Lately I’ve begun to wonder if one aspect of my “getting my work out there” is worth the money.  That is, are open call shows at local coop galleries worth it?  The entry fee is usually very reasonable; $30 or less.  However, the coop galleries pack as much art as is humanly possible into these shows.    Given Denver’s vibrant emerging artist scene, the number of entries into each of these shows must be huge for the volume of work that is actually hung is usually huge. 

Often I have difficulty finding my own work at the open call shows because the visual effect of lots and lots of disparate work is so overwhelming.  The sheer volume of work detracts from my art and makes it difficult for my art to be seen or noticed.    How effective can these shows possibly be for me if I can’t find my own work there?

  The benefit of these shows has always seemed obvious to me:

• Exposure to a potential new clients comprised of both the gallery’s list and other attending artist’s lists;
• Getting “known” in Denver;
• Placing my art in a new venue without a long term commitment;
• Bragging rights for my email list – “I was juried into the XYZ Gallery’s ABC Show!”
• Resume building.

            All of these points seemed reasonably valid until recently when I began to notice that few of these open call shows allowed the open call work to remain up through a First Friday.  First Friday is when all of Denver’s various art districts hold their monthly art walks.  While some of the public simply comes on First Friday to drink, eat from the Cupcake Truck and party down, clearly many of the viewers are there to buy art.  Indeed, one of my friends routinely sells at First Friday or immediately thereafter.  Given this fact, I think it is important to have my work shown on First Friday, as well as the rest of the month.

            So, the downside to coop gallery open call shows is:

• My work is not shown on First Friday;
• The $30ish entry fee could be better spent;
• The time involved in submitting to the show as well as delivering and picking up the piece/s that were juried in could be used more effectively;
• The overwhelming amount of art usually presented by the coop gallerys makes it impossible to “see” my work;
• I am unable to hang out at the gallery whenever it is open, talk to potential clients and truly sell my work;

So, what do you think?  Are open call coop gallery shows worth the effort?