You’re having an exhibition of your art. Congratulations!
The promotional postcards are designed and ready to be sent. Check! You’ve planned a couple of emails to your list. Check!
Now … what can you share with your friends, fans, and followers that is more interesting than “Come see my show!” but relates the message that they’re really going to miss out if they’re not there?
How do you tweet, post, shoot, and pin your exhibition without boring your followers and yourself?
In my experience, you’ll have juicier updates across platforms if you take time to create a list of possibilities ahead of time. You’ll also be less stressed about what to post each day.
Timesaving, Sanity-saving, Fun-saving tip: plan your social media in advance.
Here are just 22 examples of what you could be sharing across platforms.
Your Art & Space
1. Instagram close-ups of the material and messes around your studio.
2. Create a Pinterest board of the travel, books, music and other inspirations surrounding the work you’ll be showing.
3. Facebook or blog details of the art that will be on view – with a teaser that they’ll have to visit the exhibition to see the whole piece.
4. Create a 1-minute time-lapsed YouTube video of the installation process.
5. Facebook images, video, and links that are related to your subject matter – tagging people, businesses and organizations as appropriate.
6. Pull together a SlideShare video with all of the art in the show.
Your Business
7. Blog or Facebook your task list for the last two weeks leading up to the opening.
8. Tweet examples of contracts or form letters you found helpful during the process.
9. Recommend people who have helped you in the process on LinkedIn or Yelp.
The Installation
10. Make a video explaining the philosophy behind the installation plan or model.
11. Instagram the process of packing, crating, and shipping.
12. Facebook signs and marketing material at the exhibition (especially those with your name on them).
13. Tweet about other artists in the show or art on view at a nearby venue.
The Venue
14. Create a Pinterest board just for your visitors that shares information about restaurants, bars and coffee shops in the neighborhood. I do this for people who come to my events in Golden – personalized with my experiences of the locations and businesses.
15. Facebook parking instructions with detailed photos.
16. Tweet that you’ve placed a 2” piece of art in one of the parking slots and tell people to look for it when they arrive. (But only if you’ve actually placed a 2” piece of art in one of the parking slots.)
Your People
17. Tweet photos of people looking at your art at the opening. Better yet, assign someone else to do this from your account.
18. Video fans and collectors raving about the exhibition.
19. Leave notes of enthusiastic anticipation about your upcoming show on the Facebook pages of the venue.
20. Instagram photos of the staff at the venue, gallerists, curators, preparators, and security guards.
21. Tweet notes of gratitude to the venue and its staff.
22. Facebook your appreciation to volunteers who helped you along the way (your kids, spouse, best friend)
Ta da! Now go make your own list before you find yourself scrambling for content.
Have you done any of these or know of anyone who has? Please leave a link in a comment so others can see examples.
22 thoughts on “22 Social Media Updates About Your Show That Won’t Bore Your Followers”
curator and pilot side-by-side…
flying gives me a fresh perspective and some awesome inspiration for colors and expansive perception…I once flew in an oncoming snowstorm with layers of soft grays and glacial blues that were otherworldly…that experience is still making its way into my paintings.
Curator first because when I get back on earth and create paintings…I need help putting together a show and connecting with where to share my art!
Light ahead for all the beauty and wonder we bring into expression in this world…
Fun to share those stories, Stede.
THANK YOU! Such a helpful list. I’m going to work off this and in the process add my own ideas. The Please Come to My Show I’d Love to See You is not generating any interest to speak of. THANK YOU!
So happy it helps, Peggy.
what is a 2″ piece of art?
A tiny piece of art. Not being flip. Just saying that it’s not your biggest and best.
I’ve got a large gallery show coming up soon and it’s time to start promoting! I’ve already posted many of the paintings on my blog as I completed them. Thanks for the reminder about posting just a detail of the painting as a tease. I’ve done this in the past and will do this again rather than reposting the whole painting.
I think I’ll also put a slide show video of the paintings on YouTube.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Oh! I forgot to link to Margret Short’s details that she has posted on her blog. Just did that, so thanks for the reminder, K.
Fantastic list Alyson! I’m printing it out to have something to check off as my show in June approaches. My venue is a convention center and it often has local businesses giving away samples of their food or beverages. It is done in a very classy way. Last Friday night they had a local distillery giving samples of its vodka. Local folks may be enticed to come to a party if they know there will be interesting nibbles and beverages.
Don’t forget to use hashtags, Elizabeth. Especially ones used locally.
I’m part of a group show this month, “Black Lives Matter: Humanity Not Negotiable,” that was inspired by the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. The opening reception is this weekend. I wrote a blog post about the exhibit on Friday, which also appears on my Facebook business page.
http://www.lisamb.com/blog/black-lives-matter-in-seattle432015
By a horrible coincidence, the following day (Saturday) a police officer in North Carolina shot Walter Scott several times in the back, as Mr. Scott was running away from the police officer. I hesitated about talking about my work and the shooting in the same post. But yesterday I decided since the exhibit was about this very kind of violence, I would post on my personal Facebook profile, linking to my blog post about the exhibit. Very simple FB post, just asking people to come discuss this issue at the opening reception.
I also commented on the FB event page for the exhibit. When I got RSVPs to the event, I thanked people for planning to attend (or possibly attending).
The positive responses on my business Page were immediate (no negative ones so far). So far, FB says 533 people have been reached by the FB reposting of the blog post — WAY more than I usually get (between 50 and 120 people reached). This burst came because two friends shared my post on FB, another (an artist) commented on the show’s FB event page, and because I tagged people by name on the FB event page.
My FB page reach is back to the usual numbers now, but what a boost in spite of the difficult topic.
Lisa: Perfect. You’re not taking advantage of the tragedy that happened in N. Charleston, SC. You are empathizing. You’re expanding the conversation. I think it’s so valuable that your art doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but as part of contemporary society.
Thank you for this list… I love social media and I wasn’t sure if if I was doing it right but after reading this I feel like I can go even further… Really creating a behind the scenes interactive personal type of vibe. I appreciate your blog and follow you
Thanks, Robin! Glad it’s helpful.
Thanks for this list Alyson. I have a solo show coming up in October and am looking for as much advance preparation and advice as possible!
I never realized there was so much involved in putting on an art show. Artists of all kinds now have to be their own promoters. It’s not just about the craft anymore. Great list!
What a great list. Thank you for putting everything in one place so my mind can follow the bouncing ball and get it done. Your generous nature in sharing your wisdom is always greatly appreciated and it comes at just the right time.
Hello Alyson,
I just came across your helpful blog today and I have to admit that I can’t stop reading it! One thing just leads to an other. I am an artist and gallery owner. Finding the time to do it all is challenging and I am grateful for your suggestions on how to manage time and creativity. I wish you were on the east coast. Thank you.
What wonderful ideas! I read it when you published it, and now have come back to it and printed it out to refer to. My next shows are coming up in July and October, and this time I’m going to set up a calendar and schedule my posts, so I can do as many of them ahead of time as possible.
I really appreciate all you do for artists, Alyson! Thank you!
Thanks, Karen! I am so happy to know this helps.
I’ve been reading your post for years, rereading your book for help when I am blocked, and I have been hoping and working towards that one day when I will have my own show, and it’s finally happening! This list is amazing and I am so grateful for all the guidance. The idea to start a pinterest board for visitors is truly inspired and I am excited to give it a try. I think it will bring a new level to the interactions between all the folks involved. Thank you.
Donna: Thanks for letting me know that this is helpful – and that my book has been helpful. This means a lot to me.