Thoughts on working with a gallery

[Raymond Overman]

I've never had my work in a gallery before but I have placed work with two consignment shops. I'm talking with a gallery now and researching what I need to be prepared for. Here are a few things I've found on other Internet forums and I thought I'd share them with you since there was the recent discussion.

Please add other questions you would ask in the thread.

General questions to ask when working with a gallery from my research:

What is the commission the gallery will take from the sale? Most galleries fall in the range of 70/30, 60/40, or 50/50 depending on what they are doing for you and the venue.

If my piece is sold, when will I receive a check? Most galleries hold your portion of the proceeds and pay on a monthly basis by the first or second week of the following month. In other words, if your piece sells on the 1st of October you could be waiting until the 15th of November for the proceeds.

What is the gallery's tax ID for your tax records so you can show that they were responsible for collecting the sales tax in case of an audit?

What type of marketing will they be doing? Will they be using your piece in photos or marketing material? This is especially important when working with a gallery that has a 60/40 or 50/50 split. If they are marketing you as a headliner, you can justify the higher commission they take.

Do they provide a document stating that your piece is in their care but still belongs to you until the time which it is sold? If the gallery closes their door, you'll need this to prove that the asset belongs to you and is not part of the galleries assets.

If the work is not sold, how will you retrieve it and what is the time frame? If it is shipped back to you, will the gallery pick up the shipping tab or will you be required to? I've heard in some cases where galleries claim the piece if an artist doesn't pick it up in a certain amount of time after a show closes.

Where will your piece be displayed? Is it stuck in a back corner or under glass where it may not get as much attention?

What kind of foot traffic does the gallery have? Do they also promote their products and shows on a web site? Do they have a regular collectors mailing list or send out emails announcing new shows?

What kind of insurance does the Gallery have and will your piece be covered in case of loss? This is important to get in writing since stories change when it's time to write a check.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

One other , in my opinion, question. What kind of security do they have. I was doing well at one untill they had a rash of thefts. I lost three pieces, which they re-embursed, but said that they would not do anymore. The next month I lost another piece. I told them that I had to pull my stuff and did. Nothing personal, just good business. I have heard from other artists that they have lost items there, too.

Bruce

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Raymond, thanks for this post. I have been in touch with a gallery that wants to show some of my work but I had no idea that I needed to consider these things. Great post and very enlightning.

[Barry Elder]

Raymond,

It is very probable that much of the "theft" is inside the gallery, IYKWIM!

[Patrick Taylor]

Thanks Raymond, these are very important points to share, especially since we all put on our rose-colored glasses when others want to showcase our work!