Is this a unique Gallery Operation?

[Tony De Masi]

I finally stopped in at our one local gallery this morning. I spoke with a lady there, not the owner, about how they operate, meaning commissions. She told me that they do not operate on commissions at all. If you are selected to have your items in the gallery they charge you by the amount of space you use. For a 4' wide by 8' tall wall area you are charged $50 a month, and for a space half that size you are charged $25 a month. BUT, you will also have to commit to working some hours at the gallery. For the $50 a month size area they will require you to work four shifts of three hours each. For the $25 size area they will require you to work two shifts of three hours each. I've never heard of any arrangement like this mentioned in all the posts I've seen here on the Creek so I'm not sure if this is an unconventional arrangement or not. Also, the gallery is only open four day a week, T-S, so I'm not sure how much traffic they get but the lady I talked to says she does fairly well, whatever that means. The thing that has me from getting too excited about this is the working part. Since I retired four years ago, work has become a real four letter word to me.

So, what are your thoughts about this? Keep in mind that I have not talked to the owner and have no idea if I would even be invited into the gallery.

[Mark Hubl]

Is it a co-op gallery? I have heard of this sort of thing with co-ops and art leagues. Also some of the antique dealers around here do similar things. Not bad if you have the time and like working in a gallery.

[Robert McGowen]

I am with Mark. This would be more of a co-op than an actual gallery. I don't see where anyone working there has anything to gain by you selling something, therefore what is their incentive to sell anything of yours and not try to push their own stuff. I would go to a real gallery where the owner takes a commission and makes money when he sells your items, therefore providing incentive to do so. It also does not cost you anything unless you sell something. YMMV


If I recall correctly though, you could be well on in life with nothing to do but work at the co-op...............

[Brian Palmer]

Its the same as a gallery I have stuff in.

[Ted Calver]

When my wife was crafting she had a booth in something called 'Crafters Mall' that operated like this. She paid $80 a month for a 4'x8' stall and worked 2 hours a week. The amount of work required varied with the number of artists/crafters who used the store. She also had the option of paying more and not working at all. The store also took a small percentage of her sales. It was a great concept and was in a good location so there were plenty of participants...IIRC over a hundred booths...all very nicely displayed. The people who ran it had three similar locations. It closed when the area it was in became a hot spot for retail and the landlord wanted an outlandish rent increase when the lease expired. The nice part of it, and one of the reasons for it's success was the broad range of materials for sale-- paintings, watercolors, pottery, weaving, knitting, crochet, wood objects, turning, jewelry etc. It was one stop shopping and got a lot of traffic.

[Alan Trout]

I am in several gallery's including a Co-op. I do sell stuff at all of them and I really like working my one day a month at the co-op gallery. I meet a lot of neat people and have a good time. Most of my stuff has been sold by someone other than myself. There is a motive to the people working at the gallery. If the gallery is successful than everyone benefits. My stuff is some of the most expensive pieces in the gallery and not always an easy sell, but every so often someone walks in and can't leave without one of my pieces. It is worth a shot and may very well be a enjoyable experience if not a learning experience.


Alan

[Robert McGowen]

I am in several gallery's including a Co-op. I do sell stuff at all of them and I really like working my one day a month at the co-op gallery.

Alan, I can see from the work that you post here why yours is some of the more expensive items for sale. I guess it is the career field that I retired from (law enforcement), but I look at it like there are 30-60 different people working the store each month, numerous booths or tables scattered throughout the floor, and I have 10 x $500 items for sale in my area just sitting on a table or shelf. I would be so afraid of something getting stolen or broken, that I do not think that I could leave my items there. Who is responsible for your things the other 29 or so days that you are NOT there. Have you had any problems such as those or am I not seeing the whole picture? I am asking, because they have something similar where I am, but I have never really considered it because of the reasons I mentioned.

[Paul Williams]

Perhaps working there would give you good feedback regarding what people are buying and why your stuff is or isn't selling.

[Mike Cruz]

Hey, Tony, maybe I'll put my stuff in that gallery, too. That way you and I could work the same days, I'll only sell your stuff and you only sell mine. It's a win win situation!

[Tony De Masi]

Mike, that's not a bad idea. But you will have to turn some items first.

[Mike Cruz]

Um, I think you have me confused with someone else... I DO turn. Maybe not as much as some who are retired and have the time to be on the lathe 5 days a week...

[Roger Chandler]

Tony,

The Oasis Gallery here in H'burg has a similar deal..........those accepted have to agree to at least 4 hours a month maybe two of them a month and they charge "rent" for artist to display their stuff plus their 40% commission. They have an arrangement currently with our group for the SJPT items which are going for the Wounded Warriors.............it will end at the end of February.

[Sid Matheny]

There is one not far from me that has a 30% commissions AND you have to work 4 four shifts per month. I said no thanks! Back a few years ago when I was making a lot of pens I was going through a jewelry store that only got 10%. 30% and me work there was to high for me! Yeah I'm a tight wad.

Sid

[Jamie Donaldson]

This is a typical co-op operation, and success as a retail outlet is often dependant on skillful business operators and location, location, location.

[Tony De Masi]

Thanks all for your input.

Roger - this one is a bit different as there is no commission involved.

But I think I'm with Sid and Robert on this one. Though they may take my items in for the gallery, just the thought of HAVING to go to work again just rubs me the wrong way. AND, the no commission meaning there won't be much of a push to sell items leaves me kind of walking away from this too.

Thanks again.