6 tips for emerging artists to showcase their work

It’s a new week, and once again, we are bringing you some useful tips and ideas to elevate your art career. This time, we want to talk about emerging artists and how they can grab opportunities that can give them much-deserved exposure.

For emerging artists, it can be challenging from the moment they step into the art world. You are struggling to expand your audience, all the while trying to navigate your own creative abilities and how they fit in the world. It can take time, effort, and a lot of patience for emerging artists to get that breakthrough they dream of, but they have to keep on trying.

Here at Arts to Hearts Project, we reach out to our community members on our Instagram account (@artstoheartsproject) and ask them about their journey as an artist. This time round, we asked the emerging artists how they showcase their work and seek out opportunities. We got some pretty insightful responses and we are sure that they will definitely help you out.

So, if you are an emerging artist, here are some tips for you on how you can make sure that more people get to see your awesome work!

Be open towards opportunities

As an emerging artist, or even an established one for that matter, it’s very important to set realistic goals. Like @venessakparker says, it’s good to make a list of all the places you want to submit your art to, so that you have a clear idea of what you want to do. Once you know where you want to go, it becomes easier to carve out that path.

Keep an eye on opportunities that can help you grow. As artists, it’s natural to have big dreams and ambitions, but it’s also important to not lose sight of how you can actually get there. Baby steps are as important and needed in the beginning, so any opportunity that can take you one step further, no matter how big or small, you take it. Part of doing it is to actively look out for publications, contests, exhibitions, etc. because, in the real world, you have to manage your expectations and accept the fact that in order to stand out, you must take the first step.

Reach out to businesses

As we mentioned earlier, you must seek out opportunities yourself, rather than waiting for something to end up on your doorstep. One way is to seek out designers and boutiques that have extra space where they can put up artwork. Such places always have customers clamoring in, and they will definitely look at your artwork as they shop around. Send out emails to any person or business that you think might be able to help you out. This is quite an efficient way to showcase your work as it’s also cost-effective.

Group exhibitions and festivals

Another great way to showcase your work as an emerging artist is to look for group exhibitions and events that are in sync with your art and values. There, you have the ability to connect with other artists and expand your community (something equally important for exposure). Pop-ups and music venues can be great for artists, as usually, the audience consists of people who also have an eye for such details and works.

Art residencies

Art residencies are meant for artists to work together and develop new ideas, as this offers them an exciting opportunity to grow and learn. It’s also a great way to find a fresh new perspective and direction as you get to work with other fellow artists. For emerging artists, we definitely recommend looking for such residencies as they offer the potential to grow.

The duration of these residencies can be weeks, months, or even years, and it depends on you what type of residency suits you best. For some residencies, you have to pay to attend, while others offer stipends and scholarships. If you are tight on budget, you can look for residencies that are free to attend.

No-fee opportunities for emerging artists

If you have not heard of no-fee opportunities, now is the time to start researching. Getting your work out there in the world is not only hard but also expensive. It can be expensive to avail every call for art and opportunity out there, and for emerging artists, that is not a very realistic option. Instead, you can search for open calls, grants, etc. where you won’t have to spend anything. It is a good way to put your foot in the door, so you can keep on learning and growing.

Create a budget if you can

It doesn’t hurt to create a budget for exhibitions and applications as they always lead towards one thing or another. No-fee opportunities are great for artists who cannot afford much at the moment, and we also encourage you to keep looking out for them. In the meantime, such opportunities can be limited and hard to find, therefore creating a budget will allow you some room to participate in art calls every now and then. It also allows you some flexibility where you can look for art calls or exhibitions that go with your theme/art.

If you are an emerging artist, know that you are not alone and that all that hard work and the sleepless nights will be worth it. The art world is huge, and the competition can be overwhelming at times. But remember, it is part of the process and you will triumph over these challenges as long as you keep a positive mindset. We hope that these tips will be a guiding light for you in planning your next course of action.

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You can always read more articles where our ATH community comes together to engage with each other!