I'm fairly new to the whole nature/landscape photography business, but have been doing it for about 3 years now. I live in a fairly rural area, don't travel much because of some physical problems the last couple years, so I pretty much stick to shooting my local area, trying to get different slants on "everyday" things...
Anyway, the first show I entered, ended up with one of my images being selected for the PA State Museum of Art. The second show I entered, one of my shots was one of only 37 works of all art selected for a national exhibit. I've had some other success on a more regional level as well. Now, i know that PALES in comparison to the true professionals here, but this is my problem...
I submitted about five images (plus website) to a gallery in the Chelsea area of NYC, for representation and exhibit. They responded favorably, but it is what I guess is referred to as a "Vanity" gallery, in other words, I pay an annual fee. Well that tempered my excitement to say the least.
But, I looked over their site, am checking into it with some people "in the know" in NYC art, and am aware that established pros will say "you are nuts" if you pay for wall space and "representation" up front.
Given my locale, and my current travel limitations, show/exhibit opportunities, I'm struggling with this decision. Reading every word on their site (OK, it's Agora Gallery in NYC), it appears to be somewhat legit. A fee paid for services, a show, and exposure to many markets.
I apologize for going on at length, but I guess I'm looking for feedback from anyone on here regarding these vanity "museums", or "mausoleums" as i've heard them referred to.
Don't be afraid of honesty or to hurt my feelings!!! And feel free to email with any sage advice. Thank you all!!
Posted by Jim Bullard on March 23, 2009 at 8:44 AM
I've no experience with Agora except that they keep inviting me to send submissions to shows. I hadn't looked into it enough to know it required an annual membership. "Fine Art" shows generally require a fee to submit work in juried shows, even the small local ones. That's how they cover expenses then hope that they manage to sell something for a bit of profit too. I also get frequent invitations from one in LA, Digital Art something or other. I would be interested to hear what others think of these venues. I usually just trash their emails.
they look reputable enough, w/ representation supposedly, a show in NYC w/ space, but again it's all fee-based. that was a point i made to a friend, virtually ALL "shows" require a fee to enter... I see the possible pitfalls... but think of all the vanity publishing things for books, etc. as well... I dunno, i await others thoughts as well Jim, thanks.
My best advice would be to contact artists who are displaying with them and see what their experience has been. Also you might want to compare your work with those exhibiting there and see how your's relates or stacks up against them.
Just as a Caviat, I have submitted work to Agora and know their reputation from friends who have displaied with them. I think, while a cost is incurred it is not overwhelmingly obsurd or costly given the exposure you would receive from Agora and their many network connections in the art world.
I went and looked at their site which has a lot of info... except I could not find out the cost of the annual fee. 30% commission is low. If they have shared that with you, and you don't mind saying, what is the annual fee. Thanks.
Hi Marc, it varies by what package of services offered, and more--so it seems--by how much "wall space" you get at a show (personally, I'm more interested in the representation than a month-long show). I think, and i haven't looked at it in a couple days--like it starts off somewhere around $3,000 (installments accepted! :) ) and goes up, per year.
Their site DOES have a lot of info, not like they are trying to hide what they do. There is a list of at least 10 services provided in the artists' agreement, which i won't post here out of bandwith consideration. Maybe you can check it out here if this link works... http://www.agora-gallery.com/Welcome/agoraAgreement.pdf.
Again, this is not for everybody. Well-established artists may say, "you are freaking nuts@!" Which may be true. I'm just trying to determine if I should spend the $$, given my position as a relative newcomer. Thanks Marc,
Bill,
Thanks for the answer... I guess I didn't dig deep enough. The $3,000 sounds reasonable given the location. Like James, I would be interested in hearing from other artists that have worked with them.
Marc
Thanks Marc, yes it gets you in a show, and a year's worth of "representation". To me, the representation is the most important part and what I am trying to find out about. Sure, saying your'e in a Chelsea NYC show is nice--but is there a lot that will come out of that, or the other services they provide? And do they really do a good job of providing them. As someone basically starting out... it's a tempting apple on the tree... I keep going back and forth, probably leaning to go for it from the feedback on here. BUT, I would love to hear one or two REAL testimonials from someone who's tried it!!! Thanks again folks.
$3000?? Holy Crow! Wow. Did they come to you or did you go to them? $3000?? Holy Crow!! Wow again! I must be pretty naive. Consider the return on investment. Consider ANY company's return on a $3000 advertising campaign. If I spent $3000 to advertise my widgets, I would expect to earn $3000 plus X amount of dollars. If I earn back $3000 or not much over that or god forbid, less than $3000, then I have thrown my time and money away. I am sure some advertising types would know a formula for expected return on your advertising dollars. Some would say "but I get exposure". I can think of alot better "proveable" ways to get simple "exposure" for $3000. Did I say "Holy Crow" yet? If it was me, and I had $3000 to throw at advertising my work, I would throw it at a personal website. My "pro" account cost about $500/year (I think). That leaves $2500 to hire a website professional to develop a gorgeous site and insure that all the right "web" goodies are imbedded in it to insure high ranking in the search engines. $2500 will buy ALOT of that kind of thing. Once that is accomplished, you have advertising/exposure that will continue forever at a vastly reduced rate than pumping $3000 a year into another person's website that showcases many many many many other peoples work. If your photography is great and museums and galleries think they can make money on you, they will COME TO YOU and give you a hell of a lot better deal than making YOU pay the $3000. Holy Crow and WOW again. Once again, maybe I am naive, but I would spend my money on myself instead of them (Angora).
You could spend my $500 yearly pro account rate for a basicly pretty good website and then spend the $2500 on a SUPER campaign advertising the fact that your images are now available for viewing at your website. And YOU would tailer the campaign to just those who would appreciate and buy or at least remember your work is available.
From time to time, I am invited to add a portfolio to various websites and online galleries. These are free. They ask for low resolution (72 DPI or so) images. The copyright is yours. If they sell one, you get most of the commission and only then do you send a higher resolution image to them. Read their fine print. The good ones have you covered. Many of these sites are from want-a-be online gallery museums. What the heck. I will post a dozen or less images with them. I don't have too much to lose that way. And MAYBE I get some EXPOSURE for free. So far, I have no sales from these places. I didn't really expect any anyway. So, this is another route you might take.
On the other hand, maybe you are a genius photographer, and your $3000 investment at Agora is going to make you famous and your prints sell like wildfire. It's up to you!
I go on too much. $3000? Holy Crow! Wow!
BTW, this advice is probably worth what you paid for it for! heheheheh
I DO wish you the best of luck though and happy shooting!
Holy Crow!! All I did was ask for opinions. Yours I'll read later as I have to leave, but will return to it!! Maybe it was the country of Angola, not Agora, trying to boost their GNP?? Holy crow!!! ;) seriously, thanks!!!
Hey Troup, just had the time to read over your entire post. Very good stuff!!! I do something of those things right now--own website, "online gallery" site, etc. Again, I've only been at this and promoting my work for about two years now.
I enter shows, pay the fees, get in some good ones, get rejected by other ones. Part of the process I assume.
I'm a copywriter by trade, and I think, if I ever did write that "great American novel", would I pay to have it published?? Maybe.
As such, I don't think $3,000 is outrageous (not that I have it!! :), IF Agora DOES everything they promise. It's not just a one-time show with some wall space in Chelsea for a few weeks. It is supposedly a year-long commitment to promote the work to the "right" people. As someone really just starting out, it's a tantalizing thing... am I good enough right now? Will some hotel chain come in and get a few hundred copies of my work to put in their places?? etc. etc. I doubt it, but I guess I'm curious as hell. Others here have said they don't think it's a bad idea. My own "mental" jury is still out...
Again, I appreciate your comments and suggestions. They are all rock solid thoughts for sure.
Discussion
13 repliesAnyway, the first show I entered, ended up with one of my images being selected for the PA State Museum of Art. The second show I entered, one of my shots was one of only 37 works of all art selected for a national exhibit. I've had some other success on a more regional level as well. Now, i know that PALES in comparison to the true professionals here, but this is my problem...
I submitted about five images (plus website) to a gallery in the Chelsea area of NYC, for representation and exhibit. They responded favorably, but it is what I guess is referred to as a "Vanity" gallery, in other words, I pay an annual fee. Well that tempered my excitement to say the least.
But, I looked over their site, am checking into it with some people "in the know" in NYC art, and am aware that established pros will say "you are nuts" if you pay for wall space and "representation" up front.
Given my locale, and my current travel limitations, show/exhibit opportunities, I'm struggling with this decision. Reading every word on their site (OK, it's Agora Gallery in NYC), it appears to be somewhat legit. A fee paid for services, a show, and exposure to many markets.
I apologize for going on at length, but I guess I'm looking for feedback from anyone on here regarding these vanity "museums", or "mausoleums" as i've heard them referred to.
Don't be afraid of honesty or to hurt my feelings!!! And feel free to email with any sage advice. Thank you all!!
I went and looked at their site which has a lot of info... except I could not find out the cost of the annual fee. 30% commission is low. If they have shared that with you, and you don't mind saying, what is the annual fee. Thanks.
Their site DOES have a lot of info, not like they are trying to hide what they do. There is a list of at least 10 services provided in the artists' agreement, which i won't post here out of bandwith consideration. Maybe you can check it out here if this link works... http://www.agora-gallery.com/Welcome/agoraAgreement.pdf.
Again, this is not for everybody. Well-established artists may say, "you are freaking nuts@!" Which may be true. I'm just trying to determine if I should spend the $$, given my position as a relative newcomer. Thanks Marc,
Bill
Thanks for the answer... I guess I didn't dig deep enough. The $3,000 sounds reasonable given the location. Like James, I would be interested in hearing from other artists that have worked with them.
Marc
You could spend my $500 yearly pro account rate for a basicly pretty good website and then spend the $2500 on a SUPER campaign advertising the fact that your images are now available for viewing at your website. And YOU would tailer the campaign to just those who would appreciate and buy or at least remember your work is available.
From time to time, I am invited to add a portfolio to various websites and online galleries. These are free. They ask for low resolution (72 DPI or so) images. The copyright is yours. If they sell one, you get most of the commission and only then do you send a higher resolution image to them. Read their fine print. The good ones have you covered. Many of these sites are from want-a-be online gallery museums. What the heck. I will post a dozen or less images with them. I don't have too much to lose that way. And MAYBE I get some EXPOSURE for free. So far, I have no sales from these places. I didn't really expect any anyway. So, this is another route you might take.
On the other hand, maybe you are a genius photographer, and your $3000 investment at Agora is going to make you famous and your prints sell like wildfire. It's up to you!
I go on too much. $3000? Holy Crow! Wow!
BTW, this advice is probably worth what you paid for it for! heheheheh
I DO wish you the best of luck though and happy shooting!
Troup Nightingale
I enter shows, pay the fees, get in some good ones, get rejected by other ones. Part of the process I assume.
I'm a copywriter by trade, and I think, if I ever did write that "great American novel", would I pay to have it published?? Maybe.
As such, I don't think $3,000 is outrageous (not that I have it!! :), IF Agora DOES everything they promise. It's not just a one-time show with some wall space in Chelsea for a few weeks. It is supposedly a year-long commitment to promote the work to the "right" people. As someone really just starting out, it's a tantalizing thing... am I good enough right now? Will some hotel chain come in and get a few hundred copies of my work to put in their places?? etc. etc. I doubt it, but I guess I'm curious as hell. Others here have said they don't think it's a bad idea. My own "mental" jury is still out...
Again, I appreciate your comments and suggestions. They are all rock solid thoughts for sure.
Bill