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Back to school for art galleries:

How to prepare for the new year and engage your audience

August 25, 2025

September marks the beginning of a new school year, but for art galleries, it's also the perfect opportunity to relaunch their offerings and engage the public with new projects. With the return to routine, galleries can take advantage of the "back to school" period to refresh their approach, attract new visitors, and offer stimulating experiences. Here are six practical tips to make the most of this time.

1. Revise the Event Program

After the summer break, many galleries need to plan new exhibitions and upcoming events. September is the ideal time to launch fresh events that can attract both collectors and the general public. To engage a wide range of visitors, include interactive projects, live performances, or creative workshops in your exhibitions. Contemporary art, with its diverse forms of expression, can spark curiosity among both younger audiences and newcomers.

2. Update your online offering

With the growing importance of online sales, it's essential for galleries to refresh their digital offerings and take advantage of online platforms to reach new collectors. Artsper represents an invaluable opportunity to expand the visibility of your works and attract an international audience of art enthusiasts.

Having a presence on Artsper allows galleries to easily manage and update their online portfolio, showcasing their artists’ works in a professional manner. With a qualified and growing user base, Artsper is the ideal platform to present exhibitions, new acquisitions, and exclusive pieces.

Moreover, Artsper provides advanced features to facilitate buying and selling, enhancing the user experience and optimizing artwork visibility through intelligent search algorithms that efficiently connect collectors and galleries. Regularly updating your offerings on Artsper with new works, events, and projects will help you stay competitive and relevant in the contemporary art scene.

Finally, if you haven’t done so already, consider leveraging Artsper's marketing features, such as participation in dedicated newsletters, promotional campaigns, or exclusive online events that will help you reach an even broader audience.

Seen, Multi Tags (montée sur chassis), 2022, available on Artsper

3. Create educational programs for schools

The back-to-school season is the perfect time to establish collaborations with local schools and universities. Organize guided tours, art workshops, or educational projects that involve students in creative activities related to your ongoing exhibitions. Educational programs not only enrich the experience of young people but also strengthen the gallery’s role as an active cultural hub in the community.

4. Refresh your marketing and communication strategy

With the start of the new year, it’s a good time to update your marketing plan and communication strategy. Use digital platforms to launch campaigns that attract the attention of new visitors, especially via social media. Post engaging visual content, behind-the-scenes stories, and artist interviews. You can also use the back-to-school theme for some campaigns, such as offering autumn-themed art merchandise or promoting student discounts.

Evgeniya Buravleva, Marée basse (Low tide), 2025, available on Artsper

5. Organize special events for collectors and curators

September is also a great time to plan more exclusive events, such as private vernissages, meetings with curators, and collectors' gatherings. You can organize networking sessions where participants can discover new talent, purchase artworks, or deepen their interest in contemporary art. Strategically offering these events will help build stronger relationships with long-time collectors and those eager to enter the art world.

6. Prepare for upcoming art fairs

This is also the perfect moment to begin planning your participation in art fairs that will shape the rest of the year. Art fairs are a key opportunity for galleries to showcase their work, attract new collectors, and build relationships with curators and industry professionals.

Preparing for a fair requires careful selection of works to present as well as strategic communication. Use your website and your presence on Artsper to preview your fair participation and engage the public in advance. Share information about the works and new pieces you will present, sparking interest and ensuring good visibility. You can also promote your booth online, inviting collectors to visit during the event.

Additionally, art fairs provide the opportunity to expand your international network. If you’re participating in overseas fairs, using platforms like Artsper allows you to continue promoting works and selling globally, even when you're not physically present. Artsper can be an invaluable resource for staying in touch with collectors and the public who couldn’t attend in person but are still interested in the works you've exhibited. Plan ahead, organize your calendar, and seize every opportunity to maximize the visibility of your works!

Back to school isn’t just a return to school, it’s also a new opportunity for art galleries to recover from the summer break, refresh themselves, and attract new visitors. Whether it’s through collaborations with schools, exclusive events for collectors, or simply updating communication strategies, September offers the perfect time to launch new projects and strengthen your position in the art market.

Preparing for this fall season means anticipating the needs of an ever-evolving audience and offering unique experiences that spark curiosity and creativity.