An art gallery is a place that promotes artists by displaying their works to the public/collectors/museums etc. It also sells their pieces. You can find artworks from various eras and genres in these spaces. Galleries can either be commercial or nonprofit.
Commercial galleries are focused on selling artworks to the general public, while nonprofit galleries focus more on art education and research. In addition to showing and selling art, some galleries offer workshops for beginners or even host lectures on specific topics such as the history of an era.
If you are considering becoming a professional artist, working in a gallery is one of the best ways to gain valuable experience and exposure. While many people believe that once an artist is signed with a gallery they automatically have a client base waiting to purchase their work, this is not always true. Many galleries will only show a small selection of the artwork produced by an artist, focusing on promoting the most successful works.
An art gallery’s biggest asset is its portfolio of artists that it collaborates with for the different exhibitions it plans. This is a long-term partnership and the artist is then known as a represented artist. The gallery will also often buy artworks from other galleries, collectors or auction houses to resell them at a later date, which is known as the secondary market.
Gallery directors oversee the day-to-day operations of a gallery. They develop the gallery’s exhibition programme and work with artists to build relationships. They are in charge of marketing, sales, and overall financial performance of the gallery. They may have a team that supports them with their roles, depending on the size of the gallery.
The registrar is in charge of the gallery’s documentation and inventory system. They also organize the shipping and customs procedures and ensure that the gallery space is maintained properly. Many galleries will have a team of registrars for each location they operate.
Art preparators or art handlers are responsible for installing exhibitions, and packing and unpacking the artworks. This is a highly specialized practical skill set that requires great care to prevent any damage to the artworks.
Gallery assistants or supervisors are there to welcome you, give additional information about the current exhibition and answer any questions. While they are not trained to give tours, they can be very helpful in guiding you through an exhibition and recommending other works that you might enjoy.