Even the most successful artists have limits when it comes to reaching a wide audience through gallery shows. Galleries exist as little worlds of their own which attract a certain type of people, typically those who are educated in the arts or of a higher social class. While gallery exhibitions are important for building up a reputation and making sales, relying solely on gallery shows can be very limiting to emerging artists. Too often, artists leave their works in storage where no one can see them while they apply for another show or deal with another rejection letter.
In the past decade, emerging artists have really begun to branch out of the traditional gallery setting for displaying their art. Instead, they have sought out alternatives exhibition venues. Often, an exhibition venue is as close as the nearest place to get a cup of Joe. Yes, coffee shops are one of the best places to show your art.
Exhibiting at coffee shops has a lot of advantages that galleries do not. Foremost, a coffee shop attracts a much more diverse range of clientele than a gallery. In a single coffee shop, you can often find students, businesspeople, housewives, senior citizens, blue-collar workers, a few bums, and a range of ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds. Rarely will an art gallery attract all these people. Further, even the people who do like to attend gallery shows cannot always do so. Galleries keep odd hours which are not agreeable to most. With a coffee shop, there is a much higher likelihood that interested parties will have the opportunity to see your artwork.
Many artists reject the idea of coffee shop art exhibitions because they feel that it will destroy their reputation as a serious artist. However, it is unlikely that any collector is going to hold it against you that you had an exhibit in a local coffee shop, not just in esteemed galleries. In most cases, the coffee shop exhibitions serve as a stepping stone to getting gallery shows. By gaining local exposure and building up a name for oneself, an artist is more likely to be offered shows and have better attendance when they occur.
Coffee shop art exhibits are a symbiotic relationship between the shop owner and artist. The artist gets exposure and change to sell his/her work. The shop owner gets free work to put in the shop and also builds up a reputation for supporting the local arts scene. Some coffee shop owners will take a percentage of any sales that occur through the shop exhibition. However, artists are in a much better place to bargain about what this commission percentage will be – something which is not always possible with galleries.
If you are an artist looking for exposure, it is important to realize that coffee shops are not going to put up a call for artists. If you want a coffee shop show, just find a coffee shop that you like and ask for a show.