This page covers:
|
The business model of a Vanity Gallery revolves around extracting money from artists rather than selling artwork to art lovers. |
A Vanity Gallery is to Art what Vanity Publishing is to Books. It makes its money from the artist NOT from sales of their art.
People want to see their art on the wall in an exhibition and are prepared to pay for this - just as authors are prepared to pay for their book to be printed. How a Vanity Gallery makes its money: primarily they make money from
|
A variation on the Vanity Gallery is the Gallery with the frameshop attached which wants to show your work - but only IF you frame all your artwork using their exhibition frames and pay for the brochure and all invites.
Even with a discount, such galleries are often making their profit from sales of their frames to the artist. They use the artist to showcase their frames in their Galley at no risk to themselves. The whole financial risk is borne by the artist. Bottom line - if the business purpose of a gallery is extracting money from artists then it is very unlikely to benefit your art career. |
Below are a number of articles and blog posts - about Vanity Galleries - by people who advise artists about the business side of marketing and selling art.
|
If you want to read some perspectives other than mine, have a read - it's how I learned about Vanity Galleries and how they operate.
|
REFERENCE: What is Vanity Gallery?
|
REFERENCE: Reasons to Avoid Vanity Galleries
|
A Vanity Gallery is NOT an Artists' Co-operative:
Payment of fees does NOT equate to a Vanity Gallery:
|
Commercial Galleries that rent out space are NOT all Vanity Galleries
|
|
|
The typeof artist typically targeted by the Vanity Gallery include:
Having a website, blog or Facebook Page make it so much easier for galleries operating in other countries to target you and your aspirations for your art. It's up to you to be smart and refuse to be naive. |
TARGET AUDIENCE CHECKLIST - Questions to ask:
|
Marketing by Vanity Galleries typically has certain characteristics which can be used to check them out.
Vanity galleries typically
Not all vanity galleries are B&M galleries on the street - some are online. Vanity type-activities may seek artwork for an online competition or a book in return for a fee. They may offer you a link to their website in return to a link to theirs (it's what Saatchi did!) |
MARKETING CHECKLIST - Questions to ask:
|
Gallery Identity/Exhibitions: Successful galleries often have 'an identity' in terms of the type of art they show.
However the exhibitions held in Vanity Galleries tend to be very diverse suggesting:
Gallery Artists: Serious commercial art galleries tend to
By way of contrast, Vanity Galleries typically do not have "gallery artists" although they may well try to suggest that they do. If you review the list of past exhibitions and/or the artists' bio pages, it's typical for vanity galleries to have artists who hold one show only. |
GALLERIES & EXHIBITIONS CHECKLIST - Questions to ask:
REFERENCE: Alternative Options to Vanity Galleries
|
Being fooled by a Vanity Gallery can prove to be a very expensive mistake. It's best to beware of all the financial implications of getting entangled in their web of deceit.
Some vanity galleries:
|
FINANCIALS CHECKLIST - Questions to ask:
REFERENCE:
|
Vanity Galleries can often be averse to proper documentation and records of transactions between the artist and the gallery.
Don’t leave any art work anywhere, for any time period, without a signed consignment agreement. |
PAPERWORK CHECKLIST - Questions to ask:
REFERENCE:
|
ABOUT ART BUSINESS INFO. FOR ARTISTS
This website provides a compendium of resources about the art business for artists. It helps artists learn how to do better at being business-like, marketing and selling art and looking after their financial security. |
If you've got any suggestions for what you'd like to see on this website please send me your suggestion
|
PLEASE NOTE:
1) Content and the law change all the time. 2) Given the size and scope of this site I do NOT warrant that
|
3) This website is free for you but not for me. Links to books are Amazon Affiliate links. Buying a book via this website means I get a very small payment which helps to fund and maintain this website. .I much appreciate any support your provide. Adverts are provided by Google AdSense - but the adverts do not mean I endorse the advertiser.
|