When Do You Stop Entering Juried Shows?

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In response to  Don’t Fall For It, a post I wrote in November, an anonymous commenter wrote this:

"I don't need to enter every little

juried show to build my resumé."

Touché, Anon. You have reached a new level in your career.

Juried shows are resumé builders, a good way for emerging artists to become part of a defacto art community, whether that community be physical and regional, or geographically diverse but bound by concept or medium. But at a certain point—a tipping point, let’s think of it—you want to see your exhibition experience evolve into opportunities in which you are invited to participate. These invitations may come from the directors of non-profit or academic galleries, or from peers who organize thematic shows in those venues. They might even come from opportunities you have created for yourself. Eventually you will be invited to show in a commercial gallery; summer shows, for instance, are a good way for galleries to try out new artists and ideas. As your resumé grows with these invitational opportunities, you may become more fully involved with a commercial gallery, eventually represented by it, and then become part of the exhibition rotation.

No more juried shows.

Indeed, most dealers looking at an artist's resumé want to see that evolution. "When I see a string of juried shows on a mid-career artists's resume, I have to ask, 'Where's the progression?" says a dealer I know.

There still may be times when you decide to enter one anyway.
But there has to be a good reason. Be choosy.
.  Is it for a volume of contemporary art? A publication like New American Paintings is a good reason for even experienced artists to submit to the rigors of jurying
. Is it because there’s a juror (a museum curator or dealer) you really, really want to see your work and then meet at the opening? This is often the inducement for the summer co-op shows in New York City and other large cities. The downside: They're not likely to remember the work if they don't select it
. Will there be a full catalog? That's a plus if you're looking to build your bibliography. If it's a show with a history of producing good catalogs, even a mid-career artist who doesn't normally enter shows anymore might consider it
. Is it part of a larger event, such as a conference? Participating in a juried show gives you an opportunity to have your work viewed by your peers and to experience an event more fully. Go for it! 
. Does it support an organization you're involved with? This is often the case for art centers, co-op galleries or other non-profits, which benefit from the entry fee. But be selective. Just as you're supporting the art center, you want that support to be reciprocal.
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Over to You
If you're still entering and exhibiting in juried shows:
. What do you get out of them?

. Has acceptance into a juried show been a conduit for anything beyond the show?
. Have you sold work, been reviewed, or been invited to another opportunity as a result of a particular juried show?
. Did having a well-known juror result in anything beyond the specific show, such as an ongoing conversation or invitaton or other "next step" advances?

If you no longer enter juried shows:
. What made you decide to stop?

. Did the increasingly steep entry fees affect your decision?

. What are the circumstances under which you would still enter a juried show?
. Would you enter a relevant juried show if there were no entry fee?


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