Organising a group exhibition between artists: from venue to opening night

01Forming the group: coherence and complementarity

The choice of artists participating in the exhibition is the first and most decisive decision. A group of friends exhibiting together because they get along is not enough to create a convincing exhibition. The public and professionals need to perceive a curatorial coherence, a thread that justifies these works being shown together.

This coherence can take several forms. A common theme: five painters working on the urban landscape. A shared medium: six artists using ceramics in a contemporary way. A dialogue: figurative and abstract works placed in deliberate tension. A territorial anchor: artists from the same city or region showing the diversity of local creation.

The Young British Artists, or YBAs, built their collective reputation from the exhibition Freeze, organised in 1988 by Damien Hirst while he was still a student. The exhibition brought together sixteen artists whose works dialogued around a shared aesthetic of provocation and raw energy. The strength of the group was greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Limit the number of participants. Beyond ten artists, logistical management becomes difficult and visual coherence dilutes. A group of four to seven artists is a manageable format that allows each participant to show enough works to be read individually while contributing to a collective whole.

02Finding the venue: space, budget and negotiation

The venue determines the tone, the audience and the budget of the exhibition. Options range from the traditional white cube to alternative spaces, and each has its advantages and constraints.

Ephemeral galleries and coworking spaces that rent walls are the most accessible options. The cost is shared among participants, making it bearable for each. In Paris, spaces offered by temporary rental platforms provide equipped and ready-to-use venues for exhibitions.

Unconventional locations, industrial wastelands, former shops, shared studios, apartments, offer a setting that can become an element of the exhibition itself. The exhibition Sensation, organised at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1997, drew part of its impact from the contrast between the academic setting and the radical nature of the works. On a different scale, showing contemporary painting in a former butcher shop or sculpture in an underground car park creates a dialogue between work and place that enriches the visitor's experience.

Negotiation with the venue owner is an important step. Prepare a project presentation file: the list of artists, visuals of the works, the calendar, insurance and restoration conditions. A professional file reassures the owner and increases your chances of obtaining favourable terms. Some owners of vacant premises agree to lend their space free of charge in exchange for the showcasing of the venue, which represents for them a temporary occupation that deters squatting and attracts visitors potentially interested in renting.

Always visit the venue before committing. Check the dimensions, natural lighting, accessibility, electrical capacity for supplementary lighting, and the hanging conditions. A plasterboard wall does not support the same weight as a stone wall. A ceiling that is too low crushes large works. Access by stairs without a lift complicates the transport of heavy sculptures. These practical details, if not anticipated, can compromise the entire project.

03The budget: who pays for what

Money is the subject artists most willingly avoid, and that is exactly why it must be addressed first. Before confirming any decision, establish a detailed budget forecast and have it approved by all participants.

Expense items include venue rental, artwork insurance, hanging and lighting equipment, printing of communication materials, drinks and food for the opening, and potentially a fee for a curator if the group decides to engage one.

The simplest model is equal division: each participant contributes the same amount. This model works when contributions in works are comparable. If one artist occupies a third of the space and another a tenth, a division proportional to the surface occupied is more equitable.

Potential revenue from sales during the exhibition must also be discussed upfront. Each artist sets their prices and manages their sales, but it is common to allocate a percentage of each sale to the exhibition's common fund, generally between ten and twenty per cent, intended to cover collective expenses.

Put everything in writing. A simple agreement signed by all participants, summarising financial contributions, responsibilities and sales terms, prevents conflicts. The art world is full of friendships broken by financial misunderstandings. A one-page contract, clear and signed by each person, is an investment in the group's longevity.

Also think about available support. Some municipalities and regional DRACs offer grants for collective exhibition projects, particularly when they are led by emerging artists in areas undergoing cultural development. Preparing a grant application takes time but can cover a significant portion of the costs.

04Communication: before, during, after

Communication is the multiplier of every exhibition. A beautifully hung exhibition in an exceptional venue that nobody has heard about is a missed opportunity. Communication must be planned in three phases.

The announcement phase begins three to four weeks before the opening. Create an event on social media, write a short and effective press release, send targeted invitations to industry professionals: curators, critics, cultural journalists, gallery owners, collectors. Each participant mobilises their own network, and the collective's strength is the sum of these individual networks.

The press release follows a classic structure: exhibition title, dates and venue, list of artists, a few lines of curatorial text, a striking visual and contact details. Send it by email three weeks before the opening, with a reminder one week before. The journalist and art critic Elizabeth Lebovici has stressed the importance of clear and unpretentious press releases: jargon in the press release deters the journalist as much as the collector.

The opening night is the central event. The opening of a group exhibition is a celebration, and it must carry that energy. Provide drinks and nibbles, background music if the venue allows it, and above all the presence of all participating artists. The opening is the moment when artists meet the public, when contacts are created, when the first sales are negotiated.

The follow-up phase begins the day after the opening. Publish photographs of the event and the exhibition. Thank visitors, media and partners. Send a personalised message to the most promising contacts. Post-exhibition work is as important as the work that precedes it.

05The collective hanging: an exercise in diplomacy

Hanging a group exhibition is a moment of truth where egos and sensitivities clash. Every artist wants the best wall, the best lighting, the best visibility. Managing these tensions is a diplomatic exercise that conditions the exhibition's success.

Two approaches work. The first is to appoint a curator from among the participants or to bring in an outside curator whose curatorial authority is accepted by all. This person makes the hanging decisions with the aim of creating the strongest possible exhibition, and participants accept their choices.

The second approach is collaborative hanging: all participants are present on installation day and decisions are made collectively. This approach requires more time and patience but can yield surprising results, as the dialogue between artists sometimes reveals unexpected affinities between works.

Harald Szeemann, the legendary exhibition curator, always insisted that hanging is a creative act in its own right. At your scale, this idea means that hanging is not simply a logistical setup: it is the moment when the exhibition becomes a coherent artistic proposition.

06After the exhibition: the network remains

The exhibition ends, the works are taken down, the venue is returned. But the group you formed is a precious asset. The artists with whom you organised an exhibition are professional allies with whom you share a concrete experience of collaboration.

Maintain contact. Organise a review meeting a few weeks after the exhibition to evaluate what worked and what needs improvement. Discuss the possibility of repeating the experience, in a new venue or with a new theme. The most enduring artist collectives are those that build on the experience of each previous exhibition.

The collective Bernadette Corporation operated for years on this principle: each collective project nourishes the next, and the network expands with each iteration. At your scale, a successful group exhibition can be the beginning of a long-term collaboration that strengthens the visibility of each participant.

Administrative follow-up is as important as relational follow-up. Close the exhibition accounts within two weeks of deinstallation: refund any overpayments, share the revenue according to the initial agreement, archive invoices and receipts. Clean financial management is the condition for the group agreeing to work together again. An outstanding payment or ambiguity in the accounts can destroy in a few days a collective dynamic built over several months.

07Documenting and extending the exhibition on Artedusa

A group exhibition lasts a few days or a few weeks. The works deserve longer visibility. Artedusa allows you to present the exhibited works in a permanent professional framework, accessible to visitors who could not attend and to collectors who wish to acquire a piece after the exhibition closes. The physical exhibition creates the event, Artedusa extends its life. Show the collective's work at artedusa.com.