Welcome to the first installment of The Business of Art, written by visual arts consultant Wendy H. Outland. Contact her at imwhoknowsart@gmail.com.
Once an emerging artist has developed a body of work, they realize it’s time to get it into the marketplace. Most want someone else to do the selling for them.
There are two standard options: rental booth space (the subject for this month) and retail gallery (to be addressed in a later column). In both situations, the artists who are accepted can simply deliver the work and then head back to the privacy of their studio. Either way, the maker must pay either a monthly fee for a rental booth or a commission (generally 50%) in a retail gallery.
The upside for the more introverted artist is that they don’t have to deal with the public. The downside is that those artists are missing a valuable opportunity to grow their collector base.
Here’s the simple truth: Buyers who get to know the artist are more likely to purchase again and/or introduce new buyers to the artist’s work. Remember that.
Many rental booth businesses encourage artists to spend time in their space, so visitors are offered a chance to meet the maker, which can definitely increase sales. It’s best to keep a regular schedule and post a sign in a prominent location within the booth, such as:
“Meet the Artist, Saturdays 1pm – 3pm”
It will be more effective if the font is san-serif and the letters large enough for the over-50 set to read from ten feet away. Edging the sign with a heavy dark border will help draw the visitors’ attention.
Also include in your booth a brief bio and artist statement, preferably with a small professional looking head shot. That way, at least the viewers will get a sense of who you are as an artist.
Those with a booth should also remember to place a “Visitors Book” in a prominent location, with a pen tethered to it. Request that visitors leave comments and include their email address if they’d like to receive quarterly updates.
Suggested businesses to check out in Asheville: Kress Emporium and Woolworth Walk.
Many artists have kept a presence in a rental booth space long after their career has significantly advanced. Why? It’s because they know a lot of folks don’t feel comfortable going into an upscale art gallery – sad but true.
