Trust between an artist and gallery has never been more important than in this digital age. Direct contact between artist and customer, or gallery and artists is far easier than it has ever been, and so should it be as long as both gallery and artist are acting honourably.
So how should we protect each other’s interests in this complex arena? As I see it, it’s by asking one simple question: ‘Where did you hear about my work?’ If a customer approaches any artist directly, through their website, social media pages or from an independent exhibition to purchase a work, then fair play, the artist should take 100 per cent of the sale. They’ve done the legwork, so they should receive the benefits.
If the answer to the same question is through a gallery, it is the gallery that paved the way for the sale and therefore should have a share of the sale price. As mentioned in previous articles, being respectful of your gallery’s promotion is not only showing professionalism to your customers, it’s also protecting your position with the gallery – your shopfront!