tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post2035661865479802596..comments2023-06-13T08:29:39.914+00:00Comments on MAKING A MARK: Which art society exhibition sells the most works of art?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-80269119811893198502011-10-25T14:50:47.835+00:002011-10-25T14:50:47.835+00:00Fascinating information about what has sold well a...Fascinating information about what has sold well at the Mall Galleries! I always thought that if I painted more animals and/or boats, in watercolour, I would sell more work! Now, since I am painting sports events and games, like rugby, I wish there was a Society of Sports Art in the UK!<br /><br />As you say, a deciding factor is probably the ability of the society to market its exhibitions successfully and to keep a fan base happy. I belong to two local Art Societies who have sales figures which are quite low, at their exhibitions, but I guess that the cost to small societies of marketing their shows is quite high even if they have got a large database of email addresses. Postage cost is now extortionate, as is the cost of printing posters. Helpful comments from the media in editorials etc can be extremely good publicity too. <br /><br />To sum it up, maybe one should factor in the possible budget for marketing that societies have available, as such spending seems to have direct benefit for the art society members.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07187781190046277408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-15177820159404230792011-10-24T11:40:05.443+00:002011-10-24T11:40:05.443+00:00I absolutely agree.
The thing is I think I was ...I absolutely agree. <br /><br />The thing is I think I was fortunate to get this information. To provide a comprehensive overview of all exhibitions is a bit beyond at present! This is just a very small start.....<br /><br />The question is also to an extent rhetorical and invites comments as to what others have observed about exhibitions. <br /><br />I've certainly known for a long time that the very specialised societies which are very effective at building and communicating with their "fan base" tend to do well.<br /><br />What I can tell you with a fair degree of certainty is that the Annual Exhibitions of those societies which specialise in subject matter (eg botanical art, miniature art) sell extremely well compared to the media societies. You only have to go to all the exhibitions - as I do - and look at the red dots to know that.<br /><br />Those societies which are not FBA societies vary in their approaches. For example the Miniaturists takes advantage of the quality of the facilities at the Mall Galleries for their exhibition. Others such as the SBA organise absolutely everything at another venue.Making A Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-47130988417820197022011-10-24T11:29:33.378+00:002011-10-24T11:29:33.378+00:00I guess I've just never seen the FBA societies...I guess I've just never seen the FBA societies as "the" definition of societies. There are just so many others, so I suppose I was expecting others to be in a review. All the ones I mentioned (though I may be mistaken about Painter STainers) have annual selling exhibitions and memberships, just like the FBA.Tina Mammoserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18407199513409994699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-19352383098984927062011-10-22T23:28:50.837+00:002011-10-22T23:28:50.837+00:00I think maybe you need to differentiate between th...I think maybe you need to differentiate between the different types of exhibitions:<br />* art competitions eg Lynn Painter Stainers<br />* national art societies which have been around for a long time eg Royal Watercolour Society<br />* other national art societies which are not part of the Federation of British Artists<br /><br />They're not all the same. They don't all have the same resources or skills re marketing.<br /><br />I would not be in the least surprised to find out that few art galleries are exempt from the wider economic context. In general sales have slowed in most places<br /><br />That said I've seen some artists do very well in exhibitions. I've also seen some societies do very well - given the context. The money is still out there!Making A Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-14588058388184034042011-10-22T10:25:36.784+00:002011-10-22T10:25:36.784+00:00This is interesting. Especially as I've heard ...This is interesting. Especially as I've heard insider information (committee member of one of the societies) that all the Mall societies are doing very poorly with sales.<br /><br />I notice your article is only about Mall Galleries societies. I'd be interested to see figures on other art societies (Painter Stainers, London Group, Society of Women Artists, RWS, National Society, Graphic Fine Art, etc). The Mall set is a very small selection and probably not entirely representative.Tina Mammoserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18407199513409994699noreply@blogger.com