Opening the Door | Episode 2: Building Your Practice Outside of the White Cube | A Session for Unrepresented Artists

Being represented by a gallery is one path to building legitimacy as an artist, but it’s not the only one. For many artists, creating a sustainable practice means looking beyond traditiona representation and finding creative ways to show work, generate income, and stay visible on

their own terms.

This panel brings together practitioners who have carved out meaningful careers either as artist or for artists through unconventional routes, resourcefulness, and an open mind.

The session explores:

•Non-traditional exhibition and visibility pathways such as hotels, pop-ups, residencies, open studios, public commissions, and artist-run spaces.

•Finding and screening opportunities: how to identify the right open calls, what to look for in the fine print, and how to assess whether an opportunity is worth your time and energy.

•Grants and alternative funding: navigating bursaries, arts council funding, and project-based income streams; how to find what’s available, what funders are looking for, and how to make a compelling case for your work.

•Collaborations and community: how artist collectives, peer networks, and co-produced projects can generate visibility, open doors, and create income streams that are hard to build alone.

• The admin, logistics and resilience behind running an independent practice.

• Digital presence as infrastructure: using your online platforms not just for aesthetics, but as a working portfolio, a point of contact, and a tool for attracting opportunities.

• Practical next steps that artists can take today

Opening the Door | A Workshop Series To Share Access and Insight

This series responds to a persistent gap: access to the inner workings of the art world. For many emerging practitioners, the industry remains opaque, largely defined by unspoken rules, informal networks and great uncertainty around how or where to begin.

‘Opening the Door’ is a 6-part series structured to address this directly. Each session brings participants into close conversation with established professionals across the local and Pan-African art ecosystem . The intention is not to generalise or simplify, but to offer specific, experience-based insight into how artists can better position themselves in order to create a successful and sustainable career in the arts.

The full programme draws on five years of research conducted by Art School Africa, identifying the primary barriers faced by emerging art practitioners from Africa. These sessions translate those findings into practical, open dialogue where questions can be asked directly and answers given on the spot.