Should I pursue gallery representation, and what's realistic to expect?

Gallery representation is primarily a credibility play rather than a major sales channel for most artists. Galleries typically take 50% commission, require you to maintain the same prices you charge directly, and may not actively promote your work among their many artists. The rejection rate is high, especially for work that isn’t currently ‘politically or culturally relevant’ to curators. Gallery owners themselves will often tell you that your prices need to be significantly higher (around $5,000-$10,000 per piece) before a gallery relationship makes financial sense with their commission structure. Galleries also prefer artists who already have success indicators like large email lists, strong social media presence, or notable press coverage. For most artists, direct-to-collector sales through shows, your website, and social media will be more profitable and sustainable than gallery representation.

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Asked by artists considering gallery representation · Answered by Mays Mayhew (artist interviewee) and Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-03-12