Understanding Artist-Gallery Relationships
The relationship between artists and galleries is dynamic and varies in form. It can range from casual participation in a group show to a long-term representational partnership. Our aim is to shed light on the functions of art galleries and guide artists in finding the right gallery partnership that aligns with their career goals.
THE TLDR:
Galleries Sell Art: They are primarily businesses focusing on art sales, including exhibitions and press.
Artist Needs vs. Gallery Offerings: Artists seek exposure and logistical support, while galleries need artists' works to stay in biz.
Avoiding Pay-to-Play: most galleries don't charge for exhibitions. Question these “opportunities”
Services for Artists: Mostly galleries organize exhibitions, handle sales, and do some press outreach.
Researching Galleries: Assess alignment with your work, gallery reputation, and past exhibitions.
Contracts: Get things in writing! Detail terms, commission splits, and responsibilities.
Commissions: Usually 50/50 split which is always subject to discounts and fees.
WHY Art Galleries EXIST
Most think of galleries as clean white walled spaces filled with artwork, providing opportunities for artists to show their work. Yet the gallery artist relationship is more complicated. It's crucial to understand that most galleries are businesses. Their main objective is selling art. This commercial aspect shapes a galleries decisions and interactions with artists.
99% of the time an art gallery is a place that sells artwork. That is their business, so that is their main goal. Sales are increased by a gallery through multiple methods including exhibitions, collection acquisitions, or publications. The thing to remember is that most galleries must sell artwork to stay in business so that is their main function.
Why Artist Want Galleries?: Most artists want a relationship with a gallery in order to show work, have someone participate in business logistics, and expand our communities of potential buyers. This relationship often involves gallery representation and becoming a member of the galleries “stable” of artists.
Pay To Play: The traditional gallery model DOES NOT involve the artist paying to show their work. Be very wary of these “opportunities”.
"Gallery Stables" refers to the roster of artists that an art gallery represents and works with regularly. It includes artists whose careers the gallery actively supports through exhibitions, sales, and marketing efforts. Being part of a gallery's stable usually signifies a commitment between the artist and the gallery to collaborate and grow the artist's presence in the art market.
The Gallery Model: It’s important to note, most galleries work by diversifying and exhibiting multiple artists. They hope that during any given year one or two artists will perform well in the market. Most galleries will spend more time working for their successful artists. The gallery model of having access to multiple artists ensures that they can jump from artist to artist depending on the market. This model is not necessarily in an individual artists best interest and we mention this to say that gallery representation is not a silver bullet.
Primary v. Secondary: Primary Market Art refers to work that is being sold for the first time (like your art). Essentially, it's where new art enters the market. Galleries work directly with artists to sell this work. Secondary Market Art refers to the resale of artworks (like a Picasso). These pieces have been sold at least once before. The secondary market includes auction houses, art dealers, and galleries that specialize in reselling art. This market often features more established artists and can include historical, modern, and contemporary works.
NOTE: many galleries make their money off secondary market sales. This can help float the gallery until an artist in their stable hits it big.
WHAT GALLERIES DO FOR ARTISTS
Here is a list of things a gallery does, organized from most likely to least likely:
Exhibit an artists work
Write about the artwork (usually a press release)
Talk to the press on behalf of artists
Talk to museums and collectors on behalf of artists
Provide promotional materials (ie postcards)
Manage shipping of sales
Take an artists work to fairs or other exhibition opportunities.
Create catalogues of an artist’s work
Cover an artists' production costs (least likely)
Handle an artists administrative studio tasks (least likely)
THE GALLERY STRUCTURE
Art galleries vary greatly in their structure and operations, ranging from small, family-run businesses to large, corporate entities with a global presence. Here's a breakdown of how these different types of galleries are typically structured:
Small Regional Galleries (Mom and Pop Operations):
Ownership: Often owned and operated by a single person.
Smaller in scale, often with a single exhibition space and may specialize in local or regional artists and cater to a local clientele.
Operations: The owner often handles multiple roles, including curator, installer, salesperson, and marketer.
Exhibitions and Sales: Tend to host exhibitions that reflect local tastes and trends; sales might predominantly come from local buyers and their regional community.
Mid-Size Independent Galleries:
Ownership: Typically owned by an individual or a small group of partners.
Staff and Roles: Likely to have a small team with defined roles such as owner, director, gallery manager, director of sales, and registrar.
Artist Roster: May represent a mix of emerging and established artists, both local and international.
Exhibitions and Networking: Regularly participate in regional art fairs and may have a good network within the national or international art market.
Large, Multi-Location Galleries (Corporate Galleries):
These include mega-galleries like David Zwirner and Gagosian. They are the high end blue chip cream of the crop of the art market. If you’re talking with a blue chip gallery, you’re probably not reading this.
Global Presence: Have multiple gallery spaces in major art centers (e.g., New York, London, Paris).
Staff and Departments: Larger staff with specialized departments, including exhibitions, sales, marketing, public relations, and artist liaison teams.
Virtual or Online Galleries:
Platform: Primarily or exclusively operate online.
Scale and Reach: Potentially global reach with no physical exhibition space.
Operations: Focus heavily on digital marketing, online sales, and virtual exhibitions. These platforms often have large stables of artists in the hope that extreme diversification leads to more sales.
GALLERY & ARTIST RELATIONSHIP
Remember, the relationship between a gallery and an artist is fundamentally a business relationship. It’s great for artists and gallerists to be friendly, but that is not why you are here. We’ve heard so many analogies likening artist/gallery relations to dating, this is a dangerous analogy.
While courting a gallery might involve “relational” or more fluid tactics, the ideal artist / gallery relationship should be primarily transactional business.
Artist offers their artwork, while the gallery provides services in sales and visibility. As an artist, it's crucial to understand and leverage your power in this dynamic. Remember, the gallery's business model relies heavily on the artwork you provide; your contribution is a vital component of their operation.
RESEARCHING GALLERIES
When researching galleries as an artist, think about these aspects to ensure a suitable and beneficial partnership:
Gallery's Artistic Alignment: Usually galleries have a style, a typical type of work that they specialize in and sell. Assess if your work aligns with the gallery's typical style or genre. Does your art complement their existing portfolio?
Uniqueness Within the Gallery's Roster: Ensure your work offers something unique and doesn't overlap too closely with another artist they represent. Distinctiveness can be a significant advantage.
Gallery's Reputation and Reach: Investigate the gallery's reputation in the art world. Consider their influence, reach, and the kind of audience they attract. Be introspective, are you a good fit for this gallery? Does your CV look like the CV of other stable artists?
Gallery's Artist Support: How does the gallery supports its artists. What services do they provide in terms of exhibitions, art fairs, sales, and career development?
Gallery's Marketing and Sales Strategy: Evaluate the gallery's approach to marketing and selling art. Look at their website and instagram. How proactive are they in promoting their artists? What kind of sales channels do they use?
Communication and Relationship Style: Consider the gallery's communication style. Are they dismissive or responsive to your attempts at communication. This will be important when building a business relationship.
Past and Current Exhibitions: It’s super important to review the gallery's past and current exhibitions. This will give you an insight into their curatorial style and how your work might fit in.
Feedback from Other Artists: If possible, get feedback from other artists who have worked with the gallery. Do you know any artists in their stable or have any connections to pull? WE would NOT recommend cold calling these artists.
DO NOT: Go to a gallery opening or art fair and try to show your work to a sales person or gallery owner. Definitely feel free to introduce yourself and say hi, but be respectful of their time and start slow in building a relationship.
Take Your Time: Gallery Artist relationships almost never happen overnight or after one meeting. Sometimes it takes years before that business relationship begins.
CONTRACTS
Without delving deeply into the specifics of contracts, it's crucial to emphasize the importance of always having a contract with a gallery. Whether it's a representation or consignment agreement, having a written contract ensures that expectations are clearly defined and agreed upon by all parties. It's vital to understand key details such as the commission split on sales and who is responsible for covering the shipping costs of artwork.
It’s so important for artists to have the following spelled out : Consignment dates of what specific artworks, commission split, who covers shipping, payment terms, reporting of sales - just to name a few.
LINKS THAT GO FURTHER INTO CONTRACTS:
Free Artist Gallery Consignment Agreement
More on Consignment Contracts
Free Guide to artist Contracts
How to Work With Galleries As An Emerging Artists
Always seek legal advice when necessary.
COMMISSIONS
Typically, galleries operate on a 50/50 commission split with artists. However, it's rare for sales to be straightforwardly divided into equal halves between the artist and the dealer. Often, sales involve discounts or consultant fees, which can affect the final amount each party receives. Usually, the artist is involved in sharing the cost of the first 10% of any discount offered.
Common discount types include:
10% Courtesy Discount: A standard discount often given as a courtesy in art sales.
15% Collector/Trustee Discount: For established collectors or trustees, a 15% discount is customary.
20%+ Discount for Museums or Organizations: Sales to museums or organizations typically see discounts exceeding 20%.
Commission structures can get complicated when secondary galleries or consultants are involved. These should be discussed between all parties beforehand.
SUMMARY
In summary, galleries work as businesses and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes from local to international. It's important for artists to understand what it means to be part of a gallery's lineup and how this can help their career. We also give insights into the art market, helping artists make smart choices in their journey to getting a gallery that fits their artistic vision and goals.