Finding the right place, time and amount of work to show is crucial to any exhibition project. When progressing with your exhibition from research to realisation, it is important to reflect on the practicalities of your exhibition and see how your plan relates to the space, time of the event or exhibtion, the capabilities of the venue and the appetite of the audience.

Venue & Environment

There are many different types of venues to show work which can each affect the potential audience and experience of the work in different ways. Artists' moving image work has no defined home – neither the cinema nor the gallery – and is often shown in a variety of different environments and contexts. As such the venue and/or environment where you show work can become a major factor in your project and how people engage with the work.

With film and video it is also important to consider the technical requirements of the work when looking for a venue. One of the key elements governing where work will be shown is the technical equipment needed to present the work. Galleries and museums are increasingly able to handle the requirements of film and video but be aware that if the venues doesn't have the equipment there will be extra costs to hire in equipment. Consider what is required for the work and how the venue will be able to accommodate that.

• What type of work does the venue usually show?
• What experience do they have with artists' work?
• What sort of audience do they have?
• What direction do they see the exhibition strategy going in?

If you decide to show work in a venue not usually associated with artists' moving image work then it will require you to work harder to define what it is you are showing and how it differs. It's important to create a receptive environment around the work as well as to be clear to audiences about what it is they are coming to see and how it relates to the exhibition space's usual presentations.

Finding a good time to show work

Finding an appropriate place can be as important as finding a good time for your exhibition. Time is usually dictated by the venue but it helps to be aware of other events that are taking place at a similar time to your event. Remember that your exhibition is part of a wider cultural context and that it will be seen in relation to other work that is exhibited at that time. This can be beneficial as you can form collaborations with other organisations and support each other’s projects – e.g. through reciprocal advertising or joint events.

When you are planning a special event or launch night be aware of what else is happening in the area that night to avoid clashes with other similar events. Most exhibitions are listed online well in advance so a quick internet search can usually give you a good indication of what else might be happening. Another factor to consider are the term times at universities and/or public holidays that could affect the audience for your show.

The other factors that influence the way a project is seen are the start time of screenings or opening hours of an exhibition. Discuss with the venue what the visiting habits of their audience are to decide on a appropriate time. Keep in mind the the practical requirements of your potential audience such as the ease of getting to and from your venue, so as to make sure your event is accessible to the widest range of people. Factors that will affect the timing are:

• Other events in the area – festivals, concerts, etc.
• How late will the screening/event run?
• Will people had access to transport there and back?
• How central / easy to get to is the location?
• What are the seasonal changes of audience – difference between summer and winter?
• Are students at college or away?
• National holidays

When installing work on a loop it's important to discuss this with the artists as they may wish to have the start times of the works' listed so people can sit for the entirety of projection rather that coming in during a work.

How much work do you show?

When deciding on any exhibition it is important to think about how much you will show and for how long you will show it. The volume of work will affect the demands on your venue, budget and your audience. When preparing a programme be aware of the commitment you are asking of the audience in terms of their time, attention and money. These factors vary depending on the context of the presentation. Consider what is important for the work and exhibition project and how best to maximise that. A central task of a curator is to mediate access to work through selection, central to which is a desire to show quality over quantity. Ask yourself:

• Is this enough work / too much work?
• Does it meet audience expectations of quantity and quality?
• Is it value for money (ticket price, entry fee)?
• Are you giving the audience enough time and space to absorb all the work?
• What type of commitment are you asking from the audience?
• Will people be able to attend more than one event?

All of these factors should be considered with regard to your perspective audience and they type of work you will show. The key is to create an accessible and visible environment that respects the audiences and is scheduled to be easy to attend. Practically consider your resources and deliver and exhibit to a high standard. If there is a lot of work you want to show consider ways in which you could make it digestible for your audience by breaking it up into sections or spacing it out over a longer period of time. Having a lot of work together can help to attract people to a project and generate a buzz around the event as long as it is well managed and accessibly programmed and marketed.