One result of my visit to Worcester over the week-end has been confirmation of my growing realisation of the importance of a sustained effort in promoting my art. The acceptance of my exhibition by the Cathedral was the result of one of six approaches I made to different possible exhibition venues. (Another has deferred action, but there is still hope.) Promotion can be hard work, and a lot of one’s efforts can go without immediately obvious reward. Without effort, however, nobody will ever see my art.
I began to take this idea seriously in Worcester. In addition to my conversations in the Cathedral with the people responsible for managing my exhibition, I also visited the local civic art gallery and the information office, checking that they would be willing to display promotional material for my event. They are happy to do so: but it was necessary for me to make the effort to visit them.
A similar lesson I am learning in relation to a small local exhibition I’m planning for early December, here in Bradford. Rather than hoping that word will get around, and people will just happen to see my work when they go into the building for other purposes, I have actually bought space in the programme for the wider community event taking place that week-end.
While in Worcester, completely by chance, I encountered in a cafe there information about the services of somebody who specialises in the promotion of artistic work. As yet I haven’t made contact, and I’m not entirely convinced (in the absence of a preliminary conversation) that there will be mileage in working with him. Nevertheless, it does draw my attention once again to the importance of my putting in the effort to place my work. As an artist, of course, I would be far happier just painting, and leaving all that stuff to somebody else. It isn’t going to happen, however, so I’d better just get on with it.