Is the gallery model still a viable way to sell art?

The gallery model is extremely difficult. Research surveying about 14,000 artists in galleries across London and New York found that less than 6% were making over six figures a year, and only a tiny percentage of those were making a full-time living. The vast majority had side jobs or relied on spousal support. The gallery model follows a power law — a very small number of people make all the money while the vast majority don’t. Additionally, many galleries closed during COVID, so now they have their pick of artists. They want artists who already have websites, impressive social media followings, and large email lists — that’s their signal you’re a serious artist. I’m not anti-gallery, I’m pro any legal revenue source, but it’s not the only path and shouldn’t be relied upon exclusively.

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Asked by artists considering gallery representation · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-05