IMPORTANCE OF ART

Art is more than simply creating a painting, writing a piece of beautiful music, or filming an excellent movie. Art makes people look beyond and urges them to create for the purpose of expression and meaning. Art can present information, shape our everyday lives, and help us to enjoy aesthetic beauty. What is more, art can help people reinterpret the meaning of their lives from a new viewpoint. Art shows the world in a way that varies the views and values of the audience.

The impact of art on our world is immeasurable; art is essential. People could probably exist without it, but they cannot truly live without it. Modern art is changing due to COVID-19. Doors of art exhibitions were closed. Art businesses had to offer their art online if they wanted to survive.

COVID-19 SIMPLY ACCELERATED CHANGE

Everybody understands that COVID has changed our world forever. It has impacted every industry. There have been both good and bad consequences from this pandemic. For instance, there’s been a serious leap in creating online access. The cloud became an overriding resource due to the pandemic. Online education passed to a new level. If virtual classrooms were something unattainable in past times, they are part of our reality today. The giant Disney Company showed its first major film on the Internet.

But how has COVID influenced art? To tell the truth, culture and the arts had already been developing new directions, but COVID simply speeded changes. Art transferred to online access. Art businesses had to govern their collections, hold exhibitions online, and give remote access to their workers — accept the changes or simply disappear.

ARTS HAD TO PRODUCE DIGITAL ALTERNATIVES

Before the pandemic, organizations utilized technology to develop and spread programming. Before 2020, the physical experience still prevailed over the online experience. All resources were directed to physical exhibitions.

Museums, galleries, and art dealers had no other variant. The worldwide lockdown made art institutions had to transfer to the Internet because only this means would give access to fundraising measures, events, etc.

You may be surprised, but despite problems of low attendance, art businesses have succeeded in increasing their digital audience. For instance, one museum reported the lowest attendance since 1964. Still, its number of subscribers increased by 23 percent on social media. This museum had millions of great visits to its site. Moreover, volunteering became an online possibility. One museum was the innovator to introduce virtual volunteering and after that many art organizations followed.

PANDEMIC LED TO DEMOCRATIZED ART

The pandemic caused the art industry to evaluate classic structures and adjust to a digital community-oriented on digital technologies. This gave access to new audiences.

Previously, people were restricted by cost, time, and geography to attend art galleries or events. Now with the transition to online events, art enthusiasts can forget about these restrictions. During the pandemic, art lovers can enjoy their favorites on the Internet. Sitting on their couch, they can walk through the galleries with the help of augmented reality. Who needs a vacation to visit a special exhibition?

Some virtual art fairs were popular, which even led to websites crashing when they were launched. Online viewing rooms (OVR) were already under development before the COVID-19 outbreak, but the urgency to develop virtual projects speeded up the timeline.

While the hallmark of 2020 is considered global access, artists decided to enliven our communities by going to the streets to share their response to the adversities of COVID-19 and civil worries. Examples of street art and murals started to appear everywhere. Public art began to possess an important role in entertaining as well as educating the community. 

VISITING EVENTS ONLINE IS COMFORTABLE

Attending galleries online is comfortable. And attendance of online entertainment became normal in 2020. Virtual connections began to be the new norm given conditions of limited personal interaction. Zoom became the way we carried out almost all activities, including celebrations of birthdays, sports classes, meetings, and more.

Art activities became more approachable with the help of online video conferencing tools. Today, we can listen to lectures of famous painters and attend excursions to gallery exhibitions while staying home. People can visit these activities without thinking about prices for air tickets and hotel accommodations.

We believe that even after it is secure to return to personal activities, the art industry will continue with online channels as an effective method to connect with larger audiences, giving them convenient methods to interact with art.

SOCIAL DISTANCING HELPED TO GET CLOSER VIRTUALLY

Art businesses had to search for new methods of interacting with audiences during the shutdown. Before the pandemic, art lovers could attend gallery openings, socializing and discussing artwork while drinking a glass of champagne. Today, the accent on virtual gives more possibilities for dialogue with fewer distractions while still enjoy socializing with other art lovers.

You can, without any problem, listen to recorded conversations of artists and curators. Go on an artist’s studio tour, learn about their portfolio, the process of creation, and what inspires them. All of which makes the artworks come alive.

ONLINE SALES RAISED DESPITE CLOSED DOORS

Today, online sales are on the rise due to the direct necessity of auction houses, artists, dealers, and galleries to place their works online while their doors are closed. Simply speaking, their businesses transformed into a new kind of showroom. The art market became more transparent due to the transition to online. Many galleries started to display their prices.

Due to the problems of 2020, some artists started to change directions and create more affordable works. This led to sales in all price categories and the attraction of new buyers, creating an expansion of the online art market.

 ARTS WILL CONTINUE TO PROCEED AND DEVELOP

Art has helped people distract themselves during isolation time. During the complicated days of the pandemic, art reminded people of its inspirational strengths. We can be thankful for artists who continued to create masterpieces during the pandemic, the art businesses and institutions that continued to share these masterpieces, and the art lovers who proceeded to enjoy and buy them.

Author Bio: Oscar Mitchall is a professional author at a custom essay writing service, based in LA. He is always ready to provide students with interesting, high-quality, and inspiring essay writing on any topic. And he is happy to share his insights with a wide audience, so don’t miss the chance to expand your horizons.

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The traditional way of selling art through brick-and-mortar gallery works. But if you find yourself creating marketing materials, building websites, packing boxes, and accounting for your sales when you’d rather be painting, sculpting, or blowing glass, then it’s time to consider selling to the trade.

Also known as wholesaling, selling to the trade is commonplace in the commercial marketplace, and it’s been around for decades among fine artists who see it as a means of expanding their reach and collector base. And in today’s marketplace, it can provide income via multiple distribution channels. 

Instead of relying on their own sales and gallery consignments, successful artists have entered the world of wholesale and are building a distribution network of publishers, gallerists, dealers, consultants, decorators, and designers who provide a professional skill set in dealing with the art world, from marketing and selling to packing and shipping. And today, online marketplaces have become another means of expanding your distribution.

The more places your art is on display, the better chances it has of it selling. So let’s look at four types of art industry trade distribution and what they typically charge for services.  

PUBLISHERS

An art publisher is not unlike a book publisher. A book publisher (think Simon & Schuster) manages the careers of many writers, while an art publisher manages the careers of many artists. Not only does an art publisher provide operational, promotional, and financial guidance, but also, and perhaps most importantly, a publisher maintains a client list of galleries and retailers around the world in which to sell the art they “publish.”  

A typical art publisher needs to buy at a deep discount so they can sell the art wholesale to a retailer (i.e., a gallery owner). For instance, if the retail price of a piece is $5,000, the retailer will expect a discount of 50/10, which means the publisher usually asks for a discount of 50/50/20: $5,000 less 50 percent is $2,500 less 50 percent is $1,250 less 20 percent is $1,000. 

This is a wonderful relationship for artists who can paint quickly. Let’s say you can paint 100 pieces annually. How many can you sell on your own? Not many. However, the publisher’s distribution network of dealers, galleries, and trade professionals does the selling for you, leaving you with more time to paint.  

GALLERISTS AND DEALERS

Otherwise known as gallery owners or art dealers, they account for 51 percent of art sold annually. Gallerists and dealers are the business side of the industry, acting as the retailer, curator, accountant, marketer, and sales team all in one. 

“It’s not an easy business,” says Eric Smith, president, and CEO of Redwood Art Group. “When you’re dealing with a gallery owner, I encourage you to work with them, create a long-term relationship. They are your partner, and you never bite the hand that feeds you.” 

Gallery expenses include rent, power, sales commission, advertising, marketing, events, and more, so a typical gallery needs to buy or consign the work at 50/10 to 50/20. On a $3,500 piece, this translates to $3,500 less 50 percent is $1,750 less 10 percent is $1,575, less 20 percent is $1,400.

Also remember, when you work with a gallery, your distribution is almost always limited to the area they occupy in order to protect your relationship. Even if the gallery is in Los Angeles or New York, you’re still relying on foot traffic — so be patient.  

DESIGNERS AND DECORATORS

Interior designers and decorators can be a significant source of distribution for some artists, and they often don’t take as large a piece of the pie. That’s because designers and decorators are not guiding or assisting you; they are simply selling directly to their client — the collector. You have to be out there in order to connect with the designer or decorator, so you’ll still have to capture the image of the piece, post it on your website, and provide the marketing. 

Typically, a designer works on a 25 to 30 percent margin. For instance, if the sale price of a painting is $4,000, you’ll receive anywhere from $2,800 to $3,000 for the piece. Then they resell it to their client for the full price or maybe slightly more.

ONLINE PLATFORMS

Selling online has become a mainstay for many artists, whether on their own website or in affiliation with one of the many online platforms. Of course, selling directly from your website or your own social media platforms gives the potential of interacting directly with buyers, creating a relationship much like you would do at an art fair or gallery opening.

Having your own site gives you complete control over presentation and sales, but the challenge is having a well-designed website that’s easy for search engines to rank. Merely uploading your work on your website won’t get you noticed. You’ll need to have an aggressive marketing plan of blogging, emailing, and social media to engage followers and potential buyers.

You might choose to partner with a platform like SaatchiArt, DeviantArt, or Redwood Art Marketplace. Each of these platforms markets aggressively and manages the sales process entirely. You can expect them to take between 35 to 40 percent of the sale. If your work sells for $2,500, you’ll receive between $1,500 and $1,625 for it. 

PATIENCE PAYS OFF

We like the way this quote from Cory Huff, CEO and Founder of The Abundant Artist, sums it all up: “The final decision on what to do and how to do it comes down to you as the artist. It’s your work and your life. Artists remake new markets and forge ahead into areas that others can’t see. That’s what makes artists unique and interesting. As with any business strategy, the best strategy to selling art is the one you can maintain. Be patient. Take some time and plan out your strategy. And, most importantly, give yourself room to have fun and experiment.”

LEARN MORE

You can learn more about selling art in the art industry’s wholesale marketplace at the Topics & Trends Educational Series seminars at Artexpo New York, running November 18-21, 2021, at Pier 90 in Manhattan.

For more information on Redwood Art Group’s fairs and how Redwood can help you develop your career and grow your business, visit https://redwoodartgroup.com/.

About the author:

Linda Mariano is the Editor-in-Chief for Art Business News and Managing Director of Marketing for Redwood Art Group. With a career that spans 30 years, Mariano is a leader in marketing, brand management, e-commerce, and promotion initiatives for major retailers, specialty retail, art industry, licensing partnerships, media, and entertainment, as well as entrepreneurial business environments. For Redwood Art Group, Linda oversees the marketing and brand extension efforts of the company.

All photos courtesy of Redwood Art Group.

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