Selling art is very hard. Most businesses work with a simple rule; supply and demand. There is a demand for a product or service, therefore entrepreneurs go about placing themselves so they supply that product or service. With the commercial art industry the demands vary with different tastes, and often depend on frivolous fluctuations of trends and fashion. So why, and how would you go about opening up a commercial gallery? Director of Mother Drucker Gallery, Berlin, Dolly Demoratti guides us through the initial first plunge in opening and running a commercial gallery.
Leila Peacock, limited edition screen print, www.mother-drucker.com
Gain Essential Experience
Although only eight months old, Mother Drucker has hosted some very popular previews and is tiding itself over nicely. Yet Dolly’s first steps to opening her own place commenced over four years ago. Dolly started working at a central London gallery and print-house, “This sparked off my passion and really gave me an insight into the business of things and the whole world of it. If I hadn’t spent four to five years in Gallery spaces then I would not have any clue of how to do it and how to run one”, she enthuses.
One of the most advisable things for any budding Gallerist is to get some experience from working within a professional Gallery. The experience will be invaluable and it will aid you in an essential part of gallery work, which is networking. Dolly explains, “A lot of contacts, and having a bit of a name in the art world is a really good thing to think about before you open a gallery. The one thing I have learnt is being friends with other local galleries and various people in the area really helps, that’s a really important thing.“
Marion Balac, limited edition Screen Print, www.mother-drucker.com
Research, Research, Research
The best businesses all start off with good research. Dolly advises to start off with a trip round all the galleries in your chosen area, “First and foremost I did market research, which was going in and going to all the different galleries, in the town or the city and talk to the people in there. … question them on their sales, the artists they work with and how many shows they have a year and what feedback they have and just gather lots of information. Because then you can find out if it’s actually worth it.”
Marion Balac, limited edition Screen Print, www.mother-drucker.com
Falling at Funding
A third consideration to take in to account is that selling art is initially unlikely to support you financially. Therefore having a more tangible side to your business, such as a print-house or photographic studio will provide an alternative way of making money. Think about something that will tie in with your gallery concept and remember to research it! Ask yourself do people want it?
Funding and the lack of it, is a stumbling block that many people fall at, but do not be disheartened. It is this stage where a good researched and thought-out business plan will be required. Then think about who to approach. Dolly states that, “Investment is probably a good way to get started,“ Yet she warns, “I would suggest a to find a way to fund yourself fully as well because working with investors, personal investors an get really complicated and can put a lot more pressure on you than it’s worth. It will just end up like working for someone else anyway”. Alternative ways are to gather grants and sponsorship.
The Marketing Minefield
Dolly is the first to admit her naivety on this subject ” It is much harder than I ever imagined it would be. Marketing through the internet …I always imagined it to be like a spider web of effects – you would put something out there and they would pass it one to three other people who then pass it on and I imagined it would be like a tidal wave effect and that it would be really easy.” Dolly has since learnt the harsh reality and embraced it quickly, “You put one thing out there and then that gets to third level, then you have to keep hammering it. Keep reminding people and kind of overly promoting to people to get the message [across] and it does work.
As well as PR, Mother Drucker never underestimate the power of supportive friends, “We really try and get out there on word of mouth and rely on our friends to really promote us. And so far it’s working out really well and were feeding a lot people who like our stuff and that we really like and want to work with us.”
Seamus Heidenrich, limited edition silk screen print, www.mother-drucker.com
The Legal Details
Do not take the following as paramount this is merely a guide but to give you some ideas of where to start looking: The Company’s House website offers information on registering your business. Whist talking to HM Customs and Revenue for more information on organising your tax is essential. You may also need to seek advice on organising contracts between artists and the gallery. If your thinking of going international there are also certain rules about importing from other countries that may need to be researched.
So there you have it, an overview of opening up a gallery, in words it fits on to an A4 sheet of paper in obvious reality it extends much further. However no matter what stage you are at look at your reasons for embarking on such a project and make sure you have the passion and drive behind your project. Dolly explains her reasons for opening a gallery were simply “I wanted to do something that I really enjoyed and was passionate about and was going to help other people out”.
Interview by Rosa Stone.
