Gallery fees

[RLH]

I am interested in knowing what the artists
in this forum think regarding the following
formula for Gallery fees.100 dollars to
exibit per month, 25% commission on items sold. The space per artist would allow about
seven 24" X 24" paintings,drawings,collage
etc. Sculpture and ceramicists would have
about 10' X 15' floor space. Monthly commission fees above 300 dollars would
have monthly fee of 100 dollars returned.
Sincere thanks for your input RLH

------------------
RLH

[arlene]

I would never pay to show in a gallery. Is this your gallery, or were you offered an "opportunity?"

------------------
http://www.artdebut.com/arlene.htm

[blondheim12]

I show with galleries on a commission basis only. I do not pay galleries to hang my work. This sounds fishy to me.
linda

------------------
www.lindablondheim.com (http://www.lindablondheim.com)

[timelady]

I used to think you shouldn't pay... but we're trying to sell a product. I've been looking at hiring galleries lately based on the advice of other artists (older friends/tutors who are established and exhibit often). These rates you've mentioned sound very good, depending on the location of the gallery and their track record with sales. Also, do they send out private view invitations etc? If not, will they share their mailing list with you so you can send out announcements? you'll probably have to do all your own marketing. Basically, find out what they're doing for the fee. But $100 a month is very very little, so it probably just covers the space. I was also told to really focus on the private view because that is when the majority of sales take place. It sounds good that they refund your fee if commissions are high too.

The cheapest gallery space I've found is for £100 a week (goes down as you hire it for more weeks), they take no commission and send out private view invitations to their mailing list. This is a publicly funded educational gallery though (ie. they have classes and studios too). They do also "jury" submissions to an extent - so your show has to have a proposal. I'm told £1000 a week is average for an inner-London gallery (not within my budget unfortunately unless I can hire it with other artists for a group show).

This would make a very interesting and information debate. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

Tina.


------------------
http://www.tina-m.com

[Roan]

Just a thought, Tina, but I'm wondering if the gallery fees issue is different in the UK than it is in the States?

From what I've read over the months from various members, it's not normal nor acceptable for US galleries to charge artists for displaying their work.

Do all galleries in the UK charge? Most? This might just be a geographic difference of opinion.

------------------
<FONT face="Script MT Bold"><FONT COLOR="#AB4835"><FONT size="5">Roan</FONT s></FONT c></FONT f>
<FONT COLOR="#8A1010">Call caraid tadhal tric, 's call caraid tadhal ainmig.</FONT c>
-- <FONT size="1">Friends are lost by calling often, and by calling seldom.</FONT s>
RoanStudio.com (http://RoanStudio.com) &lt;-- pastel open stock vendor sources & reviews!

[Michael Zoller]

I show on a commision typ deal, but if the location of the
gallery is in an area that collectors might be. Like are we talking a major city.
I get more respnse hanging work in bohemein typ coffee houses thene is so called galleries. I would be glad to give a pay per mounth gallery a chance for a few mounths, if its in an area where people would appreciate and buy good original paintings.
<FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Text</FONT f>

------------------
ZOLLER

[carly]

This does sound like a co-operative gallery. The one I was associated with charged $50 per month and I had about 20 feet of wall space. I usually had 15 to 20 paintings hanging depending on size. The commission was 30% if you didn't work at the gallery a couple days a month or 20% if you did work. This was a great set up for me because I sold paintings each month that more than made up for the cost, but several artists didn't do as well with no sales.

The gallery I have my work in now gets 50% commission when the work sells, but I do get to set the price and the work is available for me to pick up at any time. If my work begins to sell, they will take more pieces.

Non of the galleries I've approached have ever mentioned a charge for hanging work. They all get 40% or 50% commissions from sales but some of them do reserve the rights on a painting for the time its in their gallery. And if a client wants to purchase it after that time, having viewed it in their gallery....they still get the commission.
carly

------------------
"Everything is not art and Art is not everything, but it comes close."....carly

[RLH]

Thank you all for your input on Gallery fees.
Sorry about the confusion on my intent. I am
considering opening a gallery with the fees I mentioned. From your comments I can see that I should lean toward a co-op model.
Thanks again. RLH


------------------
RLH

[JeffG]

Actually RLH, this sounds OK to me, and it's getting to be a common gallery option in my area. Linda & Arlene, I understand your initial distrust, because there have been "pay for display" places I've heard about that are a rip-off. However, this sounds to me like an artists' co-op situation, and if it's like the ones I'm familiar with, it's a pretty good situation. Most established traditional galleries don't charge, but have high commission rates. They are also very conservative on who they choose to display, since they have high overhead (let's face it, rents are expensive in the tony places where high-end buyers are found, not to mention hiring those models-in-training to staff the places). In my area (Lambertville/New Hope) there are quite a few high-end galleries with this model, but there are now some co-op galleries that enable emerging artists to display and the rates & terms match what RLH stated. And these are not set up by individuals out to fleece anyone, they're set up by groups of artists to pool their resources. Along with the monthly fee, each artist is usually required to gallery sit for a specific # of hours. My art association recently opened one of these and there's another one in town that's doing well. All proceeds from the fees go to rent and utilities.

Take a close look at the contract, but from what you've specified, I'd say it sounds like an up-front acceptable gallery option. It's the occasional "Vanity" gallery that you have to watch for... places that promise to be a full-service gallery and then bring up hidden fees... "You used linseed oil? Oh, then it's the typical $2000 for insurance because your paintings don't meet the fire codes"

------------------
Jeff G.


[This message has been edited by JeffG (edited March 01, 2001).]