace and work in progress.

Collectors often like to take their time and follow an artist’s practice and career progress before making a purchase. They might buy something small and modestly priced to begin with before spending more later. Be careful not to bombard them with too many emails, be judicious but make them feel involved and special.

How to vary your work?

Too similar or too different for a gallery is an anathema as they like to ensure they always have a good variation of work and not be too dull from piece to piece. It is often not so much the individual artist that is considered, but how that art fits into the current mix. The gallery will not want to have two hundred bits of work that are all remarkably similar but at the same time they do not want to have two hundred bits of work that are all so different their clients are unable to work out what they are good at. Offer a varied portfolio without being so varied the gallery cannot see a similarity between the work and a style that is present throughout all your work.

Most artists undervalue their work, and occasionally there is an artist with an unrealistic sense of how to price their work. To be on top of your pricing; compare your level of experience, chosen subject and medium with others at the gallery and across the market, value your time and be aware of commission, try incorporating this percentage at an earlier stage. The obvious one is to ensure you cost in materials used. Most galleries will understand a slightly higher price means better quality materials and will prefer this, so they know what they are selling is the best of the best for their clients.

Trust is often overlooked but is, one of the most important things when working with an artist, so galleries need to be sure that the work offered is genuine and if it is sold elsewhere then remain notified as soon as possible. Gallerists need to be sure that they will be paid promptly and given the correct exposure, so without trust, which needs to be won from both sides, the relationship between both parties will be difficult and often crumble. Speak on the phone/meet rather than just email because a voice or face is better than just a computer screen and helps build that trust. Both the artist and the gallery need to have a level of trust and comfort that will guarantee honest communication. If a gallery perceives you as being a difficult person to work with, they tend to veer away as it is time consuming, and they never want to expose their clients to risk. Always be honest and open about where else your work is being shown and make clear any concerns you have about the gallery/your work.

Think of it as a job interview and have ready an up-to-date bio on yourself, including any awards or exhibitions you have been a part of, as the gallery will always ask for a bio and example images of your work. DO NOT show bad images of your work and ensure they are well cropped and clear; you would be surprised how many times poor photos do not show what is the most important thing we need to see.

Don’t hound the gallery with emails and calls but at the same time be persistent so it shows you are keen. The gallery needs you just as much as you need them so look around for the right gallery that will fit with you. A key thing to look for is the current price of the work for sale, as there is no point approaching a gallery who sell a lot higher or lower than you as they have a market, they service for their price point and so to add variations of this would be a waste of everyone’s time. Today, there is enough information online that will allow the artist to make a reasonable judgment on whether that gallery is a good prospect for you or not.

Keep the gallery up to date with your latest work/latest shows/work in progress every month or so but do not hound them with un-interesting facts. If you use social media, ask them to follow you so they can stay up to date that way. A call once every few months to stay in touch is a clever way to help build trust and maintain the relationship.

Galleries will have a tried and tested set of terms and conditions for their artists and unless under an exceptional circumstance will not be changed on an artist-by-artist basis. If you are not happy with the terms or want to know more about what they mean, then ask. The terms are there to help both parties. Always read them in full and ask any questions you need to, so you are 100% happy. Galleries should be ok with wanting to know more about how they work and be ready with a suitable answer. Artists that don’t read the T&Cs often frustrate galleries further down the line causing issues in the partnership.

With reference in kind too...............

(a-n) The Artists Information Network

Jackson's Art Blog

(A©ID) Anti Copying in Design