 Randall & Kay Branham |
Fee charged by gallery for displaying your work. I have filled out a questionaire about displaying in art galleries. Mac Worthington Gallery of Columbus Ohio has called and wants to see 5 or 6 pieces of my work, and that there would be a fee involved for displaying my work in his gallery. Question: Is this the usual practice, and if so, what would be the typical amount? I am only familiar with galleries charging 30-50% commission on sold pieces. Thanks, Randall
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Kathy Radford |
From what I have heard you are correct most charge 30-50%. You didn't mention what Mc Worthington Gallery was charging. Kathy in NH
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Randall & Kay Branham |
I guess I'll find out when I make my presentation. It wasn't mentioned over the phone. He only mentioned a fee after I asked about it. thanks Randall
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Pat |
This is an older post but I thought I'd reply since I have some info about this and maybe someone will find it useful. Recently I met with someone from Mac Worthington and the commission from selling through their gallery was 30% - 40% from sales made via their web gallery - but there was also a monthly charge for displaying your pictures, a charge for putting pictures on their online gallery and a charge for setting up a profile on their website, plus printing charges for promotional flyers and postcards. All together I was told I would be charged between $500 and $700, and I'd only be displaying one or two photos in their overcrowded gallery. I've also never dealt with a gallery before - so far just small businesses that display local artist's work - but this does not seem right at all. Needless to say they really loved my work and wanted it in their gallery.
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Mark Feldstein |
Hey Pat...you know what a schmoozer is? Those guys you're all describing sound like the "Endless Journeys" scammers only in the gallery rather the publishing biz. IMO those guys are trying to play on your vanity, rip you off, take your dough and do basically nothing for it. RUN...RUN !!!!! In my neighborhood, that includes Carmel, CA, it's like New York in the sense of being a western ground zero for the U.S. art market, galleries and sales. That includes Ansel Adams and the Weston clan. among a gazillion well-known photographers. None of the galleries here charge a start up fee for in-house, walk-in and really visualize galleries. They contract with the artist for a set period of time, say 6 months to 1 year, and if you provide them with finished art, including the shot and the frame, they put it on display and usually take only a flat 40-50 per cent. Nothing more. They market the gallery by mail and internet, promote your work and talent, handle the selling, the bio, all the printed materials, lighting, heat, pay the sales staff, etc. AND AND they host the opening. Ok, so the photographer pays for wine, the gallery buys the cheeze puffs. All the artist really has to do is deliver the work on time ready to hang up. Remember, photography, unless you're really well-known, goes for significantly less than an established artist including painters or sculpters. When you display in a gallery, while part of the purpose is to get your reputation out there, you still need to at least break even for your expenses including prints and framing. And to make a profit, at the fees you mentioned, you'll have to be charging at least several hundred bucks a shot. So let me ask you guys something: Do you think your work is good enough to support those kinds of fees? A gallery charging between 500-700 bucks to post your work on a website PLUS a commission on top of that is just ludicrous. They're likely doing that to hedge their bet that your work won't sell, but they don't tell you that and they're sure not going to make any guarantees. If they do, put your track shoes on and really start to run. I strongly suggest they give you references and you should talk to a photographer who's had them represent their work and get their side of the story. Find out the gallery's photographic sales rate, percentage of shots vs. sales over what period. What's their monthly foot traffic? Then, tell the gallery to hit the bricks. Here's a suggestion: Get a bunch of photographers together, say 10 of you, rent a store front, hang some track lighting which is relatively inexpensive, get a biz license and paint the walls reflective white. Hang your work there as a group and sell it. Every print sale goes to the photographer. All you guys pay is a monthly rent and split your overhead 10 ways. It's a co-op gallery. Everyone kicks in for the rent, etc. and each photographer does time on the schedule gallery-sitting during the week. 10 photographers at say 600 bucks a pop buys a fair amount of rent and post card printing and mailing. Where you guys live, you could probably get a decent space for $600 bucks a month. 10 photographers you're on your way to a full year of gallery space and don't have to pay each other commissions. Whaddya think? Oh, and if you do sign on with a gallery, WRITTEN CONTRACT for the works. No verbal additions or deletions and if you don't understand something in the contract, go to a lawyer and have them explain it to you or get it taken out of the contract. And don't, whatever you do, succomb to flattery. Okie dokie? Go ahead...put the other gallery out of business ;>)
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Randall & Kay Branham |
Thanks Mark and Pat Mark you are right again , as it turned out I turned down the interview and I am glad I did . Its from this forum and the information that I have learned from better photo .com that gave me the insight to realize I was about to be taken. Good idea about putting 10 together I might try that. Thanks Again for all the good advice. Randall
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Pat |
Thanks Mark I never had any intention to lay down the cash. As soon as the talk of costs came up warning bells went off. As you pointed out I knew immediately there would be no way to recover these costs without charging an outrageous price and that would mean I'd be sure not to make a sale. Unfortunately the flattery has had kind of a reverse effect on me. It was smarmy from the start and has left me feeling a bit dirty. Now I really want some good criticism! Randall, I'm glad to hear you weren't taken in. pc
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Mark Feldstein |
Sorry guys if I wasn't clear in which part of my response was directed toward whom but you got it anyway. The more I thought about it, I really kinda like the idea of co-op galleries because I think that so much can come from that sort of collaberative effort. Teaching, learning, your own workshops, helping each other out, pooling your resources and having partners to go shoot with. I think that'd be pretty cool. Kind of like what we used to do with food co-ops back in the (dare I say it) 60's and 70's [and even now to some extent]. As for critiques, I think you can get fair constructive criticism around here from a lot of folks and of course, in this biz, you really have to be your own best and worst critic, and that ain't easy to do of course. I'm glad to hear you're being careful about how you approach representation and sales. That's always a good thing. Take it light.
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Irene Troy |
In my area, Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, cooperative art galleries are common. Artists in all types of media get together to rent space in a visible part of town and there they display their work. In addition to the galleries, many of these coops offer classes and other forums where artists of all levels, beginner to pro, can share ideas and learn. There is board of directors, made up of group members, who set standards and determine who may display their art work in the galleries. The fee for becoming part of the coop varies from group to group, but most times the fee is reasonable and includes membership in the forum support groups and a discount on classes. To display work in the gallery the artist must meet minimum standards and pay a commission for sold work. I think these coops are a terrific idea! Unfortunately, for whatever reason, very few photographers seem to participate in these groups. I have considered joining such a group, but, at least at this point, I don’t believe my work is up to that level. Irene
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Mark Feldstein |
Actually, Irene, when we had a local association here about 9-10 years ago, we were headed in that direction. Carmel galleries just wanted too much, especially from guys (and gals) just starting out. We even had a space picked out and got all set to put in a community darkroom and offer courses to school kids and their parents. We had support from Kodak, Agfa and even Fuji at the time. But it's funny because as soon as we started talking about rates for shooting various kinds of assignments, most of the others kind of vanished. I still don't understand why that was but I've heard similar stories from others elsewhere. Afterall, there's strength in numbers. Maybe most photographers are loners. Dunno. But I'm with you. I think it's a terrific way to work and build support in local communities. Educational, cost effective, good exchange of ideas and talent, good use of time...and there you have it. :>) I may take another whack at this concept here. Volunteers???? :>)))
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Mark Feldstein |
Actually, Irene, when we had a local association here about 9-10 years ago, we were headed in that direction. Carmel galleries just wanted too much, especially from guys (and gals) just starting out. We even had a space picked out and got all set to put in a community darkroom and offer courses to school kids and their parents. We had support from Kodak, Agfa and even Fuji at the time. But it's funny because as soon as we started talking about rates for shooting various kinds of assignments, most of the others kind of vanished. I still don't understand why that was but I've heard similar stories from others elsewhere. Afterall, there's strength in numbers. Maybe most photographers are loners. Dunno. But I'm with you. I think it's a terrific way to work and build support in local communities. Educational, cost effective, good exchange of ideas and talent, good use of time...and there you have it. :>) I may take another whack at this concept here. Volunteers???? :>)))
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