Before you open your gallery — or if it’s already open — please use the map update form to supply details for a map listing. I select some galleries for an opening announcement on Facebook, Instagram, this website, and via federation (e.g. Mastodon). If you want this for your gallery, please:
- Give me some lead time. A week is generally enough.
- Provide a good photo. For me, this means the photo is useful to people driving around trying to find the gallery. It should show the whole gallery and enough of the surroundings to be helpful.
- Answer all the questions on the form, especially including a reasonably precise location of the gallery, to within a block or so. I don’t need a street address, but I don’t want to send people on a wild goose chase down wrong streets.
- I am much more likely to post about your opening or other event if I don’t have to write the post myself. I get a lot of communication about FLAGs and I don’t have time to give each gallery the extra attention. See below about how to get me to share announcements you write.
Contact local community news outlets and tell them about the opening. They love to do upbeat feature pieces about things that bring communities together, and it should help get you started with a bang. If it’s an opening or other event, give as much advance notice as you can manage!
Find local art-related Facebook groups and announce it there.
Reach out to art teachers in local schools. Many will consider creating art for your gallery a good student assignment.
Some operators organize art events for the neighborhood. Set up a tent, provide art supplies and beverages, and people will come and have fun creating beauty together.
It helps to be online. Whether it’s essential depends on your situation — some FLAGs are in neighborhoods where just the people who happen by are enough to keep it going strong. Instagram is a popular place to have a profile of your FLAG, because it’s photo-heavy. But whatever the platform, some social media presence lets people in your vicinity follow you. They can see what comes in to your gallery, and it remind them you’re there. If you regularly post photos of people’s work and credit the artist, this encourages people to participate.
I Might Share Your Announcement (if I see it!)
If you are on Instagram, when you post an announcement about your opening, use the tag #freelittleartgallery and also include a couple of geographically based tags, so people who are watching for arts-related stuff (or just any stuff) in your area, might see it in their feeds. E.g. #petalumaartist if you live in Petaluma, California. If you start typing tags, it’ll make suggestions and show how many posts already use the tag, which can be a good indicator whether people are likely following that tag.
Instagram users might also add @mapofflags as a collaborator on your opening announcement or other event — this will increase the reach. This is different from just tagging the account. See screenshot.
If you do this, please add a paragraph to the end of the post such as:
If you love the idea but don’t live nearby, please visit https://freelittleartgalleries.art — a website about Free Little Art Galleries, where you can find a worldwide map, list of places to participate by mail, and guidelines for starting your own little gallery.
If you are on Facebook, you can tag map.of.flags in your announcement. If I’m alerted to your post I’ll probably share it.
Choosing a name and social media identity for your gallery
Many people name their gallery after the city it’s in. I think this is a missed opportunity. Give your gallery a name that’s unique and personally meaningful, and people will laugh and see it as more of a fun project that they want to get involved in.
Besides, even if it might be the only FLAG in your municipality now, it probably won’t always be so. Be specific rather than grandiose — this is a neighborhood community project and it’s personal, so let people know you through the theme and name you choose.
A few of the more personalized or notable names in our database:
- The Licky Lab and Alpaca Gallery
- Laura’s Nest
- Bea’s Art Hive
- Lilacs and Lavender
- The Museum of Unremarkable Objects
- Lucky Troll
- Open Sky
- Pigs Tail Farm
Having selected a memorable name with personal meaning, make use of that in your social media account. I do recommend having a separate account for the gallery that you don’t use for your personal or business posts, with an ID that’s not too generic. An account ID that starts with “flag” or “freelittleart” will help people find you online.
When you post in this account, include the tags #freelittleartgallery and also a tag or two for your location, as described above. Some people set up a hashtag specifically for their gallery, but this shouldn’t be necessary if your account is completely about the gallery — people can follow or “like” the account rather than following the hashtag. It’s better if they follow the account because their acquaintances can see they did that, so they might discover you that way.