An artist press release – the tool to let the world know about the big events from an artist’s professional life. It’s necessary for PR pros working in the art industry to understand how to create one and pitch it to the media to witness the buzz.
Let’s see how to write a press release for an art exhibition or any other artists’ needs (and how to cut time on the task).
PS. Yes, we’re talking about customizable templates! You will find one at the end of this article and an inspiring example to base your work on.
- What is an art exhibition press release
- How to write an art exhibition press release
- Artist press release tips
- Art exhibition press release tips
- Art exhibition press release example
- Artist press release template
- How to get published in the media
- Conclusions
Get the press release done with Prowly press release templates. Easy to fill and in a format that journalists expect.
What is an art exhibition press release?
An art exhibition press release is a short text covering key event details. It assists journalists and industry influencers cover your news, increasing exhibition awareness.
What is an artist press release?
An artist’s press release shares important, time-sensitive, and newsworthy information about an artist or group. Think about debuts, premieres, shows, achievements, or finishing their career.
Why write an artist press release?
A press release helps get attention for a project or an event. For painters or sculptors, it can translate into more exhibition visitors, and for musicians – increased streaming on SoundCloud or Spotify, or more sold books.
In the longer term, press releases influence artists’ PR and give them more control over their presence in the media.
How to write an art exhibition press release step-by-step
Press releases should be 300-500 words and on one page. Longer forms used to be appropriate, yet they no longer reflect contemporary PR practices. Let’s see how to write a press release for artists.
#1 A catchy headline and a compelling lead sentence
The headline and lead sentence invite the audience to read further. Share the most important point of your news and what’s exciting about it.
The “5 W’s” concept lets you distill the message, answering the questions of who, what, when, where, why, and/or how. For effective press releases, answer these questions before you start writing.
Pro tip: Stay concise and highlight the event’s or artist’s value. Avoid academic or overly creative styles so that the press release stays effective.
#2 A dateline
It includes basic data about the news’ origin: the city and the release’s date.
#3 Adding quotes from the artist
Quotes from people involved in the art exhibition give extra insight into the importance of the event. They help the journalists in crafting a more engaging story.
Here’s a quote from an exhibition’s curator:
“I am honored to share these powerful works that demonstrate the vital, ongoing contributions of Native artists.”
Pro tip: Easily format quotes with the drag-and-drop Press Release Editor from Prowly.
#4 Adding visuals and assets
Visuals, including artworks, artist portraits, frames, trailers, and music videos, are crucial for the art world. Select an image that aligns with your art show’s theme or visual direction to enhance your press release narrative.
Mind the legal issues. As Aleksandra Kubicka, PR Evangelist @Prowly states:
“If you publish press releases on your website or an online press room with materials – it’s worth adding a disclaimer concerning legal issues.”
Here’s an example:
“Usage: Images are provided exclusively to the press and only for publicity purposes for the National Gallery of Art exhibition. All published images must be accompanied by the credit line provided and with copyright information, as noted.”
#5 Bio and media contact information
Share where journalists or readers can find more information.
Let’s see an example:
Pro tip: Add a short artist bio with their background, highlights, and forthcoming projects. A website or an online portfolio is also valuable.
Read How to Write a Press Release (With Tips From PR Pros) to learn the details of each element. You will find more than just generic press release tips there.
What to include in an artist press release?
Creating a new artist press release? Make sure to add these elements!
Press kit for an artist
A press kit contains texts, graphics, and other media that help journalists produce content. Find out how to make a press kit for an artist with Prowly and place it in your Online Newsroom to get more exposure.
Set goal first
Tailor press releases to align with your specific objective. Your message gains clarity with a defined reader action, such as attending an exhibition, purchasing artwork, or learning more about the artist.
P. S. If you’re a musician, check out this step-by-step music press release guide.
What to include in an art exhibition Opening Press Release?
Mind the timeline
We advise sharing your press release for an art exhibition opening at least two weeks ahead. This gives ample time to gain media coverage, ultimately boosting visitor turnout.
Get the initial draft well in advance so you can implement feedback.
Details to cover
Here’s a quick checklist of the most important details:
- Artist’s name
- Title of the exhibition
- Name and location of the venue
- Opening date & duration of the exhibition
- Curators
- Support
- Admission price
- Contact information
To help you cover curators and support, here are two relevant examples from an exhibition in the National Gallery of Art:
Exhibition Curators
Exhibition Organization and Support
Credit information
This explains how to properly attribute the images and media attached to your press release, following a standardized format.
As an example of credit information from the National Gallery of Art:
Steven Yazzie (Dine/Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico/European descent)
Orchestrating a Blooming Desert, 2003
oil on canvas
overall: 121.9 x 152.4 cm (48 x 60 in.)
framed: 127.2 x 157.5 x 4.4 cm (50 1/16 x 62 x 1 3/4 in.)
Collection of Christy Vezolles
© 2003 Steven J. Yazzie. All rights reserved. Image: Courtesy of the Heard Museum, Photo by Craig Smith
Knowing all this, you can start crafting your press release using Prowly’s new “Draft with AI” feature. Just enter basic details (e.g., based on the tips in this article), answer a few in-depth questions, and you’ll receive a comprehensive draft for your press release.
Art exhibition press release example that grabs attention
We chose an art show press release covering the opening of a Native American art exhibition in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Aleksandra Kubicka, PR Evangelist @Prowly, chose this press release example as it excels in several areas:
- intro: this provides an engaging story about the exhibition – explaining why it is a significant event for the gallery, with vivid descriptions of what the visitors will see
- clear structure: all the important organizational details are under the text in bullet points
- attachments and links: exhibition checklist in PDF, a full set of pictures with descriptions, copyrights, etc.
These characteristics can serve as an artist press release example – it should include an engaging story and cover crucial details.
Art exhibition and artist press release template
All press releases follow a structured format, so they can easily be turned into templates. You can start with the free company press release template in the Prowly Press Release Creator tool. Just fill in the blanks, and you’re good to go!
Save time and create an artist and art exhibition press release template.
How to get your art published in the media?
Let’s tackle the second part of the equation: getting published.
Not every bit of news gets featured in the media. The reasons could be contacting the wrong journalists or not knowing how to pitch them effectively.
To ensure you land in the right mailbox (and at the right time), send your press release to journalists and local press using a quality media database. Also, get in touch with truly niche voices – we’ll give you some ideas on how to do that.
Use a good quality media database
Reach the right audience with optimal effort with a media database. Look for journalists that cover similar topics and increase the chances of getting published. Choose a solution that has a high number of quality contacts.
The media database from Prowly consists of over 1 million contacts. There are over 9,000 journalists tackling art, design, and music, and almost 12,000 media outlets writing about local news – and that’s when you’ve already filtered down results to just the United States.
How to get covered in local press
Art events are mostly local news. Boost your press release impact by sharing it with journalists who cover specific states and cities. Additionally, you can specify the industry, for example, when sending a music press release.
Pro tip: Find your local press contacts by filtering down your results in the Prowly Media Database.
Who else to pitch with art releases?
Apart from media databases, you can send your art press release to specific, niche voices. Let’s list a few ideas:
- people (or organizations) who have already shown interest in the work you promote or in similar examples
- voices that cover a similar type of work (like charcoal drawings)
- those who write about artists from a given area
- or galleries that might be interested in showing the work
Learn about pitching journalists from this article on How to Send a Press Release via email.
Conclusions
An art press release for an art exhibition or an independent artist helps get the news beyond the art world.
Its success hinges on two factors: exceptional content and effective distribution. Tools such as templates, a press release creator, and a distribution platform can enhance media coverage.
With Prowly, you can manage the entire process, from crafting a high-quality press release to connecting with journalists and precisely targeting your announcement—all within the app. Try it out with a seven-day free trial!
