1. Children under the age of 9 should not be allowed in Art galleries. Children do not understand art and therefore should not be allowed to potentially ruin adult visitors experience within the gallery space. Prams are strictly prohibited. If your child is in a pram at the age of 9, then you are a bad parent.
2. If it is absolutely necessary for children to visit galleries there should be designated times or days when this takes place, allowing other visitors to AVOID the gallery at all possible costs.
3. When groups of school children visit galleries there must be an authoritarian procedure in place, this should adhere to long standing and unwritten rules such as: no touching or eating in the gallery but they should also be notified to keep noise levels down and to be respectful of any other visitors; gallery assistants should be extremely vigilant during these visits.
4. Although education is extremely important and children should be introduced to art as it helps to develop their personal expression, which will eventually lead to the enrichment of our society; it is crucial that they are exposed to appropriate art processes and that teachers and education programmes don’t create vague connections between the concepts of artworks and school projects which are ill- defined. Teachers may agree to these gallery visits to get out of the classroom, while education programmes do it for financial reasons; both of these are unorthodox.
5. All exhibitions must be ticketed – exhibitions that are currently free and galleries that do not charge visitors should insist on a small entry fee of £1.00 – £3.00. This will help to filter an audience lured by morbid curiosity and posers might be put off by the small fee too (just because you wear a beret, doesn’t mean you are interested in art). Also, it is not a large enough fee to deter genuinely interested clientele.
6. Art students at degree level should receive a discounted admission fee due to the prospect of them being the next generation of art enthusiasts or custodians, money should not interfere with their learning and experience of art, this discount should encourage them to stay on top of current exhibitions.
7. There should be no talking in the gallery space, noise pollution loses an audience’s focus and this loss of engagement intervenes with their experience. Gallery assistants should approach loud visitors and politely remind them of this rule, which will be made very clear upon entering the space. Exceptions will only be made when artist’s such as Tino Sehgal are exhibiting.
8. Do not allow groups of teenagers to stand around talking in gallery spaces – this is extremely annoying and obnoxious it potentially blocks the view of work and pollutes the galleries atmosphere.
9. Hand held digital tours/ audio guides should be introduced into all art galleries; this would aid noise control through visitor’s engagement and will answer some of their queries.
10. Pens and paper should be readily available upon entering the gallery, this should be provided to encourage visitors to make notes of any burning questions so that they may ask members of staff on leaving the gallery space.
11. If it is the conceptualist’s role to always be clever, then it is the gallery’s role to provide the audience with extra information, to avoid anyone further questioning the concept after reading the wall text. Banal information such as the artist’s biography should also be readily available to avoid conversation in the gallery space.
12. The understanding and interpreting of visual art is very subjective, this is its power not its weakness – audiences should be clear on this notion and therefore should remain quiet as they contemplate and question their personal interpretations.
13. No more than 3 people should be allowed in a gallery space 5m x 5m at any given time, although this will result in queues and congestion it will allow the audience to have the optimum experience; this is paramount.
14. Ensure that there are more invigilators in all galleries, the increase varying, depending on the size of the space – all visitors must be respectful of the artwork and of other visitor’s experiences, more assistants will ensure people actually abide by this rule.
15. Adult audiences visiting galleries should not need, or even want to play silly games such as ‘Tate Trumps’ – galleries are there to display artworks, for interested recipients to view, not to create interactive games for the general public; these people should visit the Natural History Museum or the Museum of Childhood.
16. Two separate café areas should be provided – one for families and one for people that appreciate a nicely designed Art Café selling good cakes, coffee and magazines.
17. A successful exhibition should be a quiet exhibition.
Rosie Snaith
CuratingtheContemporary (CtC) 