Supporting local artists
The Artist's Corral is an "anything goes" micro-show concept that I'm quite proud of because of what it did for the local artists' community.
When I conceived of the Corral, my goal was to create a way to show local art that usually wouldn't fit within our gallery mission. Corral shows were juried shows that required an exhibition fee from the participants. In exchange, the gallery would take little or no commission on any sales made.
Each Corral lasted five days, including a weekend and an opening night. Instead of our usual classical musicians, I hired rock bands to play the openings. Selected artists were given a certain amount of space within the gallery in which they could do anything. They chose their space on a first-come basis (and they would actually line up outside the door, vying for the best spot in the gallery).
The participants hung their own work (with our assistance) and individually piggy-backed on our social media platform to spread the word about their own part in the show. The Corral soon became something very special for the local artists who participated. Its shows were the most crowded with the most volume of sales of any of our gallery openings. Many artists, especially outside artists or art students, used it as a means to get their first show, and officially break into the market.
