How to open an art salon. How to open your gallery

Full of enthusiasm, the idea of their own business attracts, especially since there are plenty of ideas. Those who have decided to change the direction of their lives think, first of all, about the “classic” change of direction: opening their own store, receiving a stable income. In any case, there is an advantage, but the minus is a serious obstacle to the development of a business: the highest competition and niche saturation.

Another way to take your entrepreneurship to the next level is to invest Money into unusual, new projects that can become the basis of business. This idea is a gallery. This area activity is a new industry, both for Russia and for the CIS countries. But, despite its apparent simplicity, it requires attention, like any idea in the field of creativity.

Project basis

The idea can be easily put into practice in a locality whose population exceeds three hundred and fifty thousand people. It's great if the city doesn't have a second specialized space like yours - then only you can hold unique exhibitions and presentations.

Such cooperation is very beneficial. On the one hand - help to artists in the implementation of their creativity, and on the other - income for both sides.

Man in modern world began to pay more attention to the field of art, began to show interest in new paintings, installations, art compositions - all this captures human attention, trying to break into something more than just a method of self-expression. Through art works, a person tries to show his uniqueness - which means that visiting the gallery is not just a pleasant pastime for him, but the search for his object, which will be distinguished by practicality and beauty.

That is, the assumption that an entrepreneur must have a fine flair for high-quality art concepts is logical and correct. And if you consider that you have to work with creative people, organize their exhibitions - you won't be bored. In addition, you can take into account the idea of opening private exhibitions. Useful information about doing business from scratch.

But initially, before the formation of their activities, it is necessary to organize the direction of the cultural idea.

Questions about the law

On this moment the legislation of the Russian Federation does not contain specialized laws and services that would monitor the activities of galleries.

Therefore, the list of documentation that needs to be collected is small:

- registration of your business through one of the legal forms: either “IP” or “LLC”, choosing along the way one of the taxation options;

– registration of their entrepreneurial activity in the tax service and pension fund.

Building selection

Finding a special hall is required immediately after you have registered your business. The exhibition space is a space that will serve as a characteristic of the exhibition itself, as if complementing it. A very important criterion when looking for a room will be its location. It is desirable if it is a central area. Pay special attention to the climate and lighting of the room itself.

Hall with an area of two hundred square meters must be divided into zones:

– exhibition area – 50 – 85 square meters;

– exposition storage area – 30 – 55 square meters;

— the area reserved for the inventory of the gallery — 45-55 square meters;

- office space - 20 - 30 square meters.

Since renting is an expensive pleasure, a novice businessman should consider saving options. Your attention on this site are business ideas without investment. Such options may include cooperation, when opening a gallery, with authorities or, for example, the implementation of a gallery in a finished building.

Staff

In order for the functioning of your business to run smoothly, in addition to technical level staff, your gallery will need at least five to seven specialists of certain qualifications:

- gallery administrator - main member enterprises. It is he who creates the prestige and face of the gallery. He decides on the style of the exhibition, its genre and direction. He also advises which artists to collaborate with, and which events it is better to refuse;

– a specialist in software specifics – he will be responsible for creating the gallery website;

- assistants - they will advise visitors, providing them with information about existing works. The purchase of a particular product will depend on them;

– a press officer – will create contact between the gallery and the public;

– project curator – will be able to create the format of exhibitions. He analyzes popular art movements and "builds bridges" with art representatives who have a more suitable concept;

- the organizer - he creates a holistic vision of the exhibition, deciding how best to place art objects in one room.

Attachments

The list of expenses includes:

- rent - fifty - seventy thousand rubles a month;

- renovation of the hall with design solutions - about two million rubles (however, if there is a ready-made premises, such expenses are almost completely excluded);

- wages to employees - from ten to fifteen thousand rubles for each;

- marketing - forty - eighty thousand rubles a month.

As a result: 1,400,000 rubles.

Income

The average cost for a single piece of art is from five thousand to one hundred and twenty thousand rubles. But this is not the limit that can be gained from one work - the works of popular masters cost much more than one hundred thousand rubles. Each master will receive a profit of up to 40% of the proceeds.

On average, the income from the gallery and the sale of paintings will be from four hundred to seven hundred thousand rubles, taking into account the organization of one exhibition per month.

Open your own business in most cases it means to use one of the traditional proposals that have already been tried three thousand times, the scheme of their action has been worked out, and examples are found on every corner. Clothing stores, grocery stores, manufacturing, resale, fast food. As for less popular types, then they are looked upon with apprehension and distrust.

Meanwhile, among them there are also worthy specimens. And compared to the above, they have one clear advantage. In them No so frenzied all-consuming competition. But it is competition from the first steps that can crush any well-thought-out business plan and a profitable business can turn into a long game of survival.

Against this background, the uniqueness of your project can be a great help in organizing an entrepreneurial business that will have excellent bottom line performance and earnings. One such project is the opening of a gallery.

Opening a gallery as a business is a fairly new trend among businessmen in the CIS countries. However, it is already considered a promising type of business activity and promises owners a good level of income when organizing. However, it, like any other type of business, has its own difficulties that will determine the entire organization process.

General characteristics of the gallery project

The gallery as such is being formed for subsequent exhibition events completely different format. This is a demonstration of works of art, photographs, paintings, sculptures and regional exhibitions, which may include the commodity theme of factories and manufacturers.

It makes sense to open a gallery on the condition that in the city where the business begins, lives at least three hundred and fifty thousand people. If the format locality satisfies this condition, but still the number of residents is quite small compared to megacities, it will be ideal condition and the fact that there are no other operating sites designed for such events in the city.

The work of the gallery is based solely on mutually beneficial cooperation between exhibition organizers, exhibitors and you, as the owner of the gallery. Although in other cases, you yourself can also be the organizer of events in your room.

Moreover, in Lately in Russia, as it has long been in Europe, incomparably more attention has been paid to art and design. This also applies to ordinary residents, who, in fact, will be the clients of those exhibitions that will be held in your gallery. This means that their interest will directly affect your business.

Hence relevance such a business. To bring the ideas of enlightenment and knowledge to the masses, to give people the opportunity to see what they are unlikely to see anywhere else, to fight for the right of exclusivity and at the same time receive income - this is what the idea of opening a gallery takes a novice entrepreneur.

At the same time, it is worth considering about your taste. Without any pretensions. Objectively evaluate yourself, as in the future this quality will work for you and your business. And if it makes no sense for you to cooperate with young artists, designers, craftsmen, simply because you will not be able to appreciate their work, which means you will not be able to understand whether such an exhibition will be popular in your gallery, but you still want to do business in this direction , then you will need to hire an additional person. This is another line of expenses, but it is she who can result in the success of the entire enterprise.

Therefore, before starting your own business, you need to form the direction of the project and, if necessary, use expert advice. The role that you will play in your project should not be underestimated, but overestimation can also play a cruel joke. So who you will be for your gallery - an investor, organizer, artist, manager, businessman, or all of this together - you decide. But you need to decide right away.

Legal component

For a novice entrepreneur, in order to start developing a business at the opening of a gallery not required some specialized permits from state authorities, because there is no special control body for such places for holding exhibitions yet. Therefore, as in any other business, only standard papers will be needed.

Permission to practice entrepreneurial activity. Do not forget that you will need to choose the form of organizational and legal activity - individual entrepreneur, or limited liability company. Also the choice will take place in the form of taxation of your case. After that, there is registration with the tax service and the pension fund, where deductions will also go.

The whole process of registering official activities is laborious and time consuming, because it involves paperwork and constant visits. government agencies. Especially if this is your first experience. However, there is a way to avoid all the red tape yourself by paying a certain amount of money to a specialized firm. Similar organizations are going to do everything for you. This will speed up the process and free up your time to form your own project. Tariffs must be determined individually.

room

Since the exhibitions that you will hold in your gallery are designed for mass visits by people from all over the settlement, as well as visitors from other cities, you need to thoroughly attend to the issue of locating the enterprise. The city center is perfect. However, with such a choice, one must be prepared for the fact that rent will cost more and there may be difficulties with organizing an entrance for guests and visitors to exhibitions. And convenience plays big role in terms of attendance and popularity. In addition, exhibitors will request the convenience of bringing exhibits and props into the territory.

Considerable attention when renting or building a gallery building, lighting and indoor climate. Therefore, it is important that high-quality ventilation, air conditioning and temperature maintenance systems are in working order. The exhibits are different, and for some, the optimal temperature regime is important.

The gallery space must have multiple zones. And the total area will vary based on a predetermined focus of the events. The greater the variety of exhibitions you plan to hold in your premises, the more likely it will require a rather large area. However, a room of 250 square meters is considered as standard.

Gallery zones:

- Work storage room. At least 50 squares.

Storage room equipment and props. At least 50 squares.

- Office administration. Enough 15 - 25 squares.

Actually exhibition hall. About 80 square meters.

Renting such a large space is never easy. Especially given the location mentioned above.

Therefore, a budding entrepreneur should think about options that will help you save money. So, for example, if you rent a ready-made premises, which was originally intended for such purposes, then you can remove the costs of organizing technological networks, ventilation and sewerage. Another option is a joint opening with the authorities of the state municipality, which will be interested in the development of this area in terms of ennoblement cultural life cities. Undoubtedly, such an approach will give its advantages not only in the "rent" column, but will also simplify, for example, a marketing campaign.

Staff

The staff of the current gallery can be either permanent or, in some positions, temporary. In addition to technical specialists, you need to pay attention to several positions of personnel:

Project Manager. An important position, since such indicators as the prestige of the enterprise, its popularity, and, accordingly, income will depend on its activities. He will decide on the formats and topics of the exhibition events. And, as mentioned earlier, it does not have to be the entrepreneur himself.

Programmer. Not an explicit position. However, if you plan to achieve a certain level of solidity of the company, you will have to do promotion on all fronts, including the worldwide network. Moreover, every serious organization is simply obliged to have its own website so that people can get the necessary information as soon as possible, as well as follow the schedule of upcoming exhibition events and buy tickets without queuing at the box office. So the position of a programmer, in fact, in the organization of the current gallery cannot be ignored.

In addition, today, you do not have to hire a permanent specialist in the field of IT. There are many firms that will take your tasks on outsourcing.

Consultants. Important persons, as they will have to acquaint visitors with exhibits, works of art and advise in every possible way. At the same time, exhibitions can be completely various types, and not all of them carry with them people who are ready to competently and beautifully tell people about exhibition samples. Therefore, it is necessary to hire consultants erudite people. The popularity of your project, sales of exhibited masterpieces and general prestige will depend on the quality of work of specialists in this position.

Press office secretary. Everything is simple here. This is a person working on media coverage of a planned exhibition.

Gallery curator. In principle, this position and the position of the project manager can be combined. In general, the curator is the person who determines the trend, establishes contact with responsible people, resolves issues with the placement of works in exhibition hall and exhibition design.

Expenses

Costs will be based on many factors. For example, rent will completely depend on the city in which you decide to implement the project, and moreover, in which area of this city you will rent a room. For a small town, let's take an approximate cost of 70,000 rubles.

The second expense item is repair. This is an important part of the whole thing, since you are creating a visual project in the first place. People, being in the premises of your gallery, will evaluate not only the exhibits themselves, but also their combination with the internal style of the building, which, whatever one may say, will affect the perception of the private and the whole. A good repair with hiring a professional designer will cost 1.5 - 2 million rubles.

However, if you managed to find a room that was originally intended for similar purposes, then expenditure items can be significantly reduced.

Third point - salary. Your staff will be both permanent and part-time. But the calculation should take place based on the figure of 15,000 - 20,000 thousand per employee monthly.

Fourth point - marketing company. An important part, as already described above, for the entire gallery project. Therefore, the expense column will have figures of 70 - 100 thousand rubles per month.

These are the main costs of the project. In addition to them, there are also periodic, risky and others. All of them must be indicated in the business plan in order to correctly calculate the periods for reaching net profit.

Profit

Profit in the gallery project - floating value. So, for example, you can not even approximately determine the average price of works of art that will be exhibited and sold in your gallery. It could be 5 thousand rubles, or maybe several million.

The commission principle will also affect the income. That is the percentage that the organizer will receive from the sale of the exhibition, as well as the percentage that the artist receives also vary and are determined before the event on a contractual basis.

With positive trends and bold calculations, if at least once a month we organize an exhibition of twenty to forty paintings. And selling a third of the exhibits there, you can make a profit of 400 thousand rubles.

Although, precisely due to the fact that no one will give guarantees of reaching these figures, and the income will not be stable in relation to the amount of profit, the project of organizing a gallery is not so popular yet. But at the same time, it is extremely promising if you practice a pedantic and professional approach to each stage of the organization.

Another 1000 best business models, you can find in sections: or

There is hardly a more rewarding way on this planet to make a living than running an art gallery. Sitting in a quiet room full of beautiful things all day long, greeting visitors with a smile, giving them your attention and receiving attention in return.

What could be more beautiful than being surrounded by works of art that are perhaps the highest form human self-expression, collect these objects, save them, open their way to the big world, and even earn a living from this? So, if you decide to become an art dealer and open your own gallery, consider a few important points for this profession.

First and foremost, you must have figurative thinking. And everything that you exhibit or offer for sale should be the result of this vision. Imagine that every work and every artist that you exhibit in the gallery is a kind of brushstroke in painting, and the picture you created fully represents your unique view of art.

That's what your goal should be: to present and show the world a coherent, understandable, coherent collection of work that reflects your worldview and allows visitors to create an individual impression of your gallery.
random, not consistent exposure, lack of direction, lack of identity mean that your business will most likely not last.

Speaking of originality, I mean that you should create it yourself, and not entrust it to someone else. As soon as you start copying other galleries, you will immediately enhance their image and fail your own. From the very beginning, you need to establish yourself in your individuality, and if you are not ready for this yet, then you should simply postpone the opening of your gallery until better times.

Even if you choose to showcase art, you cannot do so facelessly or embarrassingly. Therefore, get ready for the fact that you will have to protect your identity and respond to unfriendly competitor comments. Being able to successfully defend what you're selling is at the heart of reputation building and is an Important part of the game. You understand that people who want to buy work from you, and not in a neighboring gallery, must have a good reason for this.

Collectors appreciate knowledgeable educated dealers, those who not only understand art, but can and can clearly argue their position on a particular direction, give expert assessment events taking place on the market, characterize the work in terms of its relevance, historical value etc.

Your next task (if you still decide to stay in this business) is to create a core client base, consisting of regular customers. No matter what type of painting you offer for sale, this base is made up of people who understand that a quality collection is built over time. long period time.

Their tastes and understanding develop gradually, and the more their demands rise, the more they gravitate towards respected reputable dealers and galleries with whom they are connected by a joint business. Check out any list large collection and you will see that only a few dealers are playing important role in its construction. Be one of them.

However, knowing their advantages of their direction, do not stop on what has been achieved. Being the most knowledgeable about the art you represent, attract the best artists in the field. Continuously study the market, understand its trends and stay two steps ahead of the competition. And in exceptional cases, shape this market yourself.

That's what the most successful dealers do: they set the course for others to follow. Rumors about your clairvoyance and foresight will certainly spread among the participants of this market, writers and critics will take your words into service, more and more collectors will begin to look at a new direction, figures of the art communities will not fail to stir up a heap of discussions around you, and the rest is history, as they say.

But wait, that's not all. Successful dealers are always artist first. If you get recognition from artists, you get recognition from collectors. readiness good artist entrust your gallery with their work and their creative career is the key to your success. If you cannot get interesting artist, you will not be able to offer interesting art products to the market. But here I am getting a little ahead of myself.
To achieve this highest recognition– and it will take years, trust me – be firm, focused and confident in the message you send to society.

Become known in the art scene as a gallery that specific types art in a certain price range, works with serious artists whose goals and worldview correspond to a given direction. Your level of trust must be in good standing and your reputation impeccable.

People want to know where they are going, they want to feel stable, and not jump with you from one direction to another, not understanding what else you will come up with next. Remember that most buyers are confused by frivolous experiments around art, so hold your course as firmly and steadily as possible.

Once again, success does not come instantly. It will take a long time to build a reputation. Show after show, show after show, convince people that you are not only committed to your vision, but that you have the necessary resources (talent, vision, intelligence, finances) to keep that helm.

This means that you'd better have enough funds and an interesting bright exhibition calendar for at least six months, and preferably a year, to stay in this business. Profits may not come as quickly as you expected. If you do not have such a pillow, think seriously before starting such a business, it may be worth postponing. From the very first day you will be under scrutiny, but interest in your activities can fade very quickly. Therefore, you must have confidence that what you are doing is capable of starting a fire and keeping it going.

As I said earlier, for the success of the gallery, it is very important to carefully and accurately create a base of regular customers, your real partners, those who remain committed to your choice for a long time. The gallery is not an interest club, not a hangout for friends, familiar artists and classmates, those who come to drink, talk about life and have no intention of buying anything.

A surprisingly large number of galleries from the very beginning seem to be specially created because of the desire of the owners to surround themselves with sycophants and satisfy some unrealized ambitions. This will almost inevitably lead to a sad end. In order to prevent such an outcome. You have to take care of the outside world, take into account its interests and convince the world that you have something to show and have something to say about it, that you protect your gallery from becoming a cheap local club and what you are ready to do her place for the elect.

You must be ready at some stage to outline a clear circle of your clients and weed out all those who speak a lot and beautifully about their love of art, but have no intention of supporting you financially or in any other way. It's the only one way to survive. In the end, you can transfer communication with some especially close to you footcloth friends from the gallery to your personal space.

Your next task is to attract the right people. But this does not mean - to ship. One of the best ways is to talk to everyone in a language they understand. Understand that not everyone wants and is able to understand the subtleties of the secrets of painting and delve into your creative ideas. With such buyers, one should be light and unobtrusive.

It is possible that over time, when you establish a strong connection, you will be able to deepen your intellectual communication. Of course, it would be nice for you to show off your erudition and flaunt your knowledge, and even at first it may seem that you give the impression, in the end, all this intricate terminology will scare off a not very educated guy. Few people are willing to pay for something they know nothing about.

As an art dealer, constantly expand your audience. Again and again, offer items for purchase, sooner or later your customers will start calling themselves and making repeated purchases. At the same time, it also happens that at some point your old clients fill up their collections or switch to new directions, be ready to replace them with those who have just entered the business.
As for the content of conversations, it is undoubtedly better not to use banal empty remarks such as: “Look how beautiful this picture is, how much expression it has, isn’t it?”

Talk about your gallery, your goals, why this and not another direction is worth attention. Discuss the creative credo of your artists, what their art is, the concepts, the ideals that it embodies. Why it is worth investing in them, dwell on the history of successful exhibitions and sales. You must understand yourself and convince anyone that you are selling much more than just beautiful things.

You will never sell anything if you just say, "I really like this, you should like it too."
Always be extremely careful with who you communicate with, try to show maximum care throughout your acquaintance. Instead of pitching in on what you want to sell over and over again, try to get as close as possible to your customer's needs and tastes, give him the information he wants to hear, and then leave him alone with his thoughts.

There is nothing more annoying than annoying gallery staff who are released to process a client, and they try to hook the client with all sorts of tricks, as if the client is a fool and does not understand what exactly they are doing to him. Of course, you may be interested in playing the maze, but first make sure that your hobbies are shared.
In addition, place all descriptive materials in an accessible place: all articles, essays by art historians and critics, press releases, announcements.

Keep the description of the gallery itself and the statments of the artists simple in plain language understandable to everyone. It gives people a certain level of trust, they feel in control of the situation, and most importantly, they decide for themselves if they want to know more. Pressure on the buyer at the very beginning hello to the fact that you will lose loyal customers and will not give you the opportunity to generate cash flows to stay in business.

If we're already talking about finances, let's look at another important aspect of your gallery's survival - the reasonableness of art prices. You must be able to explain your prices in layman's terms. Present the facts, operate with a consistent explanation.

If you have already decided to keep high prices, justify them like a professional: for example, all the works from the last exhibition have been sold, or there were acquisitions for the collection, or there was an auction sale. In the end, the price can also be argued by the fact that this is a painstaking and costly technique, expensive equipment and materials, etc. Those. there must be some specific rational reason for the high cost of the work.

Just say what it is fashion trend, and the artist is a newly-minted genius - not to say anything to sell a painting at a good price. You can't operate on value like a souvenir dealer or an expensive entertainment dealer. The buyer of serious art is in most cases a collector and investor, so he will not be satisfied with weak explanations.

Set only thoughtful agreed-upon prices. Don't do exhibitions where first you sell everything for $8000 - $12000, and next time $500 - $1000. The reaction of regular buyers will not be in favor of your gallery's authority. Even if they were reasonable prices and you can explain fine line between different artists and works art, this line is not obvious to most buyers.

Moreover, we have already told you that you must maintain one direction in your gallery, one level of artists and attract regular customers, so take the temptation to change something in your pricing seriously. People already have certain expectations and you need to be careful with that. We are not talking about small fluctuations in price that are easy to explain, but large discrepancies that can only hurt you.

And finally, a few things to note:
Constantly grow your mailing list, but don't post too often: one or two announcements a month will be enough to maintain your status as a respected gallery.
Appear at local museums cultural organizations, dealer associations and galleries, draw their attention to your events, ask for financial and other support if necessary, not always and all the time, of course, but when it is appropriate.

Invite also organizers of various charity events to your gallery, hold charity auctions yourself. And most importantly, get to know each other and get to know each other again. You want to be recognized in the art community, you want to know the main players and, ultimately, get the favor of influencers. You don't have to appear at all events indiscriminately, but with some level of regularity. People will notice you again and again and gradually the conversation will start.
Move away from pressure tactics. Do not constantly try to sell something to someone.

If someone is ripe for a purchase, they usually make it clear. Answer people's questions, be attentive to their needs, and let them take things step by step. At the very least, make sure the client is mature before grabbing them by the throat.

If a critic or reviewer expresses thoughts that do not delight you, let them do it. Never remove them from your mailing list, respond to criticism with counter-criticism, or close your gallery doors to them. It's just stupid. You can't try to change people or take away their right to their opinion.

And anyway, the press always has the last word, no matter how you puffed up. If you take anything to public court, be prepared to receive different reviews. If this is any consolation, outside readers rarely remember which gallery was discussed in the last review, and your customers, on the contrary, will receive an additional incentive to look at you again and make sure that you are in good shape good mood.
And remember - the worst thing that can be written about you is not to write anything.

And in conclusion. Be an honest dealer. Never distort and don't embellish overly information about artists and works which you are selling. The last thing the buyer would like to know, especially those who have just started their activities, trusting your professionalism, listening to your opinion, bought from you something completely different from what you described. This will not only badly affect your reputation, but also the business of all the galleries in the world, because now they have lost at least one collector, and even a couple of his friends.

Therefore, do your beautiful work honestly, have fun, enjoying all the benefits of a gallery owner, and this alone is enough to say that my business is quite successful.

Article from Artbusiness.com http://www.artbusiness.com/osoqcreatran.html
Translation of the article by Oksana Kozinskaya

What could be more beautiful than being surrounded by art, which is perhaps the highest form of human self-expression, collecting these objects, preserving them, opening the way for them to the big world, and even earning a living from it? So, if you decide to become an art dealer and open your own gallery, consider a few important points for this profession.

First and most important, you must be imaginative. And everything that you exhibit or offer for sale should be the result of this vision. Imagine that every work and every artist that you exhibit in the gallery is a kind of brushstroke in painting, and the picture you created fully represents your unique view of art.

Collectors appreciate knowledgeable educated dealers, those who not only understand art, but can and can clearly argue their position on a particular direction, give an expert assessment of events taking place on the market, characterize a work in terms of its relevance, historical value, etc. .d.

Their tastes and understanding develop gradually, and the more their demands rise, the more they gravitate towards respected reputable dealers and galleries with whom they are connected by a joint business. Examine the list of any large collection and you will see that only a few dealers play an important role in its construction. Be one of them.

But wait, that's not all. Successful dealers are always artist first. If you get recognition from artists, you get recognition from collectors. The willingness of a good artist to trust your gallery with their work and their creative career is the key to your success. If you can't get an interesting artist, you won't be able to offer interesting art products to the market. But here I am getting a little ahead of myself.
To achieve this highest recognition - and it will take years, trust me - be firm, focused and confident in the message you send to society.

Get known in the art scene as a gallery that deals with specific types of art in a certain price range, works with serious artists whose goals and worldview are in line with the given direction. Your level of trust must be in good standing and your reputation impeccable.

Write the description of the gallery itself and the statments of the artists in a simple, accessible language that everyone can understand. It gives people a certain level of trust, they feel in control of the situation, and most importantly, they decide for themselves if they want to know more. Pressure on the buyer at the very beginning hello to the fact that you will lose loyal customers and will not give you the opportunity to generate cash flows to stay in business.

To simply say that this is a fashionable trend, and the artist is a newly-minted genius, is to say nothing to sell a painting at a good price. You can't operate on value like a souvenir dealer or an expensive entertainment dealer. The buyer of serious art is in most cases a collector and investor, so he will not be satisfied with weak explanations.

Set only thoughtful agreed-upon prices. Don't do exhibitions where first you sell everything for $8000 - $12000, and next time $500 - $1000. The reaction of regular buyers will not be in favor of your gallery's authority. Even if it was reasonable prices and you can explain the fine line between different artists and works art, this line is not obvious to most buyers.

And finally, a few things to note:
Constantly grow your mailing list, but don't post too often: one or two announcements a month will be enough to maintain your status as a respected gallery.
Show up at local museums, cultural organizations, dealer associations and galleries, draw their attention to your events, ask for financial and other support if necessary, not always and all the time, of course, but when it is appropriate.

And in any case, the press always has the last word, no matter how puffed up you are. If you're taking anything to the public court, be prepared to get different opinions. If this is any consolation, outside readers rarely remember which gallery was discussed in the last review, and your customers, on the contrary, will receive an additional incentive to look at you again and make sure that you are in good shape and in a great mood.
And remember - the worst thing that can be written about you is not to write anything.

Therefore, do your beautiful work honestly, have fun, enjoying all the benefits of a gallery owner, and this alone is enough to say that my business is quite successful.

Article from Artbusiness.com http://www.artbusiness.com/osoqcreatran.html
Translation of the article by Oksana Kozinskaya

In youth, no one famous son of Armenian emigrants, Larry Gagosian did not even think about the world of art and earned money wherever he could - he parked cars, etc., until one day he started selling posters. Later, he switched to painting, began to promote paintings contemporary artists, and once it was thanks to him that the world recognized Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. After that, Larry Gagosian became fabulously rich and for a long time led the ratings of the most influential figures in the field. visual arts. Story american dream, is not it?

Myths and reality.

In fact, things are somewhat different in the art world, especially when it comes to the Russian art market. Modern conditions, in which there is painting in our country, require remarkable patience from the gallery owner, serious material investments and painstaking work to form their audience. Now even in Moscow gallery sales cannot be called in a good way to earn capital: this is still a long way off. In our gallery, in most cases, it is more of an image character, it is an opportunity to express yourself by creating curatorial projects that are now fashionable and providing support to talented artists.

IN modern Russia there are many gallerists whose professionalism and devotion to art inspire genuine respect. These are, for example, Elena Selina (gallery XL), Alexander Sharov (gallery "11.12"), Marat Gelman. However, no one has yet earned a multi-million dollar capital from the sales of Russian art. For a long time we were isolated from the world's art processes, and the middle class in our country had not yet formed the habit of investing in art. Therefore, we can say that the art market is just being formed in our country.

Three steps to success.

What questions should be decided first of all if you firmly decided to link your future with art objects and become a gallery owner? Of course, the main thing, without which you can not do - passionate attitude to art and confidence in their own artistic taste and intuition. The second is special knowledge that can be obtained both independently and with the support of art market professionals. You can enter a specialized university in our country or abroad. So, for example, in Moscow, the RMA business school offers educational program Art Management and Gallery Business. Classes are held at the center contemporary art"Winery", the course consists of lectures and master classes, and the most influential people in the art world teach here: Olga Sviblova, Vasily Tsereteli, Marina Loshak, Joseph Backshtein and others.

Retraining programs for gallery owners are offered by universities such as Moscow State University, Russian State University for the Humanities, Higher School of Economics, and St. Petersburg State University. Curators are also trained at the Free Workshops at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, as well as at the Baza Institute by Anatoly Osmolovsky. From foreign specialized educational institutions I can recommend London's Sotheby's Institute of Art, which trains professionals in the field of art in programs of various durations, from summer courses to master's programs.

In addition, of course, it is necessary to visit exhibitions, communicate with artists, gallery owners and collectors. This is the only way to understand what is happening on the art scene and determine the directions that will become closest to you. But if you are no longer new to the art community, it's time to take concrete action.

Step one.

Determine the circle of artists you will represent on the market. All galleries can be conditionally divided into two types: current and traditional. The former reflect the latest trends in art, discover the current and new, the latter represent a long time ago. known species art. And if the former tend to shock the public with new original ideas and expensive projects, the latter, on the contrary, are conservative and, as a rule, organize sales exhibitions.

The projects of the former are interesting because they are dynamic and sharply reflect the social processes taking place in society; such galleries have their own fans. However, there is another part of the audience, those who will go to a traditional gallery for a painting for their collection, because they are close to art that has been tested by time and is not subject to market fluctuations.

So, for example, the works of the well-known duet Vinogradov - Dubossarsky (see photo below), on the verge of social and pop art, with provocative plots, on canvas large sizes, represent galleries of the first type, relevant. And let's say works just as well famous Natalia Nesterova, laureate of the State Prize, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, with images biblical stories, everyday scenes, with still lifes - galleries of the second type.

Current galleries address their projects to a politicized public, as well as to those who are interested in the protest movement or ideas that open up new horizons in the mind. There are those among the audience who just want to surprise their wealthy friends.

If you have decided on a direction, have found your niche, try to enlist the support of at least five to ten artists who will work with your gallery. At the opening stage, two or three should be attracted famous authors- this way you can generate initial interest in the gallery. And in order to enter the market effectively, try to make your first project interesting and extraordinary.

Step two.

Choose a location for the gallery. In Western countries, there are certain areas where it is customary to open them: in New York, London and Paris there are entire neighborhoods in which art institutions have launched their activities. We are just developing gallery zones, but we already have the Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art, so it would be preferable to exhibit contemporary art there. Other galleries can be located outside the clusters, but preferably in the city center, because you need to take into account the state of traffic and respect the time of visitors.

An apartment-home format is also possible, and there are many such galleries. Its advantage is that you do not need to spend money on renting a room, which becomes the most burdensome expense item. Therefore, some galleries do not have a permanent address, but use new spaces each time. This format is interesting in that it expands the curator's opportunities to present the next exhibition project in a new, suitable environment for him. This way you can offer the concept of art moving beyond the usual walls of galleries and museums, as many new galleries do today.

Step three.

Project launch and subsequent marketing activities. Preparatory work before the opening will take a lot of time, but you can’t do without it. The development of a corporate identity and the launch of a website are simply necessary: otherwise, how will a potential buyer identify you? Naming, creating a logo, preparing and printing catalogs, booklets and invitation cards, writing announcements and releases - that's just small part advertising activities. Be prepared for the fact that you have to decorate the gallery space and carry out hanging.

You also need to come up with some branded "chip" that distinguishes you from competitors. For example, for the 73rd Street gallery, a special lamppost was made with a sign "Gallery here" and a logo, which is installed every time during the vernissage. This is done so that guests can easily find the entrance to the exhibition, since the gallery always carries out its projects at different venues in Moscow. Next, determine the circle of invitees to the opening of your gallery, whether it will be closed or available to everyone.

Inform guests about the date and time of the opening, think about the treat and program, write a press release. By the way, get ready for the fact that you will have to constantly monitor everything that happens on the art market, attend many events and communicate with people a lot, participate in the biennale young art and international art fairs, that is, to be in constant search and movement.

So, you opened up and a certain number of people became aware of your gallery. Among them, perhaps, there are your future customers. Now it is important to support their interest with new projects, to discover for them the names of young and promising artists, that is, to turn visitors into buyers, and possibly into real collectors. Whether your gallery will become an attractive place for investors and connoisseurs of art, for journalists and artists, now depends only on your professionalism, ability to communicate with people and, to a large extent, on luck. Good luck!

About the author: Elena Komarenko is a collector, art dealer, founder and manager of the 73rd Street gallery. Provides assistance in the formation of collections of contemporary art. 73rd Street Gallery was founded in 2011 and presents famous names contemporary Russian art (since the 1960s), as well as talented young authors, including foreign ones.