Artwork by Erin Hammond at the PR for Artists Gallery at 1816 N Vermon Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
I was speaking to a new client the other day who wanted to wait to launch her PR campaign until her show which is, at that point, over eight months away. She’s based in Europe and this will be her first U.S. exhibition. As we discussed, there were quite a few other story ideas we could pitch to the media, from her newest art works, to her journey as an artist, to other projects that she was currently working on. As a matter of fact, as we’ll review, waiting could actually hurt her campaign.
This illustrates a dilemma that artists often find themselves in, or think they find themselves in. The overriding belief is that unless you have a show or an exhibit, you have nothing to promote. Where in fact, generally speaking, nothing could be further from the truth. Don’t get me wrong, exhibits and gallery shows are extremely important and you definitely want to market and PR them, but there is no need to wait to launch an effective PR campaign until you have a show.
Particularly if you’re a relatively new artist, or one that is not known by the media, we’ve found that it’s beneficial to start garnering press and media coverage prior to a specific show. Using that approach when you’re ready to promote an exhibit or gallery opening, you’re already on the media’s radar. This event will not mark the first time editors, journalists and producers are hearing of you and your art. If they see that you’ve had some prior coverage and if you’ve been previously pithed to them, they’ll have some sense of who you are. They’ll see that you’ve gained some traction in the art world and will be apt to take you and your exhibit more seriously.
We’re now working with the artist I mentioned at the start of this piece, to generate media coverage well before her first show in the U.S. When the show is set we will launch a specific campaign around the exhibit, but by then the media will know of her and her work.
Quite often the media will wait until an artist has created at least some buzz in the media or the art world before deciding to cover an exhibit. That said, your best bet is not to wait but to start developing compelling stories and launching a PR campaign prior to a show. We’ve worked with clients who have had effective media relation campaigns prior to any show or exhibit.
That doesn’t mean you can simply make your art, sit at home and wait. It is important that you work with you PR consultants to develop unique and compelling story ideas. But don’t wait for a gallery show or an exhibit to start.
As with most thinks in life, it’s best to start now.
Copyright © PR FOR ARTISTS / Anthony Mora 2016