Ask; Will the gallery honor your copyright and help you protect it? If the gallery uses an image of yours for publicity make sure that the copyright notice is visible. The gallery should inform collectors that the copyrights remain with the artist when an original painting is sold.
Ask; will the gallery provide an address list of people who purchase your work? Galleries are often reluctant to divulge collectors names because they fear that you will by-pass them and sell direct. Assure the gallery that you will not interfere as long as the gallery represents you and pays you in a timely way. Remind the gallery that you are willing to share your address list when they give you a show, it should be reciprocal.
Ask; if you have the right to remove stored artwork from the gallery throughout the year? Reach an understanding in the beginning of the relationship. Works on consignment should be available to you for other purposes. Make sure you both understand.
Ask; if the gallery will help pay shipping expenses for work coming to and from the gallery. Who will pay the bill? Often it is shared, the artist pays to send it and the gallery will pay for the return. Is it insured? If the gallery is purchasing outright, bill them for the shipping as well.
Ask; if the work needs to be framed how will the gallery handle the framing costs? Will they pay and deduct the cost from your share of the sales? Will they give you a wholesale discount? If the gallery pays for the framing for a show will you have any say in the choices, color or style?
Ask; how does the gallery handle exchanges or returns? Find out the policy.
Ask; if the gallery publicizes a show for you will you have any say or control over the publicity? Sometimes embarrassing or bad advertising can hurt you or your market. Find out if you can have approval of any ad that features your work or your name. Who pays for the invitations for a gallery show? Sometimes it is collaborative between the artist and gallery, most of the time the gallery pays. Find out.
There are many more questions that can be asked, these are some of the most important. As you can see, the more you know and understand how the gallery operates the better the partnership. Nothing can ruin a relationship faster than assuming something, remember to assume is to make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”.
Gail Niebrugge, landscape artist
