Here you can find more information about R-AA Gallery Artwork Association.

What is the purpose of the Artwork Association?

The aim of the Artwork Association is to facilitate conversation between artists and curators.

The goal of this interaction is to diversify portfolios and generate experience with the practical side of applications.

As you are likely aware, in the art world, a great number of opportunities are self-made. There’s also an element of luck involved and, for each application to a magazine or Open Call, there will be similar opportunities that you lack the time to consider.

The concept of the Artwork Association is to directly connect would-be curators with artists who want to make the next step in their careers. The purpose of this is to increase the number of opportunities artists have to apply to Open Calls, by giving those looking for more experience in the art industry the chance to hone their skills with the paperwork.

Is there a direct benefit to participating?

There is a high and low end of what can be expected as an outcome.

To begin, the minimum expectations:

This kind of collaboration requires self-motivation and good-faith action.

The benefit to the artist and the curator is different and there are clear rules of engagement for networking through the R-AA Gallery.

For the artist, the immediate result is an increase of their artwork presence.

Applying to more Open Calls increases the likelihood of selection.

The artist also receives feedback from a greater pool of people. Witnessing their art framed with a fresh perspective can be beneficial for understanding the range of their style and the scope of its utility.

The principle is to maximize the amount of conversation about their art. This is an end in itself. This also translates to the number of industry professionals engaging with their art as a result of applying to more Open Calls.

The artist is also encouraged by a community to continue creating art and supported in putting it out into the world.

For the curator, having wider circles of collaboration increases their creative flexibility.

For instance, the curator is aware of an Open Call that they appreciate the brief for, but they don’t know an artist personally whose work aligns with the requirements. The ability to engage with a variety of artists directly increases the chance they will encounter art that’s suitable for the Open Call.

This is an occasion to hone their curatorial skills with a specific goal in mind. There is also increased visibility and the prospect of receiving feedback from an artist about their creative ideas.

The maximum benefit outcome for both artist and curator would be that an Open Call submission is successful.

What this success yields will depend on the context of each contest submission.

Simply, the artwork is selected for display in an exhibition or is awarded a prize. This increases the visibility of the artwork within industry circles.

The artist and curator benefit from the publicity. It boosts their presence within the industry and improves the likelihood of future opportunities by appearing in a greater variety of publications and art-related spaces.

Sometimes there is financial compensation for the artist, however this entirely depends on the nature of the Open Call.

Collaborations are recorded through the Artwork Associations’ public record.

Pay Attention!!

There are plenty of ‘free to apply’ Open Calls out there and this is the model R-AA Gallery recommends.

That way, the only direct contribution you make is your time and energy.

Be wary of Open Calls that require fees to participate. 

Be aware of your chances of selection before committing to the fees. These can add up quickly and there are plenty of Open Calls that just require the effort of completing a considered application.