I have an opportunity to use some gallery space in downtown Chaleston SC. The going rate is $1000/yr for THREE lineal feet. I also would be required to volunteer time at the gallery. Is this a Normal rate for rental space? What are others paying for gallery space? I've never been in a gallery before so I have no frame of reference. This gallery is on the main drag in historic downtown Charleston. Thanks in advance.
Can't offer too much in terms of the rate as I haven't done anything like that. 3 feet? Did you mean "linear?" What size print/frame and how many can you hang? I'm not sure I understand how much wall space that is.
I'm assuming your work would be for sale. My question would be, do they also get a commission on top of the rental space fee? If they don't charge a commission and they have a track record of moving artwork(selling) (you can ask for sales numbers too,) and depending on what you charge for your work, you would need to sell a few pieces just to break even. If you can only display 1 print and it sits there for a year an no one buys it, then you've wasted money. On the other hand, if you sell a bunch of prints, the $1000 could be money well spent.
Wish I could offer more. Hopefully someone who has experience with that will chime in.
That seems rather high to me Kate, but I suppose it depends on the market. The gallery I'm in only charges about $350/year for 5 linear feet (in my case), that price includes a bin for unframed art, and free space in the "open gallery" that changes out every six weeks. This gallery is a co-op and we no longer have a mortgage, which explains the lower rates, but even in other galleries I've been in, the most I've paid was approx. $750/yr. for about 6 linear feet, which I thought too high for the sales it generated. I would ask to see sales figures form the gallery owner that supported that high a figure.
Thanks Bill and Lon! They list it as "Lineal" feet...but yes it does seem like it should be linear. In any case...it's three feet wide of wall space from the ceiling to 18 inches off the floor. I can put as many prints as I like there...but with that tight a space...they'd all have to be small...or a lot of vertical shots! It did seem like a pretty steep price to pay for such a limited space. The artwork would have to be rotated out every 90 days and if a piece sells, I need to replace it immediately. So it's not just the rental space...but the time and money to print more work every 90 days. So if my stuff doesn't sell...I still have to take it down and put up something new. I think if I'm serious about getting into Galleries...I'll look around more to get comparisons from different galleries...because this seems a bit ridiculous. Thanks for your time!
Around here I have only found a few small galleries and they charge of commission ranging from 30% to 60% and only collect if there is a sale. Three feet is a very small space that would limit the size or number of prints you could hang. If you were hanging paintings selling in the thousands you might be able to make a profit but a photograph? You'd have to sell a whole bunch to make your $1,000 back, plus cost of printing and framing. For me it wouldn't make sense.
Hey Kate, I've tried it once and the rates sounds about what they were asking in the galleries in my area. I wouldn't waste the time, with such little spaces you can't offer enough options to a customer, and the chance of you picking the right images that will sell from your portfolio when only showing a very small group is tough. I pulled out of all the galleries I was in because the sales were just not there. I was just contacted by a new gallery the other day and turn them down, as you hang your images and they sit and don't sell enough to make it worth while. If you are really interested in making sales with your prints, get in the art show business. You can show all your prints in a larger space, so the buyers have a much larger selections to pick from, and you have a much much larger crowd to sell to then any gallery can produce. One good weekend art show attendance will draw more people then most galleries do in a whole year.
My experience parallels Mike's: The show circuit is the way to go. I'm up to eight shows a season, generally chamber of commerce shows as they get the best bang for the buck. I just did my inventory update and I've sold 50 prints of various sizes in the first four shows. I am also in a couple of galleries and those sales are a bare trickle by comparison. My show sales have just paid for my new Fujifilm X-Pro1.
The outdoor shows are much more work and you have to invest in a good setup, but that $1000 will go a long way towards getting you started here. You also get to meet the buyers face to face, which is a real plus and always fun.
Galleries tend to be slower. Walk-in traffic and sales are less and much slower. The outdoor shows are heavily promoted, concentrated events that pull in crowds. In galleries, I've noticed that the higher priced non-photography items tends to sell better and the higher price point can make that high rent worthwhile. Photography generally has a lower price point, so you have to move more to make it worthwhile. None of my gallery relationships have been profitable.
One arrangement that has worked out very well for me is frame shop/galleries. The framing is the heart of the business and some of the larger active ones have galleries in the store space for sales/promotion and framing examples. These tend to pull in a lot more traffic than pure galleries and these are strictly commission based sales, no rent! It is nice getting that monthly commission check! One of my main shops just sold six large prints to a single customer and called me for a re-stock order. The downside is you have to provide a good cross section of work - the shop just mentioned stocks about 40 matted prints and a couple of canvas wraps, so there is still a monetary investment up front, but my sales are paying for my newest investment - an Epson 7900 printer.
Mike and Jim...thank you so very much for your detailed responses...they were very helpful. I think i'll pass on this gallery opportunity. It just doesn't seem profitable...I'm sure the smaller art pieces from other mediums will be okay there...but photography just needs more space...and the Art Show circuit sounds like the way to go. I'll investigate them. I'm sure there are a ton in the Charleston area. Have a great weekend!
Hey Kate, I agree with Jim on the framing gallery having more luck selling my prints. I am in one framing gallery that sell more of my prints then any gallery ever did.
I pay $100 per month for 6 feet of wall space which includes room for a table to put prints on, and one card rack. In exchange I work 2 days per month from 11 am until 9 pm and attend one meeting per month. The gallery also gets 15% of my sales. Insurance is split between those of us in the gallery and usually runs us each about $40 per year.
I show at a frame shop / gallery and we just went to a 30/70 split for 6 linear feet. We were paying $50 a month and 10% up to $50. Either was a good deal as far as I was concerned as I sold 2 prints my first week. This is all kinda new to me so I am watching the traffic closely.
Bob
Discussion
10 repliesCan't offer too much in terms of the rate as I haven't done anything like that. 3 feet? Did you mean "linear?" What size print/frame and how many can you hang? I'm not sure I understand how much wall space that is.
I'm assuming your work would be for sale. My question would be, do they also get a commission on top of the rental space fee? If they don't charge a commission and they have a track record of moving artwork(selling) (you can ask for sales numbers too,) and depending on what you charge for your work, you would need to sell a few pieces just to break even. If you can only display 1 print and it sits there for a year an no one buys it, then you've wasted money. On the other hand, if you sell a bunch of prints, the $1000 could be money well spent.
Wish I could offer more. Hopefully someone who has experience with that will chime in.
Lon
My experience parallels Mike's: The show circuit is the way to go. I'm up to eight shows a season, generally chamber of commerce shows as they get the best bang for the buck. I just did my inventory update and I've sold 50 prints of various sizes in the first four shows. I am also in a couple of galleries and those sales are a bare trickle by comparison. My show sales have just paid for my new Fujifilm X-Pro1.
The outdoor shows are much more work and you have to invest in a good setup, but that $1000 will go a long way towards getting you started here. You also get to meet the buyers face to face, which is a real plus and always fun.
Galleries tend to be slower. Walk-in traffic and sales are less and much slower. The outdoor shows are heavily promoted, concentrated events that pull in crowds. In galleries, I've noticed that the higher priced non-photography items tends to sell better and the higher price point can make that high rent worthwhile. Photography generally has a lower price point, so you have to move more to make it worthwhile. None of my gallery relationships have been profitable.
One arrangement that has worked out very well for me is frame shop/galleries. The framing is the heart of the business and some of the larger active ones have galleries in the store space for sales/promotion and framing examples. These tend to pull in a lot more traffic than pure galleries and these are strictly commission based sales, no rent! It is nice getting that monthly commission check! One of my main shops just sold six large prints to a single customer and called me for a re-stock order. The downside is you have to provide a good cross section of work - the shop just mentioned stocks about 40 matted prints and a couple of canvas wraps, so there is still a monetary investment up front, but my sales are paying for my newest investment - an Epson 7900 printer.
Hope that helps. Good luck out there!
Bob