Exhibiting & Selling
Showing and selling work with confidence
Exhibiting and selling are where studio practice meets the public side of being an artist. They involve different skills — careful preparation, clear writing, considered pricing, calm negotiation — and most artists learn them piece by piece, on real shows and real sales.
This pillar collects the practical groundwork: how to prepare work for an exhibition, how to approach galleries, how open calls and consignment typically operate, and how to sell directly without losing professional standards.
The aim is straightforward — give the work the best chance, and give buyers and curators the confidence to engage with it.
What you’ll find in this guide
- How to prepare and present artwork for exhibitions, from framing through to labelling.
- How open calls work and how to choose which ones to submit to.
- How to approach galleries in a way that respects everyone’s time.
- What consignment really means, including pricing, splits and paperwork.
- How to sell artwork online, on your own terms, with clear information for buyers.
- How to write an artist statement that supports the work in any of these settings.
Exhibitions and open calls
A well-prepared exhibition is largely decided before the install. How to prepare artwork for an exhibition covers the practical run-up — condition, presentation, labelling, transport and the conversations to have with the venue.
For artists building a public CV, open calls for artists looks at how submissions work, what to expect from fees and selection, and how to choose opportunities that suit the current body of work.
Galleries and consignment
Working with galleries is a long game. How to get your art into a gallery sets out a measured way to approach galleries, and gallery consignment for artists explains how consignment agreements typically work — pricing, splits, periods, documentation and what to keep in your own records.
For artists offering editions alongside originals, limited edition prints covers how editions are structured, numbered and documented in ways galleries and collectors expect.
Selling directly and presenting your practice
Direct sales — through a website, a studio visit or a private viewing — call for the same care as a gallery sale. How to sell artwork online covers the practical side: pricing, descriptions, shipping, paperwork and what buyers expect to receive.
Underneath all of this sits the writing. How to write an artist statement looks at how to introduce the work in your own voice without overstating it.
Giving buyers confidence
Most sales hesitations are about trust as much as price: is the work authentic, properly documented and well looked after. Clear records, certificates and a consistent presentation answer most of those questions before they’re asked.
Vault Canvas is designed around that point of sale — artwork records, provenance and certificates kept together, so the work meets the buyer fully described.
Articles in this guide
- How to Prepare Artwork for an ExhibitionA practical, checklist-led guide for artists preparing accepted work for an exhibition — covering records, labels, prices, certificates, images, condition notes, packing, delivery and follow-up.
- Limited Edition PrintsHow limited edition prints work for artists: edition sizes, signing, numbering, certificates, records and selling prints professionally.
- How to Write an Artist StatementA practical, plain-language guide to writing an artist statement that works for exhibitions, websites, portfolios, gallery submissions and open calls — with structure, examples and common mistakes to avoid.
- How to Get Your Art Into a GalleryA practical, evergreen guide to approaching galleries professionally — covering preparation, presentation, submissions, professionalism and long-term relationships.
- Open Calls for Artists: How to Prepare a Strong Art SubmissionA practical guide for artists on preparing strong open call submissions. Covers reading briefs, choosing artwork, preparing images, writing supporting materials and avoiding common mistakes.
- How to Sell Artwork OnlineA practical, platform-agnostic guide to selling original artwork online — covering presentation, documentation, provenance, certificates, pricing, listings, buyer trust, delivery and the preparation that determines whether a listing actually sells.
- Gallery Consignment for Artists: Contracts & CommissionHow gallery consignment works, what commission to expect, what every consignment agreement must contain, and the inventory and insurance practice that keeps artist–gallery relationships clean.