Online Galleries and Sales Sites
By Karen Atkinson, courtesy of Side Street Projects
image from 20x200.com
ABOUT: Both for-profit and nonprofit, these are generally curated and allow artists to post work on a host’s Web site for sale and/or visibility.
EXPECTATIONS: Some membership organizations allow members to post work on their Web site. Other Web sites are exclusively for showing or sales, and artists are curated into the online collection. Commercial online galleries take a commission on sales.
PROS: Good way to direct people to your work, plus visibility to an expanded audience.
CONS: Your work will be seen in the context of other artist’s work. If you are concerned, make sure you check out the submission policies and the artists currently on the site. Not all sites have good sales records. Many charge a fee for each work displayed.
RESEARCH: Conduct online searches for information. Talk to other artists who use these services.
RESOURCES: Some Web sites have listings of online galleries.
Excerpted from Get Your Sh*t Together, an artist's professional development software produced by Karen Atkinson. This came out of her involvement wth Side Street Projects, Los Angeles.