An art exhibition is an excellent opportunity to showcase artworks to a large audience, connect with potential buyers and generate sales. More than 1.65 million Australians attend Native visual art exhibitions and events yearly, which is a great exposure opportunity for any artist. These community events allow artists to showcase their creativity and interact with art lovers, critics, and peers under the same roof.
Whenever you think about arranging exhibition events, you must consider a big budget for venue rents, marketing, material transportation, and many more, which can be burdensome. But thanks to sponsorship, you can help cover these costs.
The problem is that famous art shows and renowned artists get sponsorships quite easily, but as a beginner in this sector, you might struggle to find the right sponsors. However, it is not impossible to arrange sponsorship for your exhibition if you follow the right tactics.
Here, we will look at a list of tips on gathering more sponsors for your upcoming art exhibition, but before that, let’s look at the ideal sponsorships that fit your event the best.
Best-fit sponsors for an art exhibition:
Several organisations and individuals can be ideal sponsors for an art exhibition. Here are some examples:
- Art foundations and trusts: These organizations provide funding and support to artists and exhibitions and can be a great source of sponsorship.
- Art Publications: By working with art publications, exhibitions can reach a targeted audience of art enthusiasts and increase their visibility
- Museums: Being knotted to the artistic world, museums can provide their facilities as a venue for exhibitions, and in return, might receive the fame of a promoter or a percentage of a ticket sale.
- Art supply stores: By providing materials, such as paints, canvases, or frames for the artists, art supply stores can be great sponsors for art exhibitions.
Simple steps to get sponsors for your next art exhibition-
Step 1- Focusing on the Proposal Plan:
A strong sponsorship proposal for an art exhibition should clearly and effectively communicate the value of the exhibition to the sponsor. The proposal should include an introduction providing background information on the exhibit and clearly explaining its objectives and goals. Also, try to have the theme of your event, the artist’s name and artwork details to your sponsor so that they understand and relate to your event type and the target audience as well.
Step 2- Creating a Sponsorship Package
A sponsorship package for an art exhibition is a comprehensive proposal outlining the benefits of supporting the event and the various sponsorship levels available. It then outlines the objectives and advantages of sponsoring the exhibit, such as increased visibility, exposure to new audiences, and networking opportunities. The package also provides detailed information about the different sponsorship levels, including-
- Recognition in marketing materials
- VIP invitations
- Exhibition catalogues
Some of the financiers might not be able to offer a lot of money for your event but are beneficial in other ways. Thus, getting lower sponsorship levels is always a great idea if it is ideal for your event type, as it will give you the freedom to play with promotional materials.
Finally, the package should include a budget and timeline for the exhibition, along with a clear call to action, inviting the sponsor to support the event.
Step 3- Making a Personal Connection
Securing sponsorship for an art exhibition can be challenging, especially for a beginner in this sector. But connecting with potential sponsors can increase your chances of success. Contact potential sponsors via email or phone, or the best option is in-person meetings.
Explain the goals of the exhibition and why you believe the sponsor would benefit from supporting it. Highlight how their investment will support the arts and positively impact the community. Use stories, statistics, or examples to illustrate the impact of the exhibition and the positive outcomes it can bring.
Most importantly, listen to and confidently deal with the sponsor’s concerns and questions. Making a personal connection with a sponsor is not just about securing financial support; it’s about building a relationship and creating a mutually beneficial partnership.
Step 4- Negotiating terms
Settling terms with a sponsor can be a delicate process, but it is an essential step in securing their support for your art exhibition. The key to successful negotiations is preparation and effective communication. You need to negotiate in a way that helps you achieve a win-win deal, satisfy your sponsor, and build a good relationship to secure future deals.
When negotiating, being clear, direct, and respectful is important. Listen to the sponsor’s perspective, and be prepared to answer their questions clearly and concisely. Take time to understand the sponsor’s motivations and goals and explain how the exhibition aligns with those objectives.
As already mentioned, negotiation is a two-way process, and both parties should walk away feeling satisfied with the agreement. Be open to creative solutions and be willing to consider alternative forms of recognition or support if necessary. You can secure a sponsor and build a long-lasting partnership by approaching negotiations collaboratively and flexibly.
Step 5- Constantly follow up
Constantly contacting a sponsor is important to securing their support for your art exhibition. It demonstrates your commitment to the partnership and helps build trust with the sponsor. You can divide the follow-up routine into four phases:
- Before the exhibition: Once the deal is confirmed, remind the sponsor periodically, providing preparation updates, and other updates to make them part of your exhibition.
- Opening night: Premier nights attract the highest number of attendees. Try to include your sponsors on that night and invite their guests and customers. By providing free tickets for some attendees, you can maximise your event reach and sell more tickets to attendees in future.
- Throughout the event: Try to make your financer feel part of the event and communicate throughout the exhibition. Send them videos and pictures of the active crowd or share your increasing ticket sales. In this way, they will consider investing in your event as the right decision.
- After the celebration: Forgetting sponsors after the exhibition is the biggest mistake. Keeping in touch with them and updating them about future plans will help you create a long-lasting relationship. So, in the future, you can count these financers as your permanent ones.
In conclusion, securing sponsorship for your art exhibition is crucial in ensuring its success. But you always need to remember that sponsors are looking for mutually beneficial partnerships, so be clear about the value and recognition they will receive in return for their investment. With the right approach, securing sponsorship for your art exhibition can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. So, go forth and make your next art exhibition an achievement of collaboration and creative expression!
