Why Gallery Representation Matters

Five reasons for seeking gallery representation

Artists join galleries for a number of reasons. In this blog, I suggest 5 important ones.

1. The Showcasing Angle

The most obvious benefit of gallery representation is that the gallery will showcase and promote your work, enabling diverse audiences and collectors to learn about your art. 

Solo and group exhibits are great ways for the gallery to promote, show and sell your work – and for you to connect with your audience while getting an opportunity to see what resonates with them. 

2. The Marketing Angle

Since a gallery’s aim is to sell art, they will dedicate time and resources to promoting and marketing their shows, artists and collections.

Joining a gallery therefore implies immediate access to professional promotion and marketing – they will get you exposure on social media, include you in their press releases, highlight your work in their newsletters, and amplify your art on diverse platforms. 

Their efforts will reduce your marketing costs and, crucially, equip you with more time to focus on making art. 

3. The Financial Angle

Joining a gallery means benefiting from the work of a team dedicated to your success and such a success includes financial benefits.  Fundamentally, the gallery will take on all that has to do with the sale of your work: customers, transactions and negotiations. 

Gallerists will seek opportunities to sell your work and make recommendations for possible commissions to ultimately benefit you financially, as their job is ultimately to match art and collectors.

Additionally, the gallery will be responsible for costs associated with services such as online sales, insurance, packaging, shipment, and card payments. Being represented by a gallery means not only selling more artworks, but also reducing the many fees associated with those transactions.

4. The Growth Angle

As soon as you join a gallery, you establish a relationship with a team dedicated to your growth and success. This aspect is, in my honest opinion, the most crucial one yet it is frequently underestimated.

When a (reputable and committed) gallerist chooses your work, they are fundamentally indicating that they not only believe in you and wish to support your growth, but they are also willing to commit themselves to your success, long term.

The gallery will work to ensure you can grow, shine, feel stable and feel supported - helping you achieve what you set out to achieve and positively challenging you so you can continuously grow and thrive in your artistic career. 

5. The Community Angle

Another wonderful yet underestimated benefit of joining a gallery is the community you automatically become part of.

Thanks to exhibits and other events, the gallery provides an opportunity for you to meet and connect with fellow artists and diverse audiences. These activities can benefit you by stretching your artistic horizon, inspiring new work, and by offering a platform to reflect on your artistic contribution and directions.

Joining a gallery means becoming part of something larger - a community to support and elevate you. 

Final Thoughts

Of course you do not need to join a gallery and of course there are many platforms that you can leverage to showcase and sell your work.

That said, being represented by a gallery means accessing more than marketing and financial benefits – it means establishing a long term partnership with a team that is committed to your success and joining a community that can help you stretch, grow and thrive.

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