How's My Dealing? 2.0

Worldwide Reviews by Artists for Artists of Galleries, Art Fairs, Mail Scams and more.
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anonymous

Pleiades

Has anyone had experience with this gallery? One artist said they required big upfront fees?

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ArtExpo.com

The questionable practice of requiring artists to front money in order to exhibit is not limited to physical galleries. The online world is full of sites that will gladly display photos of your art for a fee. The allure is understandable, and you are certainly not alone if you are compelled to buy in. These sites know how to prey on the need for exposure that all emerging artists feel so strongly. And in this age of internet fame it is easy to believe that a digital gallery could be the answer to your exposure problems. But just like their…

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Gallery Godo

There are pay to play galleries everywhere. In LA there are a host of them, and Gallery Godo is surely one. It is important to understand that there are implications beyond the mere handing over of your hard earned cash when it comes to signing with these galleries. Often, having an exhibition in a pay to play is a stain on your artist CV. These venues have grown to have reputations throughout the art world that precede any artist who has dealt with them.

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Ico Gallery

Another New York City venue with a mixed reputation, Ico Gallery offers the same “deal” as the other pay to play places. For an upfront fee, artists are given space to display their work. The gallery is in the habit of sending unsolicited emails just as many other vanity venues do. The emails explain that they have viewed work online and would like to offer a show if the artist is willing to put up the cost at the outset. If you haven’t begun to pick up on the general thread of things by now, let’s be very clear. An…

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Galerie Gora

A number of artists report being contacted by Montreal’s Galerie Gora with offers of exhibitions. Of course at first these emails are met with excitement, but then many of them realize they never submitted work to the gallery and they go on to read the terms of engagement. Galerie Gora solicits emerging artists, offering them exhibition space at very high cost. Again, while there is some debate over the validity of the gallery itself, it is a good rule of thumb to never fall victim to an email requesting money.

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Agora

There is some debate in the art world as to the validity of Agora Gallery in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. Some artists find this to be a respectable, even profitable way to exhibit their art, while many others have had experiences that border on scam. Agora has a pretty high profile reputation for this. Artists confront steep upfront costs to exhibit as well as commission fees. There are those who assert that Agora Gallery is held in low esteem by fellow Chelsea venues. The bottom line: you must decide whether spending thousands of dollars to put your art in a…

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