How to charge for displaying customers artwork

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China shop
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How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by China shop »

We have just opened a second shop, but this one is dedicated purely to framing with a small gallery (first one is a gift shop as well), we have also moved the workshop for all the framing into the new premises.
Quite a few local artists and photographers have enquired if we would display and sell their pictures/photos. We have decided to open up the room we have upstairs for this purpose. My question is how do you charge for this. Is it a percentage of the sale price, a charge for the space or a combination of the two and how much.
Also would you demand a certain standard of framing, whether done by us or not, or just put up a disclaimer sign?
Roger
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GeoSpectrum
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I belive 30-50% is the usual range to charge. I'd be tempted to offer lower rates as long as you do the framing. Don't accept badly framed works, even with a disclaimer. Plenty of people are better qualified than me on this forum so I'm sure they will offer up something.
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by Graysalchemy »

Galleries generally take 50% these days some in london etc will take more.

The problem is will you get good enough quality work to sell, you will attract every artist named Thomas Richard and Harriet under the sun visiting you. Having a few pictures on a wall won't sell, you need to work hard at a gallery and have quality work, well framed as previously stated.

The only upside is that you will get browsers who then might bring in some framing.
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Tudor Rose
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by Tudor Rose »

When we started accepting pictures from artists in our gallery we kept the commission percentage quite low to attract people (we are not on the high street so the footfall is not as high). We found that people were very keen to take us up on this, but you had to be very careful about what you did and didn't accept to hang on the wall with regards to the quality of the framing and mounting. We made the mistake when we started off of offering the wall space to single artists for a month to show any works they wanted to - we ended up with some very dodgy things being brought in, some of which must have been hanging around for years :Slap: . It became a bit of a problem very quickly and so we learnt to be clearer from the start about what we were happy to have on display.

We have now increased the commission percentage, but still kept it relatively low compared to a high street gallery. We don't insist on having done the framing ourselves, but we do reserve the right to refuse work we don't feel is up the accepted standard and we also show on the reverse of any framed work if we haven't undertaken it ourselves so that people are clear about it if it sells. We don't charge for the space, only a commission on what sells and if something hasn't shifted after a few months we suggest it is replaced with something else (most artists are pretty good about this and actively want to swap things around) as this keeps the gallery looking fresh. We buy some limited editions in, but original works are always done sale or return.
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Vince442
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by Vince442 »

I would suggest a commission rate of 30%.

I don't think you an charge the 50% rate. Most galleries I deal with are at 40% but then they are also marketing the artists' work, arranging exhibitions, arranging forward exhibitions at other established galleries etc. I think if you are only hanging and claiming space you have to charge appropriately.

You have to have good quality work or you will soon become a space for the wannabie artists and if that happens you will be fighting a losing battle to attract better artists in the future.

Have a standard for the frames, even if not done by yourself and I do think its a good idea to offer a lower commission rate (say 25%) if they use your frames. I wouldn't insist on only using your frames as you will soon find artists etc going elsewhere to display their work and then you miss out on two fronts.
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prospero
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by prospero »

I work on a 40% commission for SOR work. Although it does depend on the individual circumstance of the gallery. The posh ones can charge 90% or more. :? To earn this, I think a gallery has to do more than just hang the work and stick a price tag on. A good gallery should actively promote an artist's career. As some artists have little or no interest or experience in the commercial side of the business, a gallery should make sure the work sells for what it should do. Too many artists underprice their work by a drastic amount.

As for framing, I'm not rabid about not having alien framing as long as they are as good as I could do them myself.

One thing I won't do is sell old junk that people seem pick up at sales. Faded old prints from the '80s, that sort of carp. :giggle:
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Jonny2morsos
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by Jonny2morsos »

One snag with displaying work not framed by you is customers bring stuff in and ask for "a frame like that" pointing at one on the wall.

Then you realise you have no clue where the moulding came from, whether it is stll available, is it from one of your suppliers etc. then they ask you for the same colour mount and like wise applies :head: It has happened to me and I ended up giving the piece back to the artist (it was on SOR).

Also find out if they have work displayed elswhere or on their website and how the prices compare. Artists have a habit of upping their prices to cover commission e.g they offer a picture on their website at £200 but want you to sell at £260 to cover the commission they have to pay you. We had someone wanting to sell handmade jewellry through us and said they were happy to accept £25 for items we sold at £50. When we looked at their website they were selling direct at £25!!
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prospero
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by prospero »

That's another thing. Price structure. Artists have the habit of taking their work back and knocking it out cheap when they get a bit strapped. That's all very well if they do it discreetly, but if they are actively advertising drastic reductions....... :evil:
Once work has reached a certain price level you just cannot go back. Not only professional suicide for the artist, it reflects very badly on any galleries selling their work. Strange thing is, they don't seem to see what is wrong with this practice. So if you take on a new artist it worth acquainting them with the facts of life in no uncertain terms from the outset.
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theframingwizard
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Re: How to charge for displaying customers artwork

Post by theframingwizard »

I wholly agree with the comments above. Be very careful of quality and that the style of work is suitable for your customers. Artists frames are generally awful, when shows hang in the gallery i work for you would be amazed at how badly artists will display their own work. 1k+ paintings in ikea frames is common, and in my view rather offensive to the eye and framing industry!! Also regarding framing, it may be prudent to check that the artist hasn't pasted their artwork to a mdf board or done a watercolour on greyboard or something similar. Its very embarrassing when a customer comes back and complains about an artists frame they bought from your gallery, for you to convince them to reframe it properly, only to discover that the berk that did the artwork has glued the artwork to the back of the mount and the only way to replace their terrible mount is to cut the signature off the bottom.
Educate your artists in the way of conservation. they often don't realise what they are doing to their own hard work.
Mike
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