It amuses me how many artists will turn up their noses at certain exhibition spaces. Obviously, we would all like a nice big white space, but its not often they come up really do they? I’m thinking about this at the moment, because I’m also ‘working’ for the Liverpool Independents Biennial and have recently offered 3 fairly good spaces out to artists. One is in a listed building and would cost the artist £350 per week in rates and utility bills ( at business rates) so I can understand the reticence in taking that up. The second is an empty shop unit, which has a good size open front window and has a lot of passing trade. This is free to artists.
The third is a very large empty shop unit, a bit run down, but again with good passing trade. This is £150 a month.
I’ve had a few enquiries, but there’s always some excuse – oh I would have to invigilate? I can’t screw anything into that wall? I would have to paint it first? Why isn’t it free?
Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t help feeling that some artists are a little naïve when it comes to exhibiting work.
