Things to think about 1-2 months before:
Budget
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Record expenses + donations
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Non-profit/School clubs can request money from companies that donate to community. For example, corporate.publix.com/community/requests.
Time frame
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Event items/signs take time to be delivered
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Companies/news outlets are more likely to respond and help when given 1-2 months advance notice
Volunteer workers (See sample volunteer form linked).
Learn and propose
Educate yourself and your team on what an Interactive Art Exhibit is.
Then, propose your event to the supporters you need.
What is an interactive art gallery?
This presentation is a perfect visual explanation for anyone unfamiliar.
Communicate your event to others with a proposal.
There's a lot of details that go into galleries. Editing this proposal outline will make the process simpler. Email your completed proposal to whomever you plan to work with in order to keep everyone on the same page.
Event Basics:
Where?
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Venue (Art gallery, museum, park, artist studio, art collective/community, etc.)
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School (Gym, gallery, theatre, cafeteria, library, etc.)
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Community (Church, club, etc.)
Depending on who you are, many organizations or venues may be willing to give you event space for free- especially if your event is for educational, charitable purposes. Consider somewhere that is easy to get to, has nearby parking, and will be able to meet WIFI/power supply needs for exhibits.
How much?
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Value your tickets at what your audience can afford.
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Choose whether you will keep sales as profit or donation.
If you're a student, and your visitors will mostly be students, consider what you would pay for a school musical or football game ($8-$15).
On the other hand, if you're a professional artist, and your exhibit is a thorough experience, consider the prices of established interactive exhibits ($30-$50).
When?
Dates
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Over a weekend(s)
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During a holiday weekend
Avoid overlapping showing days with other significant events, like winter holidays or community/school events. You're likely to get more visitors, artists, helpers, AND more options for your event location.
Times
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Afternoon to evening, around 2 PM to 8 PM (Exhibit open for 6 hours)
Many interactive art exhibits are paced by visitors, so the exhibit's times are flexible. Consider how many volunteers you would need for each day of the event. Volunteer shifts should be about 3 hours max. If it is any longer, you should be able to provide snacks, water, or even meals.
Once you've confirmed dates and times with a venue, next, you'll need to put something in the venue.
Find art/artists to exhibit
Maybe it's just you exhibiting, your friends, or a big community effort.
More artists may create more exhibit visitors.
Get more artists with a submission form. (If you want).
This is a guide for creating a comprehensive form. You'll need to market this form, using social media, posters, and word-of-mouth. Here's a sample form linked.
Make your big ideas a reality. Easy!
Making an exhibit is daunting, but this participant guide link can help. If you have any crafty people or engineers on your team, ask them for help too.
Many artists have wonderful ideas for interactive art, but have no idea where to start, or are afraid that the project will be expensive.
Start by thinking big, and then working your way down to what's possible for you.
How to help participants:
Make sure they understand their:
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Space to work with (Can things be attached to walls, ceilings, etc.)
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WiFi access (If no WiFi, download songs/sound so no complications during show)
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Power outlet access (Do they need battery powered items, extension cords, etc.)
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Deadlines for exhibit completion
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Exhibit set-up days (When will they be able to setup in the venue)
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Exhibit expectations (Do they need to be at the showing dates)
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Ability to sell art/items at event
Send all of this information to your participants, and invite them to ask any more questions. The more prepared they are, the better the event will be.
Accountability
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Do an initial call AND email with participant to establish contact/expectations
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Have an entry fee (This may exclude people from participating)
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Have a contract for each participant
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Request concept sketches and progress photos
It's one thing for someone to say they are interested in doing something, and another thing to put in weeks of thought and effort to a project. Make sure they are committed and won't leave you hanging, as they are the ones who make or break your event.
Now that you have your art, work on your event space.
Design your "visitor experience."
Every show needs a director. Prepare and design your event space, with your ideal exhibit in mind.
Step into the shoes of your guests.
When you go to an art exhibit, what things are part of the exhibit, that isn't the art? Event spaces include things we often don't think about. Examples for each are attached.
Signage
Visitor flow
Entrance
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Ticket sale/check-in tables
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Visitors see informational signage
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Do visitors get exhibit pamphlets?
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Section off entrance from exhibit area
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Trash cans, so visitors can throw away trash before entering
Exhibit
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Are visitors free to wander, or is there a set order of visiting exhibits?
Shop
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Is the shop available only at the end, or at beginning and end of the exhibit flow?
Bathrooms
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Make sure there is signage or a way for visitors to get to bathrooms at any time (if venue has them)
Exit
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Can visitors exit the way they came?
Request/draw a floor plan of your venue, and get measurements. Draw out a sketch of the pathway a visitor will take.
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Signs outside of venue (Direct visitors from parking areas to avoid confusion and issues)
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Artist information plaques (Include exhibit info, social media, + even an artist statement about their exhibit)
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Donor appreciation sign
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Do not touch/please touch/etc. signs
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Informational signs (Who you are, what the event is, etc.)
Signs can be made using free design websites like Canva, and be printed with local companies, Staples, and Vistaprint. If buying signs isn't realistic for your budget, consider printing on letter-sized card stock, or drawing your own signs on poster boards or painted cardboard. As long as the sign fits your event aesthetic, it'll work perfectly. Be sure to order signs soon, as they may take 1-2 weeks to ship for free.
Next, think specifics.
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Number of tables/table cloth
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Number of chairs
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Partitions (Pipe and drape, stanchions, construction plastic, cardboard, curtains, etc.)
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Venue decorations (Do you want to add any decorations to add to the atmosphere of the event?)
Your venue may provide these materials for free. Research event companies in your area that rent out event equipment. If your event is for a charitable cause, the company may choose to donate their equipment temporarily if you tell them 1 to 2 months in advance.
Art placement
Consider both the needs of your installation, and visitor appeal. Sometimes, you may have to sacrifice one for the other.
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Proximity to power outlets (Need extension cords/battery/generator power?)
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Power capacity
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Need for a physical wall/ceiling/light?
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What do you want to present visitors first to excite them about the rest of the exhibit?
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What do you want to present the visitors last to leave a meaningful impression?
Now that your venue has all the materials for setup, any rental items are set, and orders for any needed materials are in, start advertising your event!
Tell the world about your event.
Now that everything is set, you can invite friends, family, and fellow art enthusiasts.
Advertise your event,
your cause, and your artists.
Communicate to your audience what your event is. Many don't understand what an interactive art exhibit is. If you can, create promotional material that showcases and explains what visitors can expect at the event. Make the marketing material look cohesive and pleasing to look at, so it catches the eyes of potential visitors. Examples are linked.
Note for social media:
Be sure to tag anyone involved with the event on your posts. The more likes, shares, saves, and comments, the more the post will be promoted and seen. Even so, try not to annoy your followers. Even if you save the post yourself, it's telling the social media algorithm that your post is important.
Who are you marketing to?
In what way?
Community
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Posters/flyers
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Ask (art) teachers/business owners/collectives to advertise
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News/magazines
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Word of mouth
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Bulletin boards
Online
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Instagram/Social media posts (Tag participating artists, encourage shares and saves)
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Put ticket link in account bio
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Paid advertising
Depending on your cause, you may want to contact local newspapers and stations to help promote your event.
Ticket sales setup
If you want to sell tickets online, you can use a free platform like Eventbrite to sell digital tickets, and tickets at the venue. If visitors are simply paying at the venue- or "at the door," then be sure to advertise ticket price. Free QR codes and custom links can be created using Bitly. If ticket sales are being donated, make it clear in marketing material and post captions, and it may cause people to buy more tickets. Check your venue's capacity limit to ensure you don't oversell tickets.
*Photo release+liability forms*:
If you're working with lots of people- especially minors and people you don't know well- you should have them sign photo release forms, and even liability forms. Get permission to use photos and videos of them for marketing material. Liability forms ensure that you won't run into legal issues if someone gets hurt while setting up an exhibit under your supervision. These forms are available for free online, searchable on the internet.
With your event nearing, it's time to get everything set!
Get your event all set up.
It's time to put everything together! Make sure everything is in place before the showing dates.
Put it all together, at the venue.
Maybe your artists have been working at the venue, and you're good to go. Otherwise, make sure everything you need is in place at the venue 2-7 days prior to your showing. Have multiple setup days to ensure you're set, incase something gets forgotten or there are last minute changes to be had.
Venue technicalities to consider:
Some venues may ensure you follow fire code standards, such as ensuring there are visible exits and not blocking fire alarms/extinguishers. They may also ask you to follow additional safety/liability guidelines that you may not have considered.
Enjoy your event!
It's time for the showing! (Try to) leave the work to your volunteers. Make sure they can turn to you for any extra help.
Take lots of pictures!
Make sure to document your event! Take photos/videos, yourself, or hire/ask someone to do it for you so you can focus on other things.
Try not to stress too much :)
You and your team have done everything you could up until the event! Now, it's out of your hands, and it's time to appreciate your hard work.
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