How do art scams work?

Essentially, the scammer will express interest in a piece of your art, and then offer to pay for it with a money order or cashier’s check. They’ll then ask you send a chunk of that money on to a 3rd party (see below) such as their personal “shipping agent”.

Do artists pay for gallery representation?

When an artist is represented by a gallery, he or she has to pay a part of the profit as commission for every sold artwork. The amount varies from gallery to gallery and is usually decided upon by both parties and drafted into a secure contract. If you are an independent artist, the entire amount comes to you.

How does artist representation work?

An artist agent is any professional who works on behalf of an artist to represent, promote, and sell their work. In many ways, they represent the business interests of the artist, whether by pursuing individual sales, licensing deals, publicity, or opportunities like teaching, events, or commissions for artists.

How can you tell a fake painting?

A printed piece of art has its characteristics. You can hold the painting up to the light and look at it from the back. If it is a real painting, you should be able to see light coming through the back of the canvas. But if it is a printed copy, this isn’t the case.

Why are art galleries important?

Art galleries can showcase the history of a particular culture in a visual manner. The art may also help to explain the social and political climate at the time the artwork was made. More importantly though, the art showcases the perspective of any one particular artist during a certain moment in time.

How does an art gallery make money?

The primary way that an art gallery makes money is by taking a percentage of artwork sales throughout the year. Additional revenue may be gained by throwing different events throughout the year or even renting the gallery space out as a special venue for other businesses.

How do you email an art gallery?

Personally address your email to the gallery and/or gallery curator. Then quickly explain who you are, the kind of artwork you make, and what you want from them. Include some eye-catching detail or interesting theme of your work, if applicable.

How do I find gallery representation?

This is easy to do and you can start from home. Talk to your fellow artists and have them suggest galleries to you. Flip through art magazines and look at gallery ads and the artists they represent. Check out a variety of gallery websites and see if your work would be a good fit for them.

How do I avoid being scammed when selling art?

State your terms and conditions for sale of art from your website on your website. Make sure these are scam-proof. End communication if they cannot comply. DO NOT ASSUME an email request or caller is genuine – people aren’t always who they say they are.

Do artists lose money when they sell their art?

In the excitement and in an effort to make a sale of their art, many artists may not use good judgment during the transaction. If sound business practices are ignored, this transaction may ultimately cause the artist to lose money, their art or in some cases, both.

What are fake art fairs and how do they work?

Fake Art Fairs are created by people with no experience of the business who recognise that artists wanting to sell their art will pay for a booth – and all “the extras”. Booth fees are banked – but the organisation is poor, the marketing virtually non-existent and there are all sorts of practical problems on-site.

What is cyber crime in the art world?

Cyber crime is any criminal act dealing with computers and networks. The ways and means of scamming artists and art collectors are numerous and multiplying. This page will attempt to highlight some of the more obvious scams, fraudulent activities and cyber crimes which happen in the art world.