A gallery is an establishment where art is presented for sale and/or exhibition. A gallery’s primary mission is to market the artists whose work it represents and to establish their careers and the value of their works within the professional art world. In addition to its commercial sales activities, a gallery can also help its represented artists find opportunities in public and private collections, cultural institutions, museums, biennials and salons.
In order to do this, a gallery needs a carefully curated portfolio of artists with whom it collaborates in a long-term relationship. These artists are referred to as represented artists, while those with whom the gallery has a one-time collaboration for a specific exhibition are referred to as exhibited artists. A successful gallery will have a deep understanding of its audience and what it believes the public wants to see. It is not uncommon for a gallery to have several artists with whom it has a long-term relationship.
Finding a gallery to represent your art can be difficult. There are 20,000 galleries in the world, but only a few will be the right fit for you. To get a gallery’s attention, you need to reach out to them – which means email, phone and in-person visits. But you should do your research first. Study the gallery’s website, social media and attend their openings and other events to familiarize yourself with their programs and the staff. If you do this, the gallery will know you are a serious artist who is committed to your career and willing to take the time necessary to build the relationship.
Galleries often have a list of their represented artists on their websites and you should read that information thoroughly, paying particular attention to the biographies and backgrounds of the artists and to what they are working on now. The more history and background you have on the artists, the better prepared you will be to explain how your work fits into that narrative and why you are a good fit for the gallery.
It is not unusual for a gallery to ask for exclusivity if it decides to represent your work. However, it is always negotiable and you should discuss this with the gallery before agreeing to anything.
Another way a gallery finds out about artists is through introductions by existing artists. Tim Blum, co-founder of Blum & Poe Gallery, says that he finds many artists through these kinds of connections. Artists are generally receptive to this, as they remember how difficult it was when they were starting out and want to help other artists.
Before you contact a gallery, make sure it accepts submissions from new artists. You can usually find out by checking the gallery’s website – check their “artist submissions” page or if they don’t have this, look for a statement or an explanation of their policies on their about/contact page. It is also important to keep in mind that most galleries are short-staffed and have very full schedules, so don’t take it personally if you get turned down or don’t hear back from a gallery.