Networking

One of the best ways of making connections is networking.  This means being visible, going to events and openings, participating on panels, going to lectures and accepting visiting artist lecture gigs.  If you stay home in your studio, you are not going to meet the person who will open doors for your next show, or give you a good idea, or tell you about a public art project  opportunity.

One of the best ways to get to know the art world, is to volunteer at your local artist-run arts  organization, become a docent at a museum, or participate in studio open houses.  Creating a community is vital to your work, your self esteem, and your opportunities.

Some ideas for creating community:

• Start a group of like-minded artists who meet once a month to exchange ideas, critique work, or create a reading group.  This is particularly good for those who have recently graduated and are missing their peer group and the dialog they were used to in school.
  
• Go to openings and events, especially those that pertain to the work you are making.
  
• Volunteering at a nonprofit introduces you to curators, directors, patrons, and gives you an inside look at how an organization works.  This can be very useful when you are working with other institutions for exhibiting your work, or for other events.
  
• Do a dinner party once a month and invite those people whom you have met at other events, as well as your peers.
  
• Subscribe to art magazines and online publications in order to get the information you need for upcoming shows and other art opportunities.

DO NOT:

• Carry your slides around and show them to curators at events or parties.  Curators hate to be hounded by artists.
  
  
• If someone you met is not interested in your work, do not hound them by calling, sending  information, or stalking them in any way.  Respect their privacy and opinions.

See Chapter 2, “Making Connections”, in The Practical Handbook for the Emerging Artist, by  Margaret Lazzari, Harcourt College Publishers.