How to Be a Guest at an Art Event

Some of you might think this topic is common sense, but I've seen the question come up a number of times so I think it's worth writing about!

If you've never been to an art event like a gallery reception, art fair, or studio tour... you should! Especially if you are an artist, because chatting with other artists can be so rejuvenating for a creative soul.

What I wouldn't give for a hanging track like that in my own house!

Let's first talk about what to expect, starting with appropriate clothing. At a gallery reception, guests may be dressed nicely. At a more casual event (think a county art center vs a reception at the MOMA) it's perfectly acceptable to wear a nice enough pair of jeans with a logo shirt - you do get bonus points if it's an art related shirt. On a studio tour or at an art fair, anything goes. Flip-flops with socks and shorts with a fanny pack? You do you, babe! You'll get bonus points for wearing art-related attire here, too.

At gallery receptions, guests hang out chatting with each other, and the featured artist(s) or gallery employee(s) may get up and speak to the crowd. If there's a presenter, you should listen quietly so you don't disrupt or distract. There will most likely be a time for questions at the end. Don't be afraid to raise your hand if you want to ask a question, and wait to be called on. Don't be afraid to ask questions, either, even if it's just a generic "Can you tell us more about *THAT* piece?" Many artists (and actually most people in general) hate talking in front of crowds, and creating art can be deeply personal so putting your art out there is like putting yourself out there. So people asking questions can be a lifesaver to an artist who has no idea what else to say.

An art fair is much more casual; the artists aren't necessarily presenting to a crowd, but please also feel encouraged to ask them questions. A studio tour is a great mix between an art fair and gallery event. There may be demonstrations, maybe not, but the artists on studio tours want to have conversations with their guests.

Next let's talk about food! Gallery receptions most likely have some hors d'oeuvres, maybe some wine offered. Please feel free to eat and drink, but it is not intended to be a meal so be polite about how much you take. And if you choose to drink alcohol, absolutely do NOT get drunk. Food offered at studio tours is similar - not meant to be a full meal. Artists at art fairs are probably not offering food; there's most likely a food vendor there that you can buy food from.

Regardless of the type of event you are at, you absolutely must must keep all food and drink away from the art! After you are done eating and drinking, make sure you wash and dry your hands well. Don't EVER touch a piece of art without the clear permission of the artist. And if you are flipping through wrapped prints or thumbing through books, you want to be sure your hands are clean and dry so you aren't damaging what you are touching. 

A few other "dont's" to stick to regardless of the type of event: Don't take pictures of the art without permission from the gallery/artist, this is especially the case if you are intending to print a copy of the art later. Not cool, because many artists offer reasonably priced prints of their work already, so you'd essentially be stealing from them.

Don't say "I/my kid/my dog/etc. could do that in like 5 minutes!" This is extremely rude, invalidating, and truly disheartening for artists to hear. 

Don't ask why a piece is so expensive, or complain about the cost being too high. I've already written a post that breaks down why art can be expensive. We understand that not everyone can afford to pay high prices for art, but that doesn't mean that we don't deserve to charge fair prices for our artwork.

A good rule of thumb to follow is the classic from Bambi - if you don't have anything nice to say, just don't say anything at all. Artists are people, too, and mean or insensitive comments do hurt our feelings. And on the other side, comments like "I love this!" and "This is so cool!" still make our day, even if you didn't purchase anything.

And rest assured, you aren't required to purchase anything. You can just quietly look, and that is perfectly acceptable! You also aren't required to start up a conversation, or carry it if you don't know what to say.

In my days as a Gallery Director, I used to repeat the quote "The highest compliment you can give to an artist is to buy a piece of their art!" And while that's still very true, as artists we we also really appreciate people who just plain appreciate art. There are so many ways for people to support their favorite artists without spending money: sharing and commenting on their social media posts, attending their art events, and spreading the word by telling other people about their artwork.

But, you know, if you DO want to buy a piece, then you should absolutely do that!