What to Expect When Contacting a Gallery
Through Artsy, you can learn more about your favorite artwork by speaking to the experts at galleries. These professionals can share how the piece was made, the story behind it, how much it might cost to ship it to you, and more. To get in touch, simply click the “Contact Gallery” button on the artwork’s page.
If it’s your first time buying from galleries—or you’re new to doing so with Artsy—here’s what you can expect from these conversations.
Cover the Logistics
Most often, gallery conversations begin with the logistics, such as the artwork’s availability, price, and shipping costs. If you find that the work is out of your price range, you can ask if there’s room for negotiation or whether it’s possible to pay in installments.
In rare cases, the artwork you want has already been sold. But don’t be discouraged—the gallery might be able to locate a similar work that’s available for sale.
Learn about the Artist
Galleries love talking about artists, so don’t hesitate to ask for the story behind an artwork. You can also request information about artists’ careers, such as press highlights, exhibition histories, auction records, or museums that collect their works.
To get a better sense of an artwork’s look and feel, you can choose to schedule a visit to the gallery or request detailed images to help with your decision making. If you’re far away, you can even video chat with the gallery for a virtual tour of the artwork.
Share Your Interests
Whether you’re looking to collect a specific artist or need the perfect work to fill a blank wall, it’s helpful to share these goals with the gallery. If you do, the gallery will be able to share other works in its inventory that match your interests—or notify you if something similar becomes available in the future.
For a head start, take 30 seconds to fill out your Collector Profile on Artsy. Adding this information makes it easy for galleries to give you custom recommendations right away.
Continue the Relationship
Building a relationship with a gallery can be incredibly rewarding. To get started, you can ask to be added to the gallery’s email list to find out about future exhibitions or events in your area.
Even if you decide to pass on the work, thanking the gallery for its help can go a long way. You’ll find that galleries are also more likely to give exclusive access and discounts to their most loyal clients.
Remember that most galleries are closed on Mondays, so you can expect a delay if you reach out to a gallery over the weekend. However, if you do not receive a response from a gallery within four days, you can notify our team of specialists at [email protected], and we will follow up on your behalf.
