The art world is a vast ocean of creatives in all shapes and forms. While many of us may be familiar with the bigger fish of art, young and emerging artists are the lifeblood of creativity and vision, offering new perspectives that make art interesting. Contemporary art galleries play a key role in promoting and supporting young artists; bringing them from the shadows of the studio into the spotlight, in front of collectors. We’re exploring the vital role galleries plays in promoting young and emerging artists.
How to find young and emerging artists?
Before you can promote young talent, you need to find it! Curators hunt for fresh talent in a variety of ways.
- Graduate art shows and Instagram are just a few avenues that a gallerist can use to search for new talent.
- Another common strategy is for a gallery to ask for submissions or launch a competition.
- Open submissions and competitions are a great way to sample work from a wide range of artists before accepting or inviting them to exhibit. Both open submissions and competitions may have specific criteria of themes that can lead to innovative, exciting works.
Once the exhibition has finished galleries have already forged a relationship and can continue to shine a spotlight on these young artists. As bastions of taste, galleries are gatekeepers that can help increase the exposure that a young artist receives. Through social media, private collector viewings and even mentoring programmes, galleries provide a platform for young and emerging artists to showcase their work to a far-reaching audience.
Gallery Clientele
As a young or emerging artist, the thought of finding collectors can be daunting. It can take years to build a network of collectors that value your work. But finding collectors doesn’t have to be the sole responsibility of the artist That’s where galleries come in. Established galleries have access to a broad and loyal clientele. This is an advantage for both the young artist and the galleries. Gallery directors and curators have just the right contacts to match young and emerging artists with the collectors that will love their work.
Many collectors have a deep trust and friendship with their favourite galleries developed over many years. This trust allows gallerists to introduce these collectors to exciting new works from young artists that may otherwise have been overlooked. Galleries are key to putting young artists in front of collectors. Whether they’re aspiring art investors searching for the newest breakout artist, an established collector looking for something different, or a couple looking to decorate their new home, the gallery is the place for serious buyers to seek advice on emerging artists and quality, original art.
