What's wrong with the traditional gallery model for artists?

The traditional gallery model has several fundamental problems for artists. Galleries typically take a 50% commission on sales, you don’t own or have access to your customer data (so you can’t market to them directly), and you have no control over your destiny. When disruptions happen—like a pandemic—galleries close or dramatically reduce sales, leaving you with no backup plan. You’re dependent on their business model, their hours, their location, and their ability to stay open. This exploitative scenario puts you at a severe disadvantage compared to owning your own sales channel.

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Asked by teaching-context · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-11-18