Exhibiting in non-traditional places

[juan]

What do folks do about agreements when exhibiting in non-traditional places such as coffee shops, yoga studios, etc? What do you get in writing - an inventory, the split on sales, anything to do with liability if a photo falls on someone, who bears the cost if a photo is "lost"? I'm sure that a long, detailed contract would be best legally, but I can also see how many small business owners would rather not exhibit than get into potential legal hassels.
Thanks,
juan

 

[gareth harper]

I did an exhibit in a cafe/bar/resturant in Glasgow last year.
I did ask if they were covered for loss or damage to my prints. No was the reply, but they assured me that they had never had any lost or damaged.
I left a contact if anybody wished to enquire about the prints. I didn't sell any, street and photo-journo (what I generally do) goes down well but is very hard to sell.
I never discussed or thought about any of the other points you mention.
I get the chance to display, they have an ever changing gallery. The two weeks slots there are usually booked up for about 6mnths in advance.

I'll maybe do it again this year, doing a bit of work on my presentation first, so it's better this year.

 

[richard littlewood]

I put up framed stuff in a nearby 'gastro pub'. I've been putting up new stuff, swapping things about for about 6 years now. Some of the prints are big - 40" and some are small - 5x4 contacts, and some I put in the gents toilets! (these are 'nude' pics) On the whole I sell stuff steadily, the nudes go slowly, but mainly what sells there are landscape based pics small to medium sized (contacts to 20x24). The 40" prints create interest but on the whole are difficult to sell. The bar owners take 20% (OK by me), they pay dead quick, but I have had 2 cases of broken glass, and a few scuffed frames - this sort of goes with showing work in a non gallery location where the alcohol flows quite freely.
I would say show your work if the location feels right, and dont be outraged if others show it less respect than it deserves. It's a good way of spreading the word, and becoming known.
A contract may work, but only if you need one - screw your stuff to the walls!

 

[Graeme Hird]

It may be a good way to have your stuff seen, but don't expect your work to sell - those places aren't set up to sell your work, and the people entering those places aren't there looking to buy artwork.

Good luck.

 

[Ole]

I'm thinking about a small exhibition in the local hairdresser's - it's the only shop in the village.

She gets decorations, I get to display some prints.

 

[blansky]

As a portrait photographer and mostly of children, I have 16x20 and 20x24 framed portraits of kids in dentists offices, hairdressing shops, laser skin surgery places, so far.

Since I'm not selling the prints themselves but just advertising, with a business holder near the prints I get a lot of calls from those.

Michael

 

[Bob Carnie]

I agree with Blansky and Ole, it is a good trade off for both parties, trying to sell them on top of that is a bonus. I would think a small commision is in order to the shop showing and selling your work. The more your photographs are seen the better .

 

[removed account4]

its a lot of fun showing photos in cafés, resto-pubs and ice cream shops. the ones around boston + providence don't charge a large than 15% commission, and some will even let you have an opening reception - - it is a good way for random people to see your stuff ...

but on a different note, dont forget that if your photographs are in a pub/restaurant/coffeeshop the matboard + print will absorb some of the smoke, smells of the place they are hanging. i stopped showing work in pubs when my matboard began to turn yellow like the teeth of a smoker.

 

[gareth harper]

Any tips on hanging them?
I've got an oppertunity to display my work in the Camcorder Guerilla office in Glasgow, http://www.camcorderguerillas.net/
Basically it can be a holding point for my work between displays etc.
The office is quite busy at times plus will be acting as a media centre during this summers G8 meet.
One wall appears to be brick, and the others partitions.
Will standard picture hooks do, knocking then into the plaster/brick or the battons on the partitions. I don't want any of them falling off the walls, more from the point view of anybody getting hurt or some of the expensive gear in the office being damaged.
How do you guys hang em office/bar/resturant enviroments?

 

[richard littlewood]

With plaster and plasterboard walls I found a good way is to use mirror plates screwed to the frames - 2 plates, 1 down each side (B+Q sell them, I get them from a framers suppliers). 2 down each side if the frame is heavy/big. Then I use standard cross head wood screws about 1" long, and I know it's not the correct way, but these screws go easy into the plaster and hold the frame up OK. With brick I use the hard masonary nails hit in at an angle - this is easy and again not the 'correct' way, but it works. In the end though it all depends how flexible the folks are where the pics are being put up. they may insist you drill holes and use plastic plugs with screws (best way) Picture hooks need nails also but are prone to being knocked, giving your work a 'wonkey' look, but the mirror plates dont tilt at all, keeping the frame flush with the wall, and can be given a dab of paint to match the wall. How many ways are there to put up frames!. In my experience something has to be bashed/drilled into nice clean walls!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've exhibited a bunch in non-traditional spaces (restaurants, bookstores, cafes). I have had no problems with exhibiting there, and I have actually made some sales. Most of the time the deal has been very basic - your work goes up, they reap the benefits of your beautification of their space, and they direct anyone who wants to buy something to you, so there is no tax and no commission involved. If something were to happen (artwork falls on a patron, for example) that would be covered by the restaurant's liability insurance, although you'd probably be out the price of your piece of artwork. If you have a good working relationship with the restaurant/store owner, I would think they would try to work with you if your work was stolen, as far as filing an insurance claim with their insurance, but in all likelihood, unless your artwork is selling for multi-thousands per piece, at which point you're not selling in cafes anymore, you are probably going to fall below their deductible. It is just a risk you have to take. So far, (fingers crossed) I've been lucky - the only work I ever had lost/damaged was in a group show at a large gallery (a photo fell off the wall, the last day of the show, and the glass broke and the frame bent).

All in all, I'd say it is a positive, beneficial arrangement to show in restaurants/cafes. If you can afford the framing for the show, I say go for it.

 

[blansky]

As for loss, theft etc, one should try to protect themselves to a certain extent but still if you are out there, and something is stolen, you often just have to chalk it up to the cost of doing business.

Michael