HOW2 Hold An Artist's Salon

Published on November 11, 2010 by IAM

One of the best ways to provide support, encouragement, and motivation for artists is to hold an artist’s salon. This is a great event for a church, school, group of friends, or other organization to put together.
A salon includes three vital elements: a shared meal in a comfortable setting, time for attendees to converse and network with one another, and some informal presentations of works in progress. Below are some guidelines for organizing a salon night; feel free to adapt and modify them to suit your community! 

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. A space to meet in with adequate room for attendees and presenters
 
2. Plenty of food and drink
 
3. Presentation-specific elements: projector, speakers, DVD player, easel, microphone, CD
player, etc.

TIMELINE

Two months prior to event

• Secure space and date
• Secure commitments from volunteers
• Advertise auction in newsletters, websites, social networking sites, and emails

One month prior to event  

• Secure commitments from presenting artists
• Sell tickets and/or collect RSVPs
• Plan menu

One day prior to event

• Buy groceries and do any needed preparation

Day of event

• Set up tables, chairs, and A/V needs
• Prepare food and drinks
• Direct volunteers to help (hanging coats, serving food, checking in attendees)
• Allow attendees to eat and converse together
• About an hour into the event, begin presentations  
• Each presentation can be followed by a Q&A
• After presentations, attendees can linger

After the event

• Contact presenters and thank them for their contribution to the evening

THE EVENT

The purpose of an artist’s salon is twofold: to provide artists with a safe, informal, supportive
environment in which to present work-in-progress, and to connect with other artists and art-
lovers.
Therefore, it is important that the event’s atmosphere be friendly and conducive to
conversation. Simple but good food and drink are essential (successful salons could include
menus such as homemade pizza and crudités with dip; assorted cheeses, meats, and breads; or tacos; potlucks also may work well).
Set a limit to the number of people who can attend. A very large audience will make the event less personal and possibly more intimidating to presenters. The group may range from eight people in your living room to thirty people in a larger gathering space. Require RSVPs (or ticket purchases) so that you do not run out of space or food.
Encourage attendees to bring work in progress, postcards for events, notebooks, and business cards so that they can more easily connect with people they meet at the event.
You may choose to either let the first four to five volunteers present at the salon, or you may wish to pick the presenters. See the “Presenters” section below.

Setting Up and Funding the Event
We recommend setting up tables and chairs for attendees to sit at while eating. Have the
presenters’ A/V needs (microphones, projectors, instruments) set up near the front of the room.
This is informal, so feel free to use paper plates. Play music to create a fun atmosphere.
Salons can potentially be self-funding events. Asking for a small donation ($5 per person) can cover the cost of the food, which need not be fancy or expensive.   

Presenters
During the evening, several people should present their work informally to the group – show a clip of a film they are working on, read an excerpt from a story, show a series of photographs or visual art, play a song, etc. This serves as encouragement to them and inspiration to the group.
Give the presenters a short limit (five minutes) for their presentation, understanding that
presentations may easily run over. Leave time for Q&A with attendees and the presenter. Be sure to encourage the presenter to provide information about their project and where attendees may find their work.
Cultivate an attitude of encouragement toward the presenters. This isn’t an art-school crit
session! Ask questions, thank them for their presentations, and applaud when they’re finished.

SAMPLE ADVERTISEMENT  

Salon Night
[DATE] at [TIME]
[LOCATION]
Join other artists and art lovers for a fun evening of food, informal presentations, and
opportunities to meet new people from our community. We'll be meeting at [TIME] to eat a
simple meal together, then several artists will be given the opportunity to briefly present their
work. We'll also spend time just enjoying one another's company and conversation.
Bring your camera, a project you've been working on, or postcards for an upcoming exhibition. If you'd like to present your work informally for about five minutes, please contact [CONTACT EMAIL] to sign up (the first four people to reply will present). Presentations could include a short reading, a slideshow of recent visual artwork, a short clip of a film, and so on.
Admission: $5 to help cover the costs of the food, or a drink (soda, wine, etc.) to share.
Please RSVP to [CONTACT EMAIL] so we know how much food to prepare! Let us know whether you'll be bringing a drink or $5.
Artists of all disciplines and levels are welcome! Not an artist? Come and support our artists.