[Sneak Peek] Will Your Artwork Be Featured in “The Gallery”?

We’re looking to put on an art show. Maybe we’ll even sell some work! Our newest/oldest game, “The Gallery,” is an adaptation of one of our originals, “The Studio,” which only existed for a brief period from February to May 2015. Here’s a sneak peek at the new space, the Gallery, before any furnishings or puzzles were added:

So we have this beautiful, well lit space, and we thought… Why just use artwork as props? Why not use this opportunity to show work from local artists? The existing venues for an artist to get their work noticed in the New Haven area are few and far between. So let’s do it — let’s put on an art show! We only need 6-10 pieces from 1-2 local artists to make our show complete.

We’ll affix a small card next to each piece to identify the artist, title, materials, and price. We’ll also post a short description of the artist and the show. I (Ethan) also have experience as a gallery manager, so I’ll make sure it looks nice. We expect the Gallery to get 100-200 visitors per week, and that we won’t charge a commission on any pieces we sell. But “The Gallery” is an escape game first, and an art show second. so the arrangement does come with a few caveats:

• All artwork has to fit under acrylic in a white or black frame of these mat dimensions: 7.5″ x 9.5″ OR 15 1/4″ x 19 1/4.” A 12″x16″ piece will also fit, without a mat.
• We would need the pieces to stay up for the duration of the exhibit (up to two years), or be replaced by other work in the case of a sale (or if the artist wants a particular piece back).
• We may alter the frames, and we will definitely bolt them to the wall to keep players from disassembling them.
• We will pay the artist for any damaged work. We’re reasonably confident that we can keep the work safe (and we’ve done it before); however, to limit our risk, we would rather not display any piece worth over $200.
• Our games are family friendly, so the artwork should be, too.
• The final decisions on arrangement, inclusion, and exclusion of pieces, as well as the other decor in the Gallery, will ultimately be made with puzzle and gameplay considerations first, and aesthetic considerations second. Be prepared to be flexible.

And… that’s about it! If you’d like to help us make an art show happen in our escape room, please contact us and include a link to your bio and portfolio. (If you can specify the works you’d like us to show, that would be ideal.) Or, if you have friends who might be interested, please direct them to this post.

Even if you’re not an artist, and don’t know any artists, we hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek of the Gallery. Next week, you can look forward to a snapshot of the Crypt.

Until then…
— Ethan and the rest of the Escape team