How to make a website
A simple website can help judges, gallerists, collectors and audiences learn more about your practice.
Do I need a website to enter the QRAA?
The short answer is “no” — it is not essential to have a website to enter the Queensland Regional Art Awards (QRAA). Nevertheless, a simple website can be useful if the QRAA judges would like more context about your work. It also lets potential viewers of your work — gallerists, collectors and judges — gain a comprehensive view of what you have been making and learn about your practice and background.
Making a website: top tips
- First, work out your budget. Websites can cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on your needs and wants.
- Ensure you have good content before you start building. This will likely include: high quality images of a representative selection of your work; the titles, dates and media of each work you feature; your artist’s CV (see our guide to writing an artist CV and bio); links to your arts-based social media, if you have accounts; and your contact details (consider a dedicated ‘professional’ email address, and you don’t need to include your phone number).
Build your site, or have it built for you
There are many all-in-one website builders on the market offering pre-existing templates and hosting services, such as Squarespace, WordPress and others. These are usually straightforward: you don’t need specialist coding skills, rather you “drag and drop” your information and images into your chosen template. Compare costs across services and choose a template that fits your purposes and aesthetic.
Alternatively, some artists prefer to make or commission a bespoke site. This is an option, but will generally require more work and financial outlay at the start, as well as ongoing maintenance.