Exhibition 'fee'

Since graduating I have had many emails from Gallery owners - online or other - inviting me to exhibit or join their website.

Seems like a nice idea at first. 'Wow they must like my work, I'll ask them more about this wonderful offer'.
Until you get the 'further information' about having to pay for online membership (fee per image you want to upload) and then them taking commission, or having to pay a ridiculous fee for having an exhibition in their gallery and having to pay for PR launch material etc. etc.

One experience of mine was being invited to exhibit in Portugal, sounded great, except I noticed a couple of slightly suspicious points... They did not name me in the email specifically - thus making it a generic email to (I presume) many recipients, whom all graduated at the same time as me.  I found this out to be true a few days later.  Also they asked me to reply asking for more information if I was interested, which I was, there is no harm in asking.
When I eventually got a response I was quite shocked.  They said I would be required to pay half of the fees for the PR launch for the exhibit, a total of £650!! I also was told I would be responsible for all transportation costs of a minimum 10 paintings for the exhibit, that's fine if I didn't have to pay the PR fee (and it would also help if I had that kind of money to throw around in the first place).

When you've just graduated, you don't have a lot of money to spare!! Let alone money for an exhibit where you might not sell any work!

I want to get my art out there, I'm sure a lot of other people want to show off theirs as well, but with the state of the arts funding in the shitter as it is, everyone is trying to save money - and I think it's a much better idea to get together and organise events at quirky (free!) venues where you don't have to worry about making your money back.

Enough of my ranting, I'm looking forward to taking part in few exhibitions over the next few months - and they're probably free to take part in as well...!!