How to Submit Art to Galleries and Museums

Submitting artwork is a collaborative process between artists and curators.

Art galleries and museums tend have specific submission policies that they expect artists to follow when submitting their work. They may accept email submissions with digital work samples and a link to a portfolio site, or they may require printed samples, known as slides, of an artist's work to be sent by mail. Both digital submissions and printed submissions will likely have to be of a certain resolution or size so that curators can get a clear look at the details of your work.

Things You'll Need

• Portfolio

Instructions

1. Visit the gallery or museum's website to gather information about upcoming exhibitions or open submission events. Also, find out what the submission policies are and if there is a pre-made submission form available. If they are not listed and there is no form available, send an email from a reputable address or contact the gallery by phone.

2. Submit your portfolio samples based on the curator's specifications. Include descriptive titles and pertinent information regarding the samples. Clearly label all images and include your most recent contact information.

3. Follow up on your submission. After about a week, send the gallery or museum an email or contact them by phone to inquire about the status of your submission.

Tips & Warnings

• Open submission events are a good way to get acquainted with curators. These events will usually accept an artist's work based on just a few criteria such as medium and size, which will then be displayed in a group exhibition for a limited time. These exhibitions are easier to get into but serve as a way of getting your foot in the door.

• Keep your online portfolio updated with your most recent work and make sure that the site's links function properly. Curators usually have a lot of artists' work to look through and won't be able to spend a lot of time trying to work around malfunctioning websites.

• It's important to actually meet curators and see the exhibition space in person before submitting work as this will foster a more personal relationship. While this isn't always possible depending on the location of the gallery or museum, it definitely helps the submission process run more smoothly.

• Depending on the theme of a gallery, museum or specific exhibition, curators are usually looking for a certain style of work based on the artistic medium used, size and subject matter of a piece. Cater your submissions to the curator's expectations if possible.

• Don't be discouraged if a gallery or museum doesn't accept your work for an exhibition. They will often keep a copy of your work samples and your contact information on file for future exhibitions or to recommend your work to other galleries where it would be better suited.

References

• "The Artist's Guide"; Jackie Battenfield; 2009