The only true tactic that ever worked for me in the beginning and has allowed me to periodically get invited to collaborate with curators and exhibit my work was that I started applying to any open-call that I could find online and that fit my work.

It wasn’t the most elegant way, but because of how numerous open calls were back then (still are), and how many websites now offer smaller curators the ability to search for talent online, the shear numbers worked in my favour.

About 10 applications a week was the goal — I would’ve done more, but the point was to find chances, where the kind of art I make had a greater potential to get accepted (I see no point in applying to everything, that vaguely has art in the description, as it wastes our time and the time of those on the receiving end). 

A great website that has worked for me was CuratorSpace — focusing primarily on the UK.

Keep in mind: It’s not galleries that are searching for new talent on such websites, but usually various festivals and other artist-lead events and organisations, so going hard on such applications won’t necessarily land you a gallery, but it will definitely expose your work to a wide audience, that is also much more likely to accept it strictly on the merit of visual and contextual quality, rather than politics.

The important thing here is to understand that such events and collaborations rarely cover transportation, accommodation and no artist fees are paid, so all the costs are on you. To make this work for me, I worked one or two side-jobs and always saved up all my funds to be used whenever I got accepted. 

If you can afford it or can somehow manage to find the cash, they are surely worth it in the beginning when your portfolio is more or less an extensive summary of your grad show. But the main thing to consider is how you’ll spend your time when there.

After spending 500€ or more on a few days of traveling, surfing on stranger’s couches and eating whatever fits the budget, the last thing on one’s mind should be to party hard and enjoy the fruits of ones labour the second the exhibition opens — that’s when the real work actually begins.

Obviously it wasn’t all business — considering I met some wonderful souls during such trips, long-lasting connections and friendships we’re also formed — but a proper understanding of the purpose of us being there shouldn’t be left to our binge-drinking celebratory future selves, but established prior to the show.

The end goal is to build a network, to find people you can relate to and that you can give value to (and vice versa), because small encounters can lead to grand opportunities; I just got invited back for a show I was part off last year and the head curator decided to cover all expenses for us artists. Were it not for a genuine relationship that formed the first time we meet (and it was through exactly such an open call on CuratorSpace), this would’ve never had happened.

But I do want to really put emphasis on one thing: What I meant with building a network, is not using people for your own means and pretending to be an amazing person, just so that they pay for your holiday next year.

Be genuine and sincere. But especially be kind and humble. Many artists I exhibited with on various occasions managed to pack a considerable amount of negativity and selfishness into their carry-ons, despite Ryanair’s ever-stricter luggage policies. And while they were a drag at any one show, I assure you anytime I had the opportunity to get invited back to an event next year, they never were.