Consulting for Galleries, Nonprofits, Museums, and Universities
Artist-Centered Strategy, Programs, and Infrastructure for Contemporary Arts Institutions
Mallory Shotwell provides consulting and project management services for institutions navigating the complex demands of exhibition planning, public programming, artist residencies, open calls, and internal systems development. This work supports cultural nonprofits, museums, artist-run spaces, and university galleries committed to building sustainable, artist-centered programs.
Whether you're managing growing application volume, preparing for a major exhibition cycle, or struggling with deliverables and documentation, this support clarifies roles, improves workflows, and ensures your programs align with both artists’ needs and institutional goals.
Services are available remotely or in hybrid formats. In-person support is available in West Michigan, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit.
Areas of Support and Institutional Impact
This consulting work strengthens organizational capacity across multiple domains:
Program and Exhibition Coordination
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Coordination across curators, staff, and artists
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Timeline and deliverable tracking
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Communication protocols among teams
Open Calls and Residency Administration
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Submission intake systems and review workflows
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Juror coordination and communications
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Onboarding and documentation tracking
Workflow and Systems Development
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Standard operating procedure creation
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Internal documentation and metadata alignment
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Cross-department communication and delegation systems
Institutional Documentation and Archiving
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Archive design and maintenance
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Documentation strategies for exhibitions and programs
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Institutional continuity systems for long-term use
Evaluation and Reporting
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Frameworks for grant reporting and program evaluation
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Systems to measure outcomes and refine practice
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Tools for ongoing assessment of engagement and impact
These services are customized to each institution’s structure and capacity, with an emphasis on systems that scale as programs grow.
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Why This Work Matters
Institutional arts work often requires balancing artistic vision, program logistics, organizational priorities, and audience engagement. Mallory’s consulting practice bridges these domains by aligning operational infrastructure with program goals in ways that reduce friction and increase clarity.
This holistic support helps institutions:
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run exhibitions and programs more efficiently
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manage artist-facing initiatives with professional precision
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build resilient systems that endure beyond individual projects
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strengthen organizational culture through clearer communication and documentation
Her perspective comes from years in arts leadership and institutional contexts, including founding and directing an artist-run organization that served thousands of artists and audiences, and leading exhibitions and public programs in nonprofit and civic settings.
About the Process
Each project is grounded in a structured, collaborative framework that brings clarity, efficiency, and alignment across stakeholders. Whether your team is producing a major exhibition, building an artist residency, or restructuring internal systems. The process is designed to integrate seamlessly with institutional workflows, clarify decision-making, and create scalable solutions that last beyond any single engagement.
1. Discovery and Alignment
Initial Discovery Call:
Engagements begin with a complimentary 30–60 minute discovery call to assess your institution’s immediate needs, program goals, and internal structure. This call helps surface organizational bottlenecks, define project scale, and determine the type and duration of support needed.
Organizational Audit (Optional Add-on):
For more complex institutions or multi-department projects, an optional short-term audit may follow. This involves reviewing current documentation, open calls, communication systems, staff workflows, and existing SOPs to assess gaps in alignment or execution.
Needs Assessment Summary:
Within 3 business days of the call or audit, a summary memo is shared outlining your institutional needs, strategic considerations, and preliminary recommendations.
2. Scope of Work and Proposal
A detailed proposal is created based on your organizational size, staff structure, project goals, and timeline.
This includes:
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Defined scope of work with task-by-task deliverables
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Recommended project timeline with key milestones
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Estimated hours or phases of engagement
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Roles and responsibilities breakdown (client vs. consultant)
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Optional add-ons such as staff training or extended implementation
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Every proposal includes multiple options (ex: short-term vs multi-phase engagement) and is structured to allow for hybrid or remote formats.
3. Onboarding and Project Setup
Once the proposal is approved, onboarding includes:
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Setup of shared project dashboard
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Centralized calendar of meetings, milestones, and deadlines
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Shared folders for institutional documents, program materials, or deliverables
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Internal kickoff meeting with relevant stakeholders to clarify team structure and communication pathways
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Timeline agreement to align on scope, review points, and completion benchmarks
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Clients receive a shared communication protocol guide to ensure clarity across departments.
4. Active Project Phase
The working phase includes direct coordination across departments, artists, and curators, depending on your internal configuration.
This may involve:
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Program development support (residency or exhibition planning)
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Back-end infrastructure design (application systems, SOPs, onboarding templates)
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Timeline and workflow development (project mapping, delegation, accountability protocols)
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Live editing sessions for deliverables (call language, artist guidelines, internal documentation)
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Cross-team communication strategies (who responds to what, when, and how)
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Remote or hybrid implementation support based on geography and staffing
All meetings are tracked with summary notes, and tasks are monitored inside the shared project management system. Institutions receive weekly progress check-ins or bi-weekly meetings depending on scope.
5. Closeout and Sustainability Planning
Every project includes a formal closeout phase to support continuity and long-term use of systems and tools.
This includes:
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Final documentation packet with SOPs, timelines, and editable templates
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Recommendations for staff onboarding and future planning cycles
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Optional live staff training (recorded or in-person depending on location)
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30-day follow-up window for questions and refinements
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Long-term engagements also include an evaluation and feedback framework to support grant reporting or board presentations.
6. Ongoing Support (Optional)
Institutions may request continued support on a quarterly or seasonal basis.
This may include:
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Exhibition cycle support across multiple shows
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Residency cohort management and artist onboarding
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New staff onboarding into existing systems
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Communication management during major public projects
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Preparation for application season or institutional restructuring
About Mallory Shotwell
Mallory Shotwell is an interdisciplinary artist, independent curator, and arts administrator with more than a decade of experience leading artist-centered exhibitions, programs, and community initiatives. She is the founder and former director of an artist-run arts organization where she oversaw exhibitions, educational programs, and community partnerships at scale. Her curatorial work is research-driven and collaborative, and her consulting practice draws from her deep understanding of contemporary art systems, care ethics, and institutional infrastructure.
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