The Art Industry

What is the art industry? First mentioned in It is a collection of professionals involved in the making, selling and displaying of art works.

Exhibitions May be a temporary or permanent presentation of an object for public viewing. It includes 2/3 D work of any medium including visual and oral. Many pieces are only resolved when installed and many exist only in drawings before installation.

Exhibitions Many factors affect an exhibition: Aim – of the curator, directors or senior management Theme Audience public student culture, background age Artists – suitable or available to be involved? Venue Finance/ Staffing Time – some take 5 years to organise

Exhibitions Reasons: Retrospective – looking at past works Survey – documentary – samples of a range of works of one or more artists Commemoration Thematic – specific ideas / themes Speculative – concerned with ideas, viewer sets the issues. Financial – to sell work, raise money – auctions Promotional

Public Galleries Owned by the public Professionally managed and permanently staffed – The NGV is world standard, staff are highly qualified Run by a board of trustees or management – legally constituted Usually federally funded Not for profit – eg Top Arts works cannot be sold – artist must do it On going exhibitions Promote special exhibitions – videos, tapes, merchandising as well as written articles NGV ACCA

The Role of a Public Gallery –Provide public access to art works –Acquire art works from a range of mediums, styles and production eras. Many galleries deal with specific mediums /art –Formulate policies in the development of collections of art works to ensure that money is spent responsibly and that collections are valuable in terms of their artistic importance –Educate the public and special interest groups – programs for school – often have an education officer –Conserve works that are historically or artistically important – NGV collection goes back 40,000 years

Commercial Galleries Privately owned Business venture Stable of artists – regular artists with work in storage – exhibit every 1 or 2 years Gallerist (director) always promoting the stable artists – negotiate with other galleries to show artists works Have less information than Public galleries Take a % of the sales to off set costs of framing, invites, ads etc. as well as profit Artists have to meet the costs – openings, mail outs

The Role of a Commercial Gallery To show the work of artists To develop a clientele of people interested in purchasing art To provide a suitable exhibition space To sell as many works as possible

Artist Run Spaces Run by artists for artists. Writers, co- ordinators etc are all artists. Their role is to promote (and often sell) artist’s works. Web galleries often provide for communication between viewer and artist.

Professional Roles Curator Graphic designer Exhibition designer

Curator A curator is a keeper or custodian of objects. The Role of a curator in a public gallery includes: Selection Recommendations Contact Research Liason with publicity and finance

Exhibition Designer The exhibition designer’s role is to estimate the number of potential viewers and to display the artworks in the most effective groupings, under appropriate lighting conditions and against appropriately coloured backgrounds. This keeps viewers moving through the exhibition space and prevents bottlenecks. – works out a floor plan. It is done in consultation with the artists themselves wherever possible.

Exhibition designer The Exhibition Designer has a work brief and a set budget. There are a number of tasks and considerations: Consider the style of the artworks to be exhibited Consider the type of exhibition Construct mock ups in 3D models of the rooms and internal structure of the exhibition Consider sight lines and relationships between rooms Consider the 'flow' of people through the exhibition Decide on use and position of display cases Research and decide upon materials to be used in the exhibition - surfaces, backdrops, paint colour for the walls

Exhibition Designer Decide on placement of works - number of works per room (many works increases temperature and humidity during opening hours) Determine correct lighting level and placement of lights Once the placement of works has been resolved the exhibition designer will draw up a flor plan or 3D scale model. The model will include: Location of plinths, glass cases, special hanging fixtures and Audio visual equipment. Height and length of walls and location of doors Spaces between works Lighting design Seating areas Determine signage and information panels

Researcher The catalogue that accompanies major exhibitions is compiled after careful scrutiny of the artwork’s provenances. Provenances are time lines showing the various owners of an artwork since it was created. Catalogues also record details of the artist’s lives and previous exhibitions.

Director In a major public gallery this is a controlling position with the authority to make final decisions (usually with input from a Board of Governors and senior members of the professional staff). The Director decides the future direction of the Gallery – the area on which it will concentrate and the ultimate responsibility for arranging major art events.

Conservator The conservator in a gallery is responsible for the maintenance of artworks; cleaning or replacement of picture frames etc.

Graphic Designer Designs invitations, flyers, posters, promotional flags. Decides on fonts, colours and strong design elements to reach the audience.

Security Guards and cameras watch continually Maintenance is carried out daily Health and safety concerns are dealt with Preservation concerns are dealt with

Promotion and Marketing Promotion and marketing helps a gallery establish and maintain a public profile and audience. The primary aim of the marketing manager when promoting an exhibition is to define the audience. The audience then shapes where, when and how the exhibition is promotion.

Marketing Refers to paid advertising: Paid advertising in daily newspapers, art journals, street press and the electronic media

Promotion Promotion refers to unpaid advertising: An opening event with an address by the Director, an artist or invited guest speaker Exhibition invitations, fliers and brochures used to promote exhibitions and events Press releases and special media previews Free listings in newspapers, reviews and critiques in daily newspapers and specialist art journals