Brown Paper Tickets asked me to do a free event tonight at the Hedreen Gallery on 12th (at Seattle U, at 7 pm, tickets) to give advice about art PR.

Considering that this will be a conversation about how to have a conversation about largely unseen things (upcoming art shows and objects), it is several times removed from the stuff of life and has the potential to be the dullest conversation anyone has ever had. However, I am going to try to do my best to avoid this, and to keep it short and helpful.

Several months ago, a busy art writer for the Houston Chronicle, Douglas Britt, wrote an open memo to PR people. He caught flak for its exasperated tone, but its best advice is this: We're busy, just like you. Tell us something substantive.

1) If this is one of your biggest shows of the season, tell me why – and make the "why" be about the importance and quality of the work – not the fact that the artist is really old, really sweet, taught at UH for 20 years or was so-and-so's student. Not about the fact that the consul of Belgium bought one of his pieces or Peter Brown might buy one. Make it about the work. The work. The work. The work.

Ask me anything.

Update: When I posted this to FB, a critic in Milwaukee wrote, "Step one. Make good art."