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:
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PLEASE NOTE:
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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:
There are five types of agents:
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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:
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. |
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) BUY THIS BOOK A Pocket Business Guide for Artists and Designers from Amazon UK
A Pocket Business Guide for Artists and Designers from Amazon.com
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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.
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.
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CHECK LIST: Are you ready for an agent?Can you answer "Yes" to the following questions:
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REFERENCE:
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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.
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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
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
Business Value
Integrity:
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Credibility: ASK:
Venues / Events:
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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 |
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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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:
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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) BUY THIS BOOK |
Art Business Consultants provide advice about best to market art
They may well have two sets of clients:
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Services offered may include:
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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.
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EITHER by reviewing an aspect of your art business e.g.
OR by delivering a talk or presentation or workshop OR an article written for your magazine Near the bottom of the page you can find out:
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See the CONTACT section of this website
and my webpage Would you like me to help? In it I identify what I cover, how I work and what it costs. |
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:
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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 BUY THIS BOOK |
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
Clients can vary between
A few of them act as investment advisers for those wanting to use the art market to make money or safeguard capital. |
REFERENCE:
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