What advice would you give someone just starting to approach galleries?

First, spend time developing your art before approaching galleries. Everything goes back to the art—you have to find your voice and have a viable, consistent body of work. Paint extensively to discover your authentic style; no one can give that to you. Second, research galleries and look for submission opportunities on their websites. Many still accept online submissions. Be prepared for rejection and build resilience. Third, consider starting with collaborative galleries or arts organization galleries to gain experience and understand the difference between selling at a gallery versus selling directly. Make a vision of where you want your art to be, then find out what you need to do to get there. Finally, be ready to honor the gallery relationship by not undercutting them with your own direct sales of the same work.

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Asked by an artist new to the gallery world · Answered by Kristin Harvey · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-09-12