How to Work with New Contemporary Art Galleries

The Artist and Art Gallerist Partnership

As an artist, partnering with an art gallery can help you to gain visibility and credibility as well as sell your work.

Working with a gallery should be a professional partnership of mutual benefit. Just as the artist funds and creates the artworks, the gallerist funds and creates a space that presents, markets and sells the work.

I asked some of the gallerists I've worked with, to share their advice to artists who would like to work with galleries.

Read on for their expertise as well as some additional tips from the artist's viewpoint.

1. How do you prefer to be approached by new artists who wish to work with your gallery?

Vicki: There are lots of different ways to approach galleries but my preference is through email. On the gallery website there is a page (artist submissions) that lists a few key points I would like to see in any submission: an introduction to the artist, their work, their medium, examples of their work, what they are looking for (representation, exhibitions or both), their contact details and their social handles. Emails give an insight into the personality of the artist and allow them to submit all the information I look for in one place. Emails also give me the flexibility to look at submissions when I have the time to look beyond their submission and on their website or social media to see more examples of their work.

David: E-mail, followed by a phone call and meeting.

Emily: We have a submissions form on our website which is really the best way to be considered. It keeps everyone on a level playing field and helps organize all submissions in one place. I prefer this to a direct message. 

2. What qualities do you look for in the artists you choose to work with - is the artist as important as the artwork?

Vicki: Absolutely. Artists and galleries end up working quite closely together: respect and professionalism goes a long way. You don’t have to have things in common or become best friends, although I am lucky enough to count many of the artists I work with as friends. You do have to respect what one another does, support each other and try and make things easier for one another whenever you can. To me this means you communicate regularly, support one another on social media and respect deadlines.

David: The artist is of course as important as the art. Stories, stories, stories - both personal and behind the art. The function of a gallery is to tell the artist's stories for 99% of the duration of the exhibition when the artist is not present, to bring the images to life, to find the emotional connection between the artwork and the customer. If one can also find a rational connection, so much the better.

Emily: Of course skill is important, but that is just the beginning. Kindness and a strong work ethic are equally as crucial. I’d easily say the artist is as important as the work they show. Turning in work on time, enthusiasm for the gallery and the exhibit and a willingness to have a mutually beneficial relationship are all very important to Paul and I.

3. What is the most common error you’ve encountered when being approached by an artist?

Vicki: Bad timing is the most common error I’ve encountered. A lot of galleries do additional promotion in the lead-up to an exhibition opening and so artists may discover them and decide to approach. However, the week of an opening is always hectic, and it is easy to overlook an email or think you will get back to it. It also feels a little like the artist hasn’t researched the gallery or thought about a potential relationship if they’ve just seen a promoted post on social media and submitted without getting to know what the gallery represents.

David: Not asking questions, but assuming that others should be interested. Just because they have some good quality work, does not automatically lead to anyone else being fascinated. They need stories. Why should third parties want to invest in their images? What are they trying to show? Is there an identifiable theme, rather than a collection of not connected images?

Emily:  It sounds silly but when a submission comes through without a friendly greeting or introduction, it can be a big turn off. It makes the submission feel very impersonal. I guess that comes back around to kindness, but that’s very important to me. Artists and galleries should have a great relationship and getting it off on the right foot is key.

4. Is the story/concept behind the artwork important to you? Why or why not?

Vicki: I always want to know the story or concept behind an artwork. I think of it as an incredible privilege to get to know the work and the artist a little bit better. Everyone will bring something different to a piece of art; the viewer may have a different interpretation to the artist but without knowing the concept or story I can’t do my job properly. My job is to stand in for the artist and help form a connection between the artwork, the artists and the viewer. Without knowledge of the piece it becomes a lot harder to have a conversation around it, the viewer may not always want to know the story/concept but I have to know it in case they do.

David: It's absolutely vital. See 2 and 3 above. As young children we all love stories. As social beings, humans always want to hear/tell stories.

Emily: I love when an artwork has a meaningful story behind it. I can also respect that art can be very personal for the artist who creates it and therefore can appreciate if interpretation is left to the viewer, as well.

5. Any additional advice or lesser known tips for anyone WHO would aspire to work with your gallery?

Vicki: Supporting the gallery on social media even with just simple likes can make you a lot more memorable when you approach, as can using my name rather than “dear gallerist” in your email. It means that you have an interest in the gallery other than just what it can do for you.

David: Pricing….. artists should have experience in selling and pricing their work. They need to know how to juggle the movable sliders in the mix: experience, previous sales, museum collections, private collections, years, size of print(s), edition size, location. They should have logic around arriving at a final price. Works must be consistently priced worldwide. Differences can be due to VAT and/or transport.  Galleries can sell at a wide range of prices, but need to maintain their reputation. I.e. I don’t want to be seen as a postcard salesman. Postcards are wonderful, but don’t go to an art gallery for them.

Emily: The best advice I could give is to really do research on the type of artwork that gallery shows. Does the artist’s work fit with the vibe of the gallery? The main reason I have for denying a submission is because the artwork isn’t similar to the style of art we show. I’d recommend an artist make sure their work fits the genre of work shown. Other than that, a kind introduction goes a long way!