You want your art career to take-off - but you're not sure how - and you need help.

This page aims to demystify art agents and art consultants
- who they are, what they do and whether they can help you. 
Art Agents and Art Consultants are people who promote art
- but for different clients and often from an office rather than a gallery. 
It's not unusual for artists to be unclear or under the wrong impression about how these people work. 

​Below you can find sections - with references - devoted to the roles of:
  • types of agents and consultants
  • the illustration agent
  • the fine art agent
  • the corporate art consultant
PLUS
  • the art business and marketing consultant​
PLEASE NOTE:
  • I do not provide any recommendations about artist agents.
  • I do NOT respond to any requests for recommendations.
  • I also do not need your help with my activities.
First a quick summary and then a more in depth explanation of who they are and what they do
  • plus links to more information.  
  • plus books written by the art business consultants listed below.
An art agent acts as "a middle man" between the artist/illustrator and the client/end user.

Art agents work for a fee. They are used by corporate business or private clients to find the best artist for the job (or the collection). They avoid clients having to deal direct with artists and they make business requirements clear for artists.

The agent in turn aims to build up a portfolio of:
  • clients who will give him or her regular work
  • artists who will be dependable and high quality and can deliver what the client wants / needs on time and within budget.

There are three types of agents:
  • the illustration agent - a very well established role; agents are used by many illustrators 
  • the fine art agent - a role which emerged with the demise of some galleries
  • the successful artist's agent - who often operates largely as a business manager (and may also be a spouse and/or life partner - who manages the paperwork and the money)
An art business consultant helps artists to develop skills sets for marketing art and running their own art business. 

They charge fees based on hours/sessions or packages for mentoring or educational courses.
​
An art consultant finds art for specific projects:
  • developing an art collection
  • developing an asset base of artwork for investment purposes
  • decorating a commercial building(s)
  • decorating a home
Assignments may be a one-off exercise. Or they could be part of a longer term engagement for a client.

What they do, how they work and what they cost will vary according to the background, expertise and client base. They usually charge a fee. They may make this percentage based.
A Pocket Business Guide for Artists and Designers - 100 Things You Need to Know 
by Alison Branagan
Rated an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars by 15 readers in the UK

​This is the condensed version of how to succeed in the art business written by Alison Branagan, an author, business adviser and visual arts consultant who has devised and delivered courses on the art business for art students at the University of the Arts in London.
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: A & C Black Publishers Ltd (2011)

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The Art Agent - Illustration

An art agent is more usually associated with commercial art - like illustration. Agents tend to specialise by subject matter and geography.

Competition to be represented by the best agents is intense.
  • Your reputation as well as your artwork is critical.
  • a lot of illustrators have not yet succeeded on getting on an agent's books

People who derive regular income from illustration usually have an agent who sends them work or puts them forward for work required by clients.

Art agents get paid in different ways.
  • Some work on the basis of a commission if you are "on the books" and they actively market your work (Think of them being the equivalent for an illustrator of what a gallery might do for a fine artist)
  • Others get a fee.

CHECK LIST: Are you ready for an agent?

Can you answer "Yes" to the following questions:
  • Are you creative?
  • Are you experienced in commissions?
  • Do you have a consistent style?
  • Does your artist statement say clearly what you do and how you work?
  • Do you have an online portfolio which represents you and your work well?
  • Can you work to a brief provided by a client?
  • Do you have experience in interpreting a brief?
  • Can you respond promptly to a brief?
  • Can you produce artwork to a deadline?
  • Do you uphold professional standards and ethics?
  • Do you care about your own reputation and those of people you do business with?
  • Would you prefer somebody else to handle the business / financial end of transactions with those asking you to produce artwork?
REFERENCE:
REFERENCE:

The Association of Illustrators (UK)
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The Art Agent - Visual Fine Art

Art agents for fine artists represent the artwork of an artist and aim to both enhance its value as well as sell it.

There is a major myth about agents for fine artists. 
  • A lot of artists seem to believe that they are the magic answer for artists wanting to sell their work.
  • However the fine art world does NOT operate in the same way as the commercial illustration world where agents play a legitimate role in the absence of galleries to display the work of their illustrators.
There are VERY FEW ART AGENTS FOR FINE ARTISTS.

Those who do work as agents tend to work as (and are better known as) gallery owners or art dealers.

Artists who do have personal agents tend to be very busy and extremely successful artists where the agent functions more in a business manager role.
I've never once encountered any gallerist who was even remotely interested in talking with an emerging artist's "agent." This is primarily because the gallerist sees it as their job to serve as the person or business authorized to act on the artist's behalf
​
Ed Terpening - Double Agents and Secret Tools of the Trade
In theory an art agent finds a market for the art and enhances its value - for the benefit of both the artist and the agent. To this end they should focus on ensuring that artwork is positioned well - with the 'right' art collector and/or in the 'right' museum.

Commission rates charged by fine art agents without a gallery should be less than those charged by a gallery since they are not financing the fixed cost overheads associated with displaying art and holding exhibitions in premises.  
However
  • they may be using pop-up galleries for one-off shows to display the work of artists.
  • the real asset of any agent/dealer/gallery is their client list and who they can introduce an artist to - without using a gallery
Thus the real value of an agent - if they exist - is who they can introduce your art to without using a gallery.

Otherwise you are paying a fee for an agent to get your work sold and then on top of that paying commission to a gallery when they sell your artwork.

​How much will be left for you - after you have paid your expenses and taxes?
the truth is anyone can represent an artist and assume the role of an art agent. Same as being a gallery owner, it is an unregulated business profession, that does not require any special skills or licenses.
​The Truth about Fine Art Agents | Renée Phillips

CHECK LIST: Working with an art agent

NEVER pay any money to an art agent up front. 
Beware of people whose business is to relieve you of your money rather than sell your art.
Business Value
  • Are you making enough money from your art to share the proceeds via commission to an art agent as well as a gallery?
  • Ask how the commission split works when represented by both an agent and a gallery (i.e. why would a gallery reduce their commission?)​
  • (if you can) Find an artist who has both an agent and is represented by galleries - and ask him or her about the benefits and costs of being represented by both
​
Integrity:
  • Ask them how they work - how do they promote artists; what strategies do they use?
  • Ask for references - these need to relate to credible artists with a track record
Credibility: ASK:
  • how long they have been working as an agent?
  • whether they have worked as a gallery owner or art dealer?
  • names of artists they work with?
  • their art education and academic qualifications?
  • whether they have any professional qualifications?
  • how long they have been working in the art market
  • who they have worked for. Watch out for those that embellish their experience.
  • WATCH how they look at your art
  • LISTEN to the questions they ask - and don't ask.

Venues / Events:
  • Do they own a venue?
  • Do they organise events?
  • Are they looking for stock? (or background decoration?)
  • In which venues / galleries have they placed artists?
I've been in and around the business for well over thirty years now, and I'm not even sure such a job title exists. In my experience, an "artist agent" is pretty much the same as an art dealer or art gallery except perhaps that someone calling themselves an agent might be doing business privately or not out of a permanent location
​
Alan Bamberger - Find the right Art Agent or Website for Your Art
REFERENCE:
  • Choosing An Artist’s Representative By Renée Phillips | Professional Art Magazine - When choosing an artist representative, do your homework to make sure you know enough about them and how the business relationship will work. Renee Phillips poses 16 questions to ask to get the whole story.
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The Essential Guide to Business for Artists and Designers
by Alison Branagan

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
  • 1st edition: Rated an average of 4.8 out of 5* by 20 readers in the UK
  • 2nd edition: Rated an average of 5 out of 5* by 5 readers in the UK

Probably most relevant to those living in the UK but lots of content is relevant to aspiring artists and those starting out everywhere - and probably quite a few who have been around for a longtime who could benefit from these art business basics.
An essential book for any artist/designer who is thinking of setting up their own business, this book literally covers everything you need. This is the information that should be taught in art schools and isn't!
This book covers:
  • How to make creativity pay
  • How to make a living
  • Overview of a Business Start-Up
  • Money Management
  • Business Planning
  • Building Networks
  • Self-Promotion
  • Funding and Sponsorship
  • Creative Crimes - and how to avoid them
  • Confidence & Negotiation
  • Records, Tax and Basic Bookeeping
Written by Alison Branagan, an author, business adviser and visual arts consultant who has devised and delivered courses on the art business for art students at the University of the Arts in London

Paperback: 344 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic; 2nd Revised edition edition (9 Feb. 2017)

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The Art Business & Marketing Consultant
​

Art Business Consultants provide advice about best to market art

They may well have two sets of clients:
  • independent exhibitors of art in a physical space or online
  • individual artists wanting to develop their skill sets to enable them to better market their own art
This section will focus on the latter.
Services offered may include:
  • how to develop the basic business skills required by any artist
  • how to market your art
  • where to market your art
  • portfolio review
  • website review
  • marketing materials review
  • writing copy for artist statements, exhibition catalogues, grant applications etc 
Services may be supplied via
  • workshops and courses (face to face and online),
  • mentoring sessions (sometimes on the telephone or via Skype) 
  • written reviews
  • books (print and ebooks)

List of Art Business Consultants / Coaches
​

The following are people who are art business consultants that I am aware of - who have been around for a while and have developed a following.

I'm not making any recommendations here and the list is alphabetical (based on the name of the lead practitioner). Their country location is indicated after their name.

On this page you can also find some of the books written by the consultants listed next.
A link to their website is embedded in the name of those art business consultants listed below.
  • Alison Branagan (UK) - Provides entrepreneurship and business start-up for the visual arts and creative industries. Author of a number of books about the art business. Offers a range of courses and workshops and other services. Sets up courses for and lectures at UK Universities.
  • Carolyn Edlund | Artsy Shark Business Consulting (USA) - operates largely online. Offers one off consulting and a package aimed at getting you to take action
  • Cory Huff - The Abundant Artist  (USA) - a Web site not only about selling art, but about dispelling the starving artist myth. Lots of free articles, videos and podcasts. 
  • Renée Phillips - The Artrepreneur Coach  (USA) - has been around for a long time. Provides coaching services. I've referenced a lot of her articles on this website.
  • Alyson B Stanfield | ArtBizCoach and Art Biz Blog (USA) - author and coach. Offers art books, events, one on one coaching and online courses related to art business and marketing. Her articles are also referenced on this website.
I'd Rather Be in the Studio!: The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion
​10th anniversary edition
by Alyson B. Stanfield

This is the 10th Anniversary Edition of a book which lots of artists have bought.

​The original 6 principles have been updated and expanded to 8 principles (and 30+ pages)
Written by Alyson B. Stanfield writer of ArtBiz Blog and a workshop leader, art-marketing consultant, and the founder of Art Biz Coach. 

It covers various aspects of self-promotion:
  • how to begin
  • how to present your art and yourself - in writing and online
  • how to stay in touch with those interested in your work
  • how to talk about your work
  • how to build you email list
  • how to mind your money and make the most of opportunities available
  • how to maintain momentum and plan your next steps
Paperback: 290 pages
Publisher: Pentas Press; Fourth Edition
Publication date: March 29, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983146233
ISBN-13: 978-0983146230
Package Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches

Rated an average of 4.8 out of 5 by 29 customers of the 10th edition

Rated an average of 4.8 out of 5 * by 94 customers of Amazon for previous editions ​

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The Corporate Art Consultant

An Art Consultant is somebody who procures art - or helps to buy art - on behalf of a client who may be a collector or a corporate entity.

Those who purport to be art consultants can vary
  • from the well qualified and very experienced
  • to charlatans who only care about maximising their fees.

Clients can vary between
  • large scale corporate clients (e.g. a hotel or department store - or chain of same)
  • smaller scale corporate clients - maybe wanting wall art for new offices
  • an art collector with funds who wants to build a collection
  • somebody who wants to add art to their home

A few of them act as investment advisers for those wanting to use the art market to make money or safeguard capital.
REFERENCE: