Are you looking for gallery representation? Then I recommend to ask yourself whether you need a gallery in the first place.
If you already have a steady stream of sales in places other than galleries, you may not require a gallery to market your work. Although galleries can be a great resource, there are other ways to market your art and close sales. There are also various strategies to get the right individuals to see your work.
If you still want to get represented at a gallery or start working with an arts dealer, here are a few practical things (other than your art) that gallerists and art dealers look for in artists before getting them onboard.
Your artist CV
A succinct CV is one of the first things a gallerist will request from you if they’re interested in your work. Other than recent shows, one of the first things they will scan in your CV are the residencies you’ve participated in as well as any grants and art prizes you won as these are further indicators of your ambition to keep growing and improving your arts careers. In addition, participating in prize exhibitions offer an excellent exposure.
Education/Background
Gallerists will also look at your education. Although a degree can benefit an artist’s development and exposure, going to art school is by no means an essential criteria and many gallerists are indeed drawn to self-taught artists just as much as to those with BFAs or MFAs.
A clear artist statement about your art
As a rule of thumb, an artist statement should include an introduction and description of your art, recurrent subjects, ideas, media, influences and processes embedded in your work. It should explain why your works are important and link them to your vision. For more on artists statements, check my blog post on the difference between artists’ bios and statements here.
Professional online presence
Having a presence online primarily through a professional artist website is crucial because it acts as an online portfolio. Gallerists and dealers interested in your art will go to your website to see not only your CV and artist statement but also images of your work, which should be uploaded in high-res and preferably organised by year.
Having a website will also demonstrate that you have an idea of how the art world operates and how to market yourself. Furthermore, those who are looking for you online through your website will be directed to the gallery that represents you, which will increase traffic to their own website. This means more exposure and advertising for the gallery as a whole, which is something significant to a gallerist.
The price of your art
Your pricing is also relevant, for a gallerist will not select artworks with prices that are significantly higher or lower than the work of other artists represented by the gallery.
Track record of sales
Gallerists also take into consideration whether you’ve got a good track record of sales. At the end of the day, galleries and dealers look for art that will sell easily, therefore it’s important that you track every single sale you’ve made so far. However, don’t get discouraged if you don’t have a sales history yet, dealers will judge your art based on their own personal criteria and if they love it, they will think other people will love it too.
Even while it could seem like a hassle to be aware of, these tips are important to your chances of gaining representation. If you have developed your own personal style, a clear artist statement, a well-documented body of work, a professional artist website, a respectable CV, an exhibition history as a result of your participation in exhibitions or selection for art residencies, and you have been networking in a suitable, non-obtrusive way, then you have great chances to work with a gallery.
If you want to know how to network with gallerists and where to find them, check out my blog post on the topic here.
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