Current Gallery Fees ...

[Mike H.]

Can anyone give me a general summary of what is to be expected when working with a gallery with respect to fees? Is it normal for them to ask for an exhibition fee up front? Do they also then charge a percentage of sales? Do some or most do only a percentage of sales? Are there other kinds of special advertising charges? What do the charges range in amount or percentages? I understand there has to be a range based on location, photographer notoriety, size and length of the exhibit in general, but what are the normal experiences aspiring photographers should expect?

[Kerik Kouklis]

It's up to you of course, but I would suggest avoiding galleries that charge you to show your work, unless it's a very small fee. These places tend to prey on the new artist desperate or anxious to get a show. Typical arrangements with higher-end galleries are a 50% commission on sales. You provide the work (usually matted, but sometimes they will take care if that, too), they provide the space, framing, advertising, opening reception with refreshments, etc. You should expect payment within 30 days of the gallery being paid.

[paulr]

A gallery that makes its money by charging the artist is called a vanity gallery ... for obvious reasons. some smaller, newer galleries might ask for help from the artist with some expenses. if they do, it's normal for them to take a smaller commission. a full commercial gallery takes care of all the expenses, like Kerik said, and typically takes a 50% commission. And for obvious reasons, they'll only be interested in showing your work if they think they can sell a bunch of it.

[Scott Davis]

I haven't found a gallery that will provide framing anymore, in the last four years of trying to get in to one. I know some galleries prefer work unframed because they do a sideline in framing, so it makes it easier to show matted, unframed prints to customers and sell them the framing to boot. Otherwise, the gallery has to have a very significant investment in framing materials, which eats into their profits. If you know of galleries that will provide framing, I'd love to hear of them, and I'm sure lots of other folks here would appreciate it as well - I'm sick of having to invest $500-1000 USD per solo show in framing.

[Scott Davis]

On a second note, 50% commission is the standard, as mentioned before. In a serious gallery, they do not charge a fee up front to show your work. Good ones will ask you to sign an agreement with them giving them some kind of exclusivity for showing your work in that region, if they decide to represent you. If it is a one-off show, they probably will not. Be careful of any agreement you are asked to sign, and make sure you are comfortable with the terms. I only mention this because I know of one gallery in Baltimore that used to insist that their regional exclusivity cover everything from Richmond, VA to Philadelphia, PA - if you exhibited in their gallery, they wanted you to abstain from showing your work anywhere within a 150 mile radius of Baltimore. They were a good gallery, with a good reputation, but not THAT good. I don't think there are galleries in New York that would claim that wide an exclusivity region.

[paulr]

Most of the first tier galleries in New York will want to frame the work themselves. Keep in mind these are galleries that will not host a show unless they're pretty sure to make a profit from their 50% commission in sales--which will have to cover their publicity, the cost of the opening, at least a few sallaries, and their rent, which by itself could easily be $5000 for a show that will be up for a month. Compared with these numbers, the cost of framing is pretty small. They'd rather do it their way so they know it looks the way they want it to.

This should all help explain why it's hard to get a show in one of these galleries if you're not accustomed to selling $10,000 or more worth of work from a show.

[bglick]

It appears the trend is towards these "vanity" galleries. All markets are vulnerable to supply vs. demand imbalances, and clearly the fine art market has a glut of supply. In Las Vegas, a nice, but not posh gallery about a mile from the Strip offers artist 6 month leases to carry their work. You get wall space 10'x10', for a "lease rate" of $450 / month, paid up front, in 6 month intervals. Both parties must agree on renewal. If your work sells, the gallery gets 25% commision.

Now, I would have thought the gallery would struggle to fill their walls at these rates, right? They have 20 artist displaying at any given time. When I investigated it a year ago, their was a waiting list to get in. So, this shows which end of the business is more fruitful. It also shows just how desperate artist all, and not all of them are starving. (but most likely their income source is from some other means)

[Richard Fenner]

While I find the idea ridiculous, I have inadquate experience to say whether these 'vanity galleries' are the way things work now. A few days ago I came across the details of a sort-of vanity gallery. It's a London-based interior design shop (they sell furniture and accessories) - good, increasingly trendy location, but not a well-known store. If they accept you as an artist to decorate their walls, they charge you £50/US$90 a week for a space 5m x 2.5m (16.25ft x 8.2ft), and they take a 25% commission on sales. Seems an expensive way for artists to provide them with free artwork.

[bglick]

Well said Richard.....

"Seems an expensive way for artists to provide them with free artwork."

In any competitive market, in this case, too many artist, the ante keeps rising till artist pull the plug on going further. Pepsi and Coke do the same battle for supermarket shelf space...they bid on it, higher bid wins, or gets premium shelf space, it's that competitive, and the supermarkets have the showcases / outlets for soda products.

In more favorable markets for sellers, such as unique musical instrument builders or some custom camera builders, you place an order, give 50% down and wait a year to receive the product. Art is easily reproduced, which adds to the competitive nature of the business. This business adage sums it all up.....

In a Buyers market, there is Bidding. (low bid wins)
In a Sellers market, there is an Auction. (high bid wins)

Vanity Galleries is a lesson in capitalism, at its best. Unless of course you are a starving artist :-(

And of course, before we attack the gallery owners, the real question that I am curious about.... are the gallery owners making a fair profit? If not, then it's simply a case overbundance of supply vs. market demand.