‘Describe an art exhibition that you have visited’ is a cue card topic for the IELTS speaking section. In this round of the IELTS test, you will get a topic known as the cue card topic on which you have to speak. For this reason,d you have to speak for 2 minutes after which the examiner will stop you and ask some follow-up questions related to the topic. You will be given one minute to prepare before being asked to speak.
How should you talk about the topic?
The key to ace this round is to be quick and creative in framing your answers. You need to start preparing your thoughts as soon as you get the cue card topic along with pen and paper. You should be quick as only one minute is allotted for preparation. In this one minute, you have to structure your answers in a good way and be ready to deliver them. Keep in mind to not go into details or generalize the topic. As this round is continued by the follow-up questions round you should be mentally prepared for that as well. We have added a few follow-up questions related to the topic ‘Describe an art exhibition that you have visited ‘ at the end of this article.
Your performance in this section is assessed against 4 criteria Fluency and Coherence (FC), Lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy and pronunciation. This is an easy-to-score section if you are well-prepared.
Sample Answers for the topic-Describe an Art Exhibition that you visited.
My City: Describe an Art Exhibition that you visited
Introduction
Art exhibitions are spaces where the audience can see the work of famous artists. It can include artwork from a single artist, a specific period or a specific genre. Visiting art exhibitions can be fun. Here I am going to ‘Describe an art exhibition I have visited’.
When did you see this exhibition?
I visited an art exhibition recently that was organised in my city. I went there along with some of my friends who are Art lovers.
Where was the exhibition held?
The exhibition was held in one of the city auditoriums of my city. My city has 5 auditoriums but this one is the biggest of them all and can accommodate a lot of people. However, the auditorium is located a bit outside of the city so we had to drive for 2 hours to get there. The place was crowded with other visitors so I had to wait a lot to park my car and enter the area where the art was exhibited.
What was on display?Â
Their exhibition had paintings and drawings that were very beautiful. The exhibition was by a painter whose area of expertise is Abstract painting. As abstract art does not visually represent reality, the paintings exhibited here were in different shapes and colour forms and other medium-specific effects that produced extraordinary images or scenes. It took me a lot of time to understand and appreciate each of the paintings that were on display here.
Explain your impression of the exhibition.
As the exhibition was conducted in a big hall on the outskirts of the city away from all the noise, it provided a calm environment for the audience to witness this exhibition. Sweet music was played at the background complimenting the ambience. The exhibition was nice and the art displayed was liked by everyone which was an appreciation for the artist.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the art exhibition went well and the artist was highly appreciated by people. I along with my friends enjoyed this exhibition a lot and I hope more of these are held regularly.
Example 2: Describe an art exhibition that you have visited.
Introduction
Art exhibitions are a way for artists to showcase their talent and work in front of the world. When they are appreciated it boosts their confidence and inspires them to create even better art. Art exhibitions are also a treat for Art enthusiasts. Being one of them, for this cue card topic I am going to talk about a time when I visited an art exhibition.
When did you see this exhibition?
I went to this exhibition last year when I went to Mumbai to visit my cousin. My cousin informed me about this art exhibition and I decided to pay it a visit as soon as possible.
Where was the exhibition held?
This exhibition was held at The Bombay Art Society. It is a contemporary art space with 2 galleries, an auditorium and an events room. This exhibition was held in the auditorium of the art gallery.
What was on display?
There were many sculptures and clay items on display. These sculptures were based on the theme ‘mental illness’.Every piece displayed here dealt with one or other form of mental illness such as depression, anxiety etcetera. One had to look carefully with an open mind to understand what the sculpture depicts . Many of the items displayed here were being sold too. I myself bought a piece which depicted anxiety. I loved it after I understood the concept and decided to buy it for myself as I resonated with the piece.
Explain your impression of the exhibition.
The exhibition was conducted at the Bombay Art Gallery which is an art in itself. The ambience of the place was peaceful and quiet which was contradictory to the pieces displayed at the exhibition. The artworks displayed were absolute masterpieces and got a lot of appreciation from the audience. This artwork was by a local artist who was also present there explaining the concept to his admirers.
Conclusion
My experience at this art exhibition was great and I would like to come back to this place for new exhibitions.
Example 3: Describe an art exhibition that you have visited.
Introduction
Art exhibitions are a platform for artists to showcase their art to the world. It exposes them to the public where they can be appreciated, criticized and sell their artworks as well. Art exhibitions are also a place equal to heaven for people who call themselves ‘art vultures’.It gives them a space to appreciate new works and add them to their collection. For this cue card topic, I will be describing an art exhibition that I visited.
When did you see this exhibition?
I went to see this exhibition last week along with my mother who has a keen eye for arts and crafts.
Where was this exhibition held?
This exhibition was a handicraft fair and was held at a stadium in my town. This exhibition is held every year and artists come here to showcase and sell their art to people. The authorities who organise this fair built a structure that looks like a tent and is strong enough to sustain weather changes. Each artist is allotted a space to display their art. An entry ticket of ₹10 is charged to the public.
What was on display?
As mentioned earlier this was a handcraft fair so the items displayed here were handcrafted materials such as statues, showpieces, wooden tables, sofa sets and jute items made up of Himalayan hemp. There were at least 15 -20 stalls with different handcrafted materials. My mother was interested in a stall that sold handmade pickles and snacks. She bought many items from that stall where as I was interested in the section that sold jute bags and items. We spent 2 hours at the exhibition awed by the excellence and talent of the artists. We also bought many items from the exhibition.
Explain your impression of the exhibition.
We had a lot of fun at the exhibition that day. The stalls were impressive and the touch of the local vendors added to the excitement of the experience. Such an exhibition motivates these artists to work harder and create one-of-a-kind pieces.
Conclusion
My experience of this art exhibition was great. We bought many items and appreciated the workers behind them. More such exhibitions should be held every year.
Other IELTS Cue Card:
Talk About An Important River In Your Country
Describe A Resolution You Made In The New Year
Describe Something Important That You Lost
Describe A Time When You Needed To Use Your Imagination
Follow-up Questions for IELTS Cue Card topic Describe an art exhibition that you have visited
1. Do you think enough people go to art exhibitions nowadays?
In my opinion, I don’t think enough people visit art exhibitions nowadays as most of the time people are busy working and glued to their phones when they are free. I also think that not many people know about an art exhibition when it is held. I think the reason behind this not many people know about the concept of art exhibitions. They prefer to visit museums before any other art venues. If educated about the importance of arts and exhibitions there is a chance that more people will visit art exhibitions.
2. How could art exhibitors attract more visitors?
To attract more visitors to art exhibitions, the exhibitors can advertise them on various social media platforms. They could send an open invite on social media. As a majority of the population is active on these platforms the invites will be received by the masses thus attracting more visitors to the exhibition. In addition to this these exhibitions can be held on public holidays so more people are free to visit. They can also hold these exhibitions at places that are well known or crowded so the news about the exhibition will travel through word of mouth and attract more visitors.
3. What are your views on paying an entry ticket to visit art exhibitions?
I think it is ok to charge people to visit art exhibitions as conducting exhibitions costs money and charging a ticket helps manage that cost. If the fee charged is reasonable it is not a problem however if people are charged unreasonably they may not want to visit the exhibition.
4. What are some ways to support artists?
One way to support artists is by buying their work. Sharing about the work of the artists and urging more people to visit their exhibition is also a way to support artists.
5. Will you ever organise an art exhibition?
I don’t think I have the eye that’s needed to organise an art exhibition. However, I will always visit exhibitions to appreciate art and support artists.
Gaurav Kandari is a seasoned study abroad consultant with over 5 years of experience, specializing in guiding students to the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. An avid traveler, he draws on his global adventures to enrich his consulting, providing invaluable insights to aspiring scholars.
