Posted under:
Selling ArtSUPPLIES
- Computer
- Website
- Digital camera
- Business plan
- Business license
Overview
If you've always wondered what it would be like to operate an art gallery but couldn't afford the overhead of leasing a building, hiring staff, insuring the objects d'art, keeping everything dusted and paying the monthly electric bill, you've come to the right place. Thanks to the Internet, the doors of your new gallery will not only be opening before you know it, but they'll also stay open 24/7 for convenient customer browsing.
Step 1
Identify the purpose of your online gallery. For example, it may feature strictly your own works of art and function as both a virtual marketplace for buyers and an electronic portfolio for prospective clients who may want to commission you to design something new. It could also be a co-op gallery in which artists rent space from you to showcase their work. A third option for your online gallery is to serve brick-and-mortar galleries that are interested in your expertise to help promote new exhibits, interview various artists, or simply make the exhibits accessible outside of normal gallery hours.
Step 2
Draft a business plan that includes items such as: how the online gallery will sustain itself financially; how frequently the content will be rotated/updated; who your target audience will be; how you plan to advertise; and whether or not you will receive a commission on purchases directly through the site.
Step 3
Get a business license and register your gallery's official name with appropriate authorities. The website of the Small Business Administration will walk you through all of the steps necessary to establish your gallery as a legitimate entity. You will be required to keep excellent records of your expenditures (some of them may be tax deductible) and your sales figures, because the government invariably will want a percentage of your success. In addition to federal and state taxes, you may live in a metropolis that is going to hit you up for city taxes, too. Check with your local authorities for specifics, because these vary.
Step 4
Familiarize yourself with websites such as It's World Art and the Site Wizard, which offer dozens of tips on how to run a successful gallery operation and maximize the effectiveness of your virtual displays.
Step 5
Visit art galleries and museums, and take note of how objects are displayed. Pay particular attention to groupings of art as well as the colors of the background walls.
Step 6
Choose the art you want to showcase, and take individual digital pictures of each piece to upload to the website. Write the accompanying text, which should include the name of the artist, the title of the piece, the medium and the sale price. Whether or not you decide to include the date the art was produced is entirely up to you. On the one hand, a date is part of the chronological record of your talent, and people may find it interesting to compare your different periods of expression. On the other hand, someone who notices a date that was a decade ago--and who isn't confident about his eye for art--may assume that it hasn't sold yet because it's not very good.
Step 7
Start building a mailing list of friends, family and neighbors. If you can afford it, websites such as Affordable Marketing Tools are well worth looking into.
Step 8
Design an "opening night" postcard. Identify the date your gallery will open officially for business, and send out invitations. Websites such as Vista Print let you upload your own design and have it printed on glossy or matte postcard stock; some even offers their own mailing services to targeted zip codes.
Step 9
Seek out new talents to add to your roster. Go to local art shows. Post notices at the art departments of local colleges. Distribute business cards and query them on renting space in your virtual gallery. Work out arrangements with reciprocal links to direct more traffic to your gallery.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Depending on your targeted demographics, you may be able to get some start-up capital in the form of an arts grant. Let's say, for instance, that the art you are displaying has been created by teens with autism. The gallery would not only serve as a way to build their self-esteem, but would also ensure that proceeds from the sale of their artwork would go to benefit autism research.
Always list your gallery website as part of your email signature.
Since the income of an artist is often sporadic, talk to an accountant about setting up a quarterly payment schedule.
- WARNING : Always get your agreements in writing, especially if money will be changing hands.
Always include a notation on the website that the art displayed in your online gallery is protected by copyright.
Never let your gallery get stale. Systematically rotate the online exhibits every two weeks so that people return to see what's new.
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