How to Get Art Curators to Notice Your Work
- Ronke Jane Adelakun
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
3 Lessons from Our HOME Panel
"How do I get curators to notice my work?" It's one of the questions we hear most from artists in the BCT community.
As part of Black Creative Trailblazers development workshops, we partnered with HOME Manchester for Navigating the Art World, a panel discussion led by artist and curator Clarissa Corfe. The conversation was packed with practical advice that artists can start applying immediately, whether you're just starting out or looking to exhibit more widely.
Here are my three biggest takeaways.
1. Your guest list is a strategy, not a formality
When you're exhibiting your work, think strategically about your guest list.
Alongside family and friends, make an effort to invite the people who can create future opportunities for you:
Curators
Arts funders
Local authority and city council representatives
Journalists
TV and radio producers
Arts writers and critics
Clarissa also encouraged artists to think beyond traditional press and invite programmes that regularly cover arts and culture, such as BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Front Row.
It's also worth reaching out to independent arts publications that regularly review exhibitions, including:
If your exhibition is strong, coverage like this can introduce your work to entirely new audiences.
Programmes worth pitching your exhibition to:
2. Build relationships before you need them
One piece of advice that really stood out was simple: go to exhibition previews.
Private views, launches and preview events are some of the best places to meet curators naturally. Instead of waiting for an introduction, show up, start conversations, and become a familiar face within the arts community.
And if you email a curator and don't hear back, don't assume they're not interested. Curators are often juggling hundreds of emails alongside exhibitions, commissions and multiple projects. A polite follow-up isn't annoying, it's professional.
Persistence matters. As Clarissa put it, a lack of response is usually about someone's workload, not the quality of your work.
When you do finally get face time with a curator, come prepared. Have high-quality photographs of your work ready to show them there and then, not a promise to send something later.
It's also worth staying open-minded about what that conversation can lead to. You can ask a curator directly about showing in their gallery, but it's often more productive to ask if they know other curators or galleries who might be interested in your work. Curators talk to each other, and a warm introduction from one can carry more weight than a cold approach ever will.
3. Don't wait to be commissioned
Perhaps the most empowering takeaway from the evening was this: you don't have to wait for permission to show your work.
Many artists spend years hoping someone will offer them an exhibition or commission. Instead, create the opportunity yourself:
Organise your own solo exhibition
Curate a group show with other artists
Transform an empty space into a temporary gallery
Your own exhibitions are a chance to demonstrate your curatorial vision, attract an audience, and give curators something tangible to experience. More often than not, opportunities come after people have already seen what you're capable of creating independently.
Final thoughts
Breaking into the art world isn't only about making great work. It's also about building relationships, putting your work in front of the right people, and creating opportunities instead of waiting for them.
A huge thank you to Clarissa Corfe and HOME Manchester for sharing such valuable insights with our Black Creative Trailblazers community. Conversations like these help demystify the art world and give artists practical steps to move their careers forward.
If there's one thing I took from the evening, it's this: the people you want to work with can't champion your work if they don't know it exists. So keep showing up, keep inviting people, and keep creating opportunities for yourself.
Comments