A small gallery offered me a solo show. Then they told me the budget for materials.
A small gallery I've been talking to finally offered me a solo show for next spring. I was buzzing about it for like a day. Then they said the budget for materials is $200.
I don't think they're trying to screw me. They're tiny. But $200 barely covers the paper and panel for one large piece, let alone the paint, the medium, the charcoal, the adhesive, the found materials I buy from estate sales. I'd be eating the rest myself and I already have a day job I hate.
I said yes because the opportunity is real and I've been wanting this. But I'm already doing the math in my head and it's not great. I have about 8 months. I'm trying to figure out if I can pull this off without it costing me more than whatever I might sell.
Anyone else done a show where the "support" was basically symbolic? How did you handle the gap without looking ungrateful?
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oof, that's tough. i can see why you said yes, of course you said yes, it's a solo show. but $200 for materials for an entire show is... yeah. that's not a budget, that's a goodwill gesture.
i think the people saying take the show and be honest with them are probably right. they might genuinely not realise what materials cost if they've never done the work themselves. maybe you could come back to them with a realistic breakdown? not confrontational, just "here's what i'll need to actually make the work." if they're decent people they'll at least meet you partway.
either way i hope the show goes well. you deserve the opportunity, just not at your own expense.
Exactly. $200 is symbolic. It says "we believe in you" but not "we believe in you enough to fund the work." And I think that distinction matters because it's not really about the money, it's about whether the gallery sees production costs as part of their job or the artist's problem to solve alone.
The breakdown idea is good though. Most gallerists who haven't made work genuinely don't know what paper costs now, or what a tube of decent oil paint runs. It's not malicious, it's just a gap in their frame of reference. The ones who respond well to the reality check are the ones worth working with long-term.
that's the part that gets me, the gap. like they genuinely don't know what this stuff costs because they've never had to buy it. and i get that, it's not their world. but it's also not my job to eat the cost of making their business model work.
i think i'm going to write it out itemized and just send it. worst case it's awkward for five minutes.
yeah, that's exactly what i'm gonna do. i've been drafting the breakdown in my head all week. it's awkward because i don't want to sound like i'm complaining before i've even started, but i also can't magic $800 worth of supplies out of thin air.
we'll see what they say. if they're decent about it, great. if not... well, still a solo show on my cv either way.