Exhibit advice needed

[Laura_Campbell]

Now hold on here a minute people. Why are photographers so eager to give their work away?

What if I told you that at 1700 acres this is not your average local, labor of love garden? This thing is HUGE.

What if I told you they charged an $11 admission fee?

What if I told you that the number of visitors a year is heading toward 1,000,000?

That their expenses in 2009 were over $26 million?

That their endowment grew by $41 million in 2009 (not total, this is the increase)?

We need to re-think how photographers support themselves. This garden is willing to pay for an exhibit. They pay for other exhibits--or do we assume that the traveling shows that we see in museums do it "for exposure"?

If you aren't going to charge this garden for the 25 photos you are giving them for a *year* who will you charge? Galleries rent art all the time. You can rent art, too.

--Darin

Nicely said! High-five!

[bob carnie]

Who approached who on this project?
If you approached them and made the suggestion then I think its a donation on your part.
If they approached you , then at least all printing and framing costs should be covered by them.

[Richard Wasserman]

Now hold on here a minute people. Why are photographers so eager to give their work away?

What if I told you that at 1700 acres this is not your average local, labor of love garden? This thing is HUGE.

What if I told you they charged an $11 admission fee?

What if I told you that the number of visitors a year is heading toward 1,000,000?

That their expenses in 2009 were over $26 million?

That their endowment grew by $41 million in 2009 (not total, this is the increase)?

We need to re-think how photographers support themselves. This garden is willing to pay for an exhibit. They pay for other exhibits--or do we assume that the traveling shows that we see in museums do it "for exposure"?

If you aren't going to charge this garden for the 25 photos you are giving them for a *year* who will you charge? Galleries rent art all the time. You can rent art, too.

--Darin

Darin, Nice detective work! You came to the same conclusion I did.

I think artists all too often operate from a place of fear and insecurity. Everyone else gets to make a living, why shouldn't we? You're not going to get anything if you don't ask for it. The venue may not agree with me of course, but that will be part of the discussion if necessary.

[Kirk Gittings]

You should ask-it couldn't hurt.

But....lets get away from the chest pounding and back to reality.....I am very familiar with the institution you are talking about and I love it. The research library is not a "premium" venue there. Displaying art is not their central purpose. The library there does not get a ton of visitors and they are not likely to want to spend much if any money to have work hung there. Don't get me wrong-you know I love your work, but they are not going to see your work as a big revenue generator and will not likely see the value in paying to hang your work. But given that there are other reasons to do this anyway..........


I think I probably have as extensive an exhibit record as anyone here, like 70+ exhibits. I have had public art shows that were commissions-they paid to have the work produced and then owned and hung them afterwords, I have had public shows at museums where I supplied the work and they framed them. I have had shows at museums where they simply pulled my work (purchased) from their collections-I did nothing. And I have had various combinations of the above. Shows at museums generate the most sales for me and they get no cut- so that is my preferred venue for showing and generating sales. I have had friends-big names-that were paid to produce prints for museum shows, but I haven't. I guess I haven't turned that corner-reached that plateau yet. But I also know that being paid to produce prints for a show is rare for them too and didn't happen until they were known nationally.

I know from personal experience that exhibitions at public institutions are the most high profile things I do, because they give you validity and I promote the heck out of them in addition to whatever the institution does. And that oftentimes leads to bigger things. But even smaller venues can lead to bigger things too.

Here is one example. Some years ago my old friend from college, Paul Palletti in Louisville asked me to do a small retrospective show at his gallery- just 30 prints. I had not been showing much-I had been concentrating on commercial work to put my kids through college. As with any show at a private gallery, I did all the printing and framing on my dime. Paul sold a number of works from this show-one of my best ever. But the real success..........I promoted this show exhaustively around the country and in NM. This led to a nice article in New Mexico Magazine, which led to them publishing a retrospective book about me which led to a large 100 print retrospective exhibit at The Albuquerque Museum.

Trust me I know how expensive it is to hang shows. I am just saying that is not the only or (for me anyway) the most important consideration. I look at what I can do with this opportunity. How can I build on this opportunity? More venues for the work when this comes down? Magazine articles? Speaking engagements? teaching opportunities?

If I can't afford to frame and print a show and that is what is required of me, then there are other avenues to explore before I give up. How many prints do I need to sell to cover my expenses? 5 maybe? Maybe they can't get their heads around renting the work but can understand buying a small suite for their offices or collection. That's a win/win situation for both of you. Be flexible, positive and creative, but get your work out there.

Just my 2 cents.

[Peter De Smidt]

If it were me, I'd ask for at least one half of the print and framing production costs as a rental fee. Show them all of the costs of things that go into such a show, as many people have no idea about this. Tell them while you support their organization, and you love the idea of them displaying your photographs, that you simply can't eat all of the costs yourself. Perhaps give them a percentage of any sales that the display produces.

[Kirk Gittings]

I just wonder how many people who are suggesting getting rental fees have ever personally had success getting them?

[Merg Ross]

Who approached who on this project?

This is the question that needs answering.

From personal experience, I have never been compensated for exhibiting my work, except by sales. However, work in collections has been purchased, not gifted.

As Kirk suggests, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to exhibiting photography. There was a time, when museums and galleries were responsible for the presentation, including framing. More recently, this has become the duty and expense of the photographer.

[Peter De Smidt]

I just wonder how many people who are suggesting getting rental fees have ever personally had success getting them?

I haven't ever asked, but then I've only done small, local shows that are up for only a few weeks. I expect Kirk is right, and the photographer won't get anything other than exposure, but it still seems like a good idea to let them know how much the exhibit costs to make.

[IanG]

I just wonder how many people who are suggesting getting rental fees have ever personally had success getting them?

I have both for solo exhibitions and group shows. I have also waived a fee when production costs have been covered by previous hanging fees and public funding when I've known a Gallery was struggling getting funding. Sadly though many galleries try to get away with paying nothing.

Ian

[bob carnie]

IMO the most important aspect is having your work seen by others.
Part of the cost of being a photographer/printer is the materials we use.
Why stop half way , or put a block ahead of yourself.

If this is a good location, if a lot of people are going to see it, if you want to push your name and work around.

Its a no brainer , do it.