I realize now that Iโve always curated AND self-produced my own shows.
Only recently in ETHCC Cannes I was hired to curated and was given a venue and budget to work with.
But for all of my shows before that I always paid out of pocket everything and everyone.
I paid for artwork production and framing, Iโve paid for shipping transportation and accommodation of my artists, Iโve paid for venue and booth, Iโve paid for food and beverage, Iโve paid for service, security and handling staff.
Iโve never had and never looked for private or public sponsoring because to me that what a gallerist do ! (And I donโt even take 50%)
And I realize I likely paid (despite being just a guy in his 20โs trying to do cool stuff ) much more thing than platforms whom have done funding rounds in millions and despite not having huge budget I manage to pull out show that had nothing to envy from the one they could organized.
My NFT Paris booth was quite an example of that, managed to make one of the most memorable booth of the edition with less than 5000โฌ.
I didnโt cut cost, just did a lot myself, had quote in the 5 figures range for the booth, ended up buying and cutting the wood myself and building the wall myself.
Countless of exemples, more my next show schedule to open in July in Paris Iโll be doing that all over again but to a much higher degree. I think Iโm done trying to make gold with copper and working with peanuts budgets.
I want to try my luck commuting 5 figure budget, making precious gem from raw diamonds and I got to admit for the first time Iโve been thinking of getting sponsors.
With a 20% commission (got a gallery partner) I need to sell more than I ever did just to keep the light on, but I guess thatโs what conviction in an artist is ! Iโm all in !
So if you can help with a RT and intro to a collector or a potential sponsor please do !
This how we build