Gallery Growth OS: Plan, Program, Pipeline | ART Walkway

TL;DR

• Gallery growth compounds through a loop, not one-off shows.
• Build a repeatable loop: plan → program → pipeline.
• Run it with simple tools: annual calendar, exhibition roadmap, CRM board, and aftercare checklists.
• Eliminate drag: zombie initiatives, over-production, weak follow-up, scattered data.
• Outcome: a gallery that’s less reactive, more repeatable, and easier to scale.

Why This Gallery Growth OS Now

Show-to-show operations leak energy—unlogged visitors, unsent offers, exhausted teams. A growth OS creates continuity: each plan informs a tighter program, and every program feeds a pipeline you can measure. What follows are practical steps any gallery can implement this quarter.

The Gallery Growth OS—at a glance

The gallery OS has three gears and six practical steps:

• Plan — clarity and capacity
• Program — exhibitions that land
• Pipeline — relationships that compound

Six practical steps

1. Position your season
2. Map your year
3. Build the exhibition engine
4. Capture and follow-up
5. Install feedback loops
6. Kill the zombies

Growth example

Step 1. Position Your Season

Without a clear stance, shows blur and messaging drifts.

Action Points

• Write a season positioning statement (20–25 words).
• Choose three anchor artists/themes that express it.
• Define one audience thesis (who you’re reaching and why now).

Step 2. Map Your Year

Season mapping prevents burnout and makes room for depth.

Action Points

• Publish a 12-month calendar (internal) with buffers.
• Assign one focus metric per quarter (leads, press, conversion, revisit).
• Reserve ops windows (install, photography, admin, rest).

Season Planner

Step 3. Build the Exhibition Engine

Run every show the same reliable way so quality scales.

Action Points

• Fewer, better: target 3–4 anchors; cut low-fit fillers.
• Layered moments: press preview → collector walkthrough → public program.
• 72-hour asset policy: pro photos, captions, price list, and release live within three days.

Anchor Exhibition Run-sheet

Asset Checklist (72-hour)

• ☐ 10–15 images, captioned
• ☐ Press release + quotes
• ☐ Artist bio + statement
• ☐ Price list (tiers, editioning, aftercare notes)
• ☐ OVR / landing page live

Step 4. Capture and Follow-Up

If you don’t log and follow-up, openings evaporate by Monday.

Action Points

• One CRM of record (pick and standardize).
• Segment every contact at creation (Press / Collector / Curator / VIP / First-time).
• Enforce a 3-touch sequence for qualified contacts: D+1 thank-you → D+7 insight → D+21 next step (visit/reserve/plan).

Minimum CRM Fields

Pipeline Metrics

Step 5. Install Feedback Loops

Design learning into the season—don’t leave it to vibes.

Action Points

• Press loop: send image packs + quotes within 72 hours; track pickups.
• Collector loop: note objections/interests; update offers and wall-text patterns.
• Public loop: quick QR survey at programs (two questions max).

Feedback Matrix

Step 6. Kill the Zombies

At quarter’s end, list every recurring activity. If it doesn’t serve audience, opportunity, or revenue, it’s a zombie.

Zombie Filter

• Reinforces the season positioning
• Reaches a real audience we care about
• Creates opportunities (coverage, conversations, sales)
• Has an owner and a timeline

Kill-or-Keep Rules

• Miss target two cycles in a row → pause
• Replace “monthly” with milestone (publish when there’s a show, offer, or insight)
• Reinvest time into high-value 1:1 touches

Fix-in Checklist (print this)

• Season statement and audience thesis are written
• Year calendar shows 3–4 anchors plus buffers
• 72-hour photo policy is active
• Every qualified visitor enters D+1 / D+7 / D+21
• One CRM of record; ≥ 95% of records have owner + next step
• Weekly CRM Friday (30 minutes: dedupe, assign, schedule)
• Quarterly OS review (keep / kill / double-down)

A Simple Year, On One Page

Pitfalls to Avoid (and what to do instead)

• Zombie initiatives — set kill rules (miss target two cycles → pause), publish by milestones, and redirect effort to targeted previews + 1:1 outreach.
• Over-production — cut 20–30% of the calendar; follow the anchor run-sheet (−6w/−3w/−1w/+0–72h/+7d/+21d).
• Weak follow-up — enforce the 3-touch, assign one owner per lead, and send a single, timely next step at D+21.
• Data chaos — one CRM of record, minimum fields, and a 30-minute weekly hygiene routine.

Role Ribbons

🖼️ Gallery

Map capacity, set one quarterly metric, enforce the 72-hour asset policy.

🎨 Artist

Ask how your show fits the season and what follow-up you’ll be part of.

🏛️ Institution

Borrow the pipeline gear for members/donors; the same 3-touch sequence converts here too.

💼 Professional

Offer an OS setup: calendar cut, 3-touch build, CRM hygiene, 72-hour photo SOP.

FAQ

How is this different from a business plan?
A plan is static; an OS is a quarterly loop that compounds.

Can small galleries run this?
Yes—clarity and follow-through matter most when resources are tight.

Where do fairs fit?
They’re Program; the Pipeline turns fair attention into relationships and sales.

Minimum stack to start?
Shared calendar, CRM board, asset checklist, simple follow-up workflow.

How do we measure progress?
One quarterly metric tied to revenue or reach. Review, report, reset.

How do we keep it from becoming bureaucracy?
Keep tools lightweight, set kill rules, and do a 30-minute weekly OS check-in.

What changes first?
Cut one zombie channel, enforce the 72-hour asset policy, start the 3-touch sequence.

Key takeaways

• Systems beat sprints: Plan → Program → Pipeline.
• Fewer, better shows with layered events outperform packed calendars.
• Disciplined follow-up and a shared CRM are the multipliers.

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