Curated Collaboration

What is curated collaboration? Quite simply I wish to work directly with artists and other curators from the walls out. Galleries are closing all over the UK with new art businesses only opening online (with device viewing only) or at art fairs (with three sided pitch viewing only). Will it be five years or two before private art galleries cease to exist? In February 2022, just as COVID restrictions lifted for the last time, I took on my second gallery, & The Chair, just up the street from The Table. For one year, admittedly a disastrous financial year, I ran this gallery in an identical fashion working on commission basis when selling work for artists that I had curated. One year later I have noticed two new gallery trends: the footfall has dropped off dramatically after the initial week and exhibition sales are made in the first few days either online before the exhibition opens via the e-catalogue or at the Private View.

Do clients no longer need walls upon which to view work before buying and/or are they just too busy to visit?

Do artists no longer need gallery walls upon which to display work?

There are no easy answers but this is what I have observed. I get two or three requests a week from artists keen to show work with me, which is a definite increase pre 2020, claiming their previous galleries are either closing or have never reopened. Interestingly, during lockdown there were various initiatives to help artists sell work direct most notably the admirable Artists Support Pledge. Artists, who are not known as being particularly effective salespeople, had to learn quick and they did even rebooting their outdated websites and signing up to Instagram. Direct selling for artists had never been easier, there was a marketplace full of enterprising do-it-yourself curators all sitting at home looking at their empty walls ready to buy and with no alternative had the confidence to buy online. Not surprisingly, I have heard that this direct selling model was no small factor in the demise of some of the smaller provincial galleries.

So with many of our habits changed forever how can galleries possibly continue exhibiting art? Well I would like to carry on but I have a new proposal. From 1st April 2024 I would like to support all artists, who have discovered and enjoy selling direct, by renting my second gallery to them on a weekly basis. Artists would submit a proposal, including website and IG info with images, and I would select based on my curation skills of nearly thirty years. The rent would include a technician for the first day of hanging, an invitation template and six days to sell art direct to the public without gallery commission. Should artists wish to engage my curatorial skills either by me visiting their studio, discussing their online marketing tools, hanging their work or hosting their PV, work all previously paid for out of sales commission received, then these would all be charged pro rata.

For existing curators who have given up their physical galleries and moved online or for those of you who have only just begun your curatorial journey I also invite you to submit an application to exhibit at The Chair. Undoubtedly preference will be given to artists but there is room for all in this new true spirit of art collaboration.

Artists need their work to be seen, most of my clients really do like to see what they are buying; so I will continue to be in service to the art world at The Chair by inviting over thirty artists to show with me next year and we shall see what happens next.

Val Harris

September 2023