gallery smell..
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- NEWSFLASH
what does it all mean ?, i have had a few of these recently, from several US based galleries, it seems so cheap and nasty, is this the way things actually work ?, because my first reaction to all such mass produced mail is - i would not touch this shit with a 40 foot pole..
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Dear xxxx,We recently reviewed your work online and would like to consider you for an
upcoming exhibition at xxxx Gallery. In exchange for your assistance in paying
some of your promotional costs, we will feature you in a show here at Ico
Gallery as well as promote your work in print and online for up to 1 year. If
you are interested in discussing this opportunity further, I can put you in
touch with the gallery Director, xxxxxxxxxxx or curator xxxxxxxxx.
Details regarding specific exhibitions and marketing plans should be discussed
directly with xxxxxx or xxxx. Also, we are not negotiable regarding marketing
expense or our commission. Opportunities for solo or small customized theme
shows can also be discussed with the director on an individual basis.This letter is not
an opportunity to exhibit, it is to express our general
interest in working with you.Gallery Compensation: 50% commission on all sales
Gallery Advertising cost due up front: $2,500
Participation in an exhibition at xxx Gallery xxxxxx featuring 3-4 works to be
discussed with the director- Advertisement in Art In America promoting the featured artist of the show
(for established artists)
- Full color exhibition catalogue
- Full color invitation cards
Press release & review (Designed to promote your work being featured in
the show)
- E-Blast to over 5,000 patrons including fortune five hundred companies as
well as local professionals (realtors, doctors lawyers, dentists etc.)
-Extended reference library for up to 10 images on our online gallery which is
constantly updated on all major search engine and receives over 20,000 hits per
month
- Featured listing and review online on
bothxxxx Gallery and Free Art Tomorrow
- Extensive web promotions to highlight your work and exhibitions at Ico
Gallery
-Extensive cross promotion from our weekly music series (Live concerts are
hosted in the gallery and advertised in print throughout NYC)Coffee Table Book
- Featuring works from artists represented by Ico Gallery in our yearly art
book which receives international and domestic distribution. The book will be
released at the end of the 2009 year and guarantees you a long term presence in
print. You will also receive several copies of the book for your own use.
Select artists will also be featured in our end of year exhibition celebrating
the release of the book.
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The content of this e-mail is confidential and may be privileged. It may be read, copied and used only by the intended recipient and may not be disclosed, copied or distributed.
- skt0
i like their website
- oh fuck! i missed that one..NEWSFLASH
- trying to keep it anon, i mean, of course.. their website stinks me thinksNEWSFLASH
- haha, you left their name all over the email.skt
- ha, only once under coffee table book no ?NEWSFLASH
- Firefox says 3 times.rounce
- my badNEWSFLASH
- Firefox says 3 times.rounce
- Weird, how'd that happen?rounce
- sorry by the way, didn't know you were trying to keep it anon.skt
- lol, no probs, they probably sent that to every portfolio they could find anyway to try and rake in the big bucksNEWSFLASH
- ahahah. oh man.Corvo2
- monNom0
missed this part huh?
"The content of this e-mail is confidential and may be privileged. It may be read, copied and used only by the intended recipient and may not be disclosed, copied or distributed."
...call within the next 15 minutes and we'll throw in a second LaserChop for FREE!
- NEWSFLASH0
so this is a cracker jack operation ? i thought so!, damn christian fundamentalists probably!
- skt0
yeah, $2500 upfront for marketing material that may or may not feature your work is taking the piss.
- ya, that in particular is acquiring the urineNEWSFLASH
- sounds like bullshituberdesigner
- marchelo0
Lame.
- SAS0
Most galleries do take a 50% commission on work, but that 50% is supposed to cover their overhead, including advertising. Anyone asking for additional money is just trying to scam you.
Not to mention the fact that the gallery is full of shit art.
- MSTRPLN0
So you pay $2500 and then wait for them to decide?
- uberdesigner0
let's see your work and we can tell you if anybody will buy it
- ArtGuy0
I would like to state a few simple things that some of you may overlook about the art business. First and foremost, everyone is paying someone! If you are at a starting point in your career and lack a substantial resume you will be asked to pay for at least a portion of fees associated with showing (mailing expense, printing, distribution, invitations, reviews, print and digital ads, all cost MONEY!) THIS IS NOT UNREASONABLE! Artist love to attack galleries for lack of ethics, but I never hear anyone attack major art publications for the extreme expense of advertising and promotions. Reviews make or break an artist's career. Reviews are BOUGHT by spending significant amounts of money on ads! If you don't spend a fortune on ads, you won't be reviewed! Also, emerging artists are a greater risk to exhibit and much harder to get reviewed.
If you simply do the MATH you could figure out for yourself that charging artists does not even pay the monthly bills let alone make a profit in a prime NYC gallery.
Monthly rent/mortgage - cost upwards of $15,000 (which does not include utilities on a ground floor space larger than 3500 sq ft)
Minimal staff of 6 people - If you paid them $10 an hour is $6,000 (this is if they only work 5 hour days)!!!!!
Catalogue Printing - $5,000 USD for 1,000 copies (a ground floor gallery needs to order way more than this)
Postcards/Invitations - $250 USD for 1,000-2,000
Mailing expense - catalogues and press releases cost about $2 per package, send out 2,000 and you easily spend $4,000 dollars
Print ads - $5,000 - $10,000 for full page in Art In America or ARTnews (we sometimes advertise in both each month!)
Incidental (i.e., - lawyer fees, insurance, shipping, NYC taxes, office supplies, etc.) - AT LEAST $2,000 - $5,000 a month.This ads up to over $40,000 each month in expenses. This is an extremely conservative number to prove a point. If you think employees are all being paid $10 an hour you are a moron and thats the only way to keep this number below $50,000 a month. Stop bitching at galleries and investigate the numbers. You will see that its a very tough business and realize that galleries make money in many many many different ways and profit is not made from asking artists to cover some expenses which benefit them!
- Charles Finch: "98% of all art is shit"nilsnihil
- as for ads.. why cant you do Barter Agreement and go from print to digital adverting.
Audria - heheh this is the guy that sent the letter
SHAMAN - uh, yeah, Mr. ArtGuy, this sounds more like you are trying to justify your own extravagent spending.hargbine
- has ta beversion3
- Audria0
im not bitter.. but fuck the art world
a lot of gallery owners or those involved in the art world dont know how to run a business and are extremely cheap and abusive to their employers.
- Pupsipu0
that all seems like a lot of hassle when you can just make a website
- cannonball0
First rule of business in the art world — money always flows towards the artist. Anything that doesn't follow this rule is a scam.
- SAS0
I currently work at an art gallery that shows emerging artists. I have worked for other galleries, and museums in the past. Never have the galleries asked the artists for money. The work is on consignment, and the percentage the gallery takes covers all the overhead. Legitimate galleries will never ask for money from the artist. A gallery that cannot cover its overhead with its sales, or with a wealthy benefactor, is not worth showing at.
- Llyod0
sounds like bullshit
- NoFavorite0
Sounds like a scam to me.
- ArtGuy0
SAS,
Museums are not commercial endeavors. They receive public funds as not for profit organizations. Taxpayers pay for these funds! I.E You and I!
"Legitimate galleries will never ask for money from the artist."
Really, which ones are you referring to? If they are selling auction house works that’s one thing. I challenge you to find one that’s selling emerging artists and clearing all expenses/making a profit."A gallery that cannot cover its overhead with its sales, or with a wealthy benefactor, is not worth showing at."
So, wealthy benefactor? Sounds like your referring to a museum again? Just curios, is your gallery located in NYC? Because I would love to know what emerging artists your selling? In this economy even established market price works are not moving let alone emerging....Cannonball- This is a fantasy for all but the .5% of artists in this world. Money flows to the academics and critics first! They review positive or negative which directly relates to future sales for galleries. Galleries then pay artists!
If anything as an artist your best bet is to attempt to cut galleries out of the deal all together, but GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
SAS,
Museums are not commercial endeavors. They receive public funds as not for profit organizations. Taxpayers pay for these funds! I.E You and I!
Audria- You make the best point out of everyone on here. Galleries are terrible to their employees........ Most galleries don’t even pay people to work. Galleries take advantage of all the free student labor in a BIG WAY. This is because its a very difficult business, especially when dealing with self righteous artists who feel entitled to everything! God forbid someone asks you to cover some of the expense to promote and further your career.
If you were to ask an emerging actor to pay for headshots, they would accept it as part of the business.
This is a glamour business and as such you WILL have to spend money to get anywhere. How you do it is totally up to you.
- what do you think about websites instead of galleries?Pupsipu
- boobs0
You should go for it and report back how it goes!
If it turns out to be a scam, you'll have a great story to blog. Which would be a win-win!
- visionary0
a 2500 dollar story?
- ArtGuy0
Pupsipu,
The problem with web based galleries is that buyers are drawn to the most glamorous galleries. Money goes to money. In a perfect world web galleries would be a great inexpensive way to sell art. The wealthiest gallery owners usually attract the wealthiest clients and online galleries do not fit into this circle.
- Horp0
Artguy has a good point here you know. At the end of the day, his business has approached you with an interest in your work, and a willingness to consider ways of getting your work in a gallery.
How many other galleries are expressing an interest NEWSFLASH? and of the galleries that are (if there are any), how many of them are offering you a better deal than Icogallery?
Also, they were totally upfront with laying out their fees. I think I would be very pleased if someone approached me with interest in my work and I would then quietly exercise my rights to decline the offer if it didn't suit me circumstances.