Selling at art fairs

Selling at art fairs

 

Selling at an art exhibition is one of the traditional and popular ways to sell and sell works of art. Art exhibitions are usually organized by galleries, cultural organizations, or government institutions and provide an opportunity for artists to display and share their artwork with art lovers in the community.

Presenting works of art in the exhibition is one of the important ways for artists to earn money from works of art and introduce themselves to the audience. These events can be a great opportunity for artists to introduce and sell their works to more people. Join us to discuss the importance and benefits of selling in an art exhibition and the important points worthy of attention in this regard.

 

Video of 10 of the most expensive works of art that have been sold

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5MlBcWaVY

 

 

The importance of selling in an art exhibition

 

Selling works of art through exhibitions is important for artists for several reasons. Here are some important reasons:

• Financial resources: Selling artworks can be an important source of income for artists. This helps artists to support their living expenses and continue their artistic work.
• Recognition: This helps artists gain recognition, and fame and gives them more opportunities to exhibit and sell more works.
• Motivation: Good sales motivate artists to continue their work. This shows them that their work is valuable and appreciated.

 

Useful books about sales in the art world

 

Introducing important books for sale at an art fair provides valuable insight for artists, collectors, and enthusiasts. Several notable books cover various aspects of selling in the art world:

 

1. “Art/Work: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) As You Pursue Your Art Career” by Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melber

Art/Work: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) to Pursue Your Art Career. This book offers practical guidance for navigating the art world, including tips on marketing, pricing, negotiating and selling art.

2. “How to Sell Art: A Systematic Approach to Creating Relationships with Collectors and Closing the Sale” by J. Jason Horejs

How to Sell Art: A Systematic Approach to Building Relationships with Collectors and Closing Sales.

Providing a step-by-step guide to selling art, this book emphasizes the importance of building relationships with collectors, understanding buyer psychology, and closing deals effectively.

 

3. “The Art of Selling Art: How to Make a Living as an Artist” by Noah Horowitz

 

 

The Art of Selling Art: How to Make a Living as an Artist. Based on interviews with successful artists and industry professionals, this book offers perspectives on developing a sustainable career as an artist, including tips on pricing, displaying, and selling artwork.

 

4. Buy from Picasso, sell to Dali by Samira Arjamandi

 

The mentioned book is a guide for art students and graduates of this field, which includes useful recommendations for entering the art market and presenting art products.

 

Benefits of selling at art fairs

 

The advantages of presenting works in the art exhibition can be summarized as follows:

 

• Broadening the audience: Art exhibitions provide an opportunity for artists to expose their artworks to a larger number of people. which is important in expanding the audience and attracting new buyers.
• Feedback: This event can provide a platform for artists to receive feedback from the audience. This feedback can help them improve in their artistic path and produce better works of art.
• Networking: The exhibition provides an opportunity for artists to connect with other artists, buyers, and art enthusiasts. This networking creates more opportunities for success.

 

Important points for selling at the exhibition

 

Selling at an art fair can be a bit of a challenge, but with proper planning and preparation, you can increase your chances of success.

Here are some tips for selling at an art fair:

 

Present your artwork properly.

 

Your artwork should be well-lit and easily visible. You should also organize them in such a way that visitors can find them easily.

 

Communicate with visitors.

 

Greet visitors and talk to them about your artwork. Help them find the work they love and are looking for.

 

Be prepared to bargain.

 

Many buyers expect to be able to bargain for the price of artwork. Be prepared to adjust your prices to suit buyers’ budgets.

 

Expose yourself.

 

Attend the exhibition and meet people. Share your business card and be on social media to gain exposure.

 

Do your research before the fair.

 

Find out about the gallery or space where your artwork will be displayed. Find out what kind of visitors come to that place and what kind of artwork they prefer.

 

Choose the right works of art for the target audience.

 

Think about the audience you want to sell your artwork to. What kind of artwork do they like? What budget do they have?

Use advertising. Use social media, print ads, and other promotional channels to inform people about the exhibition.

By following these tips, you can improve your success at selling art at art fairs.

 

Steps of selling artwork in an art exhibition

 

The stages of selling the work in the art exhibition can be summarized as follows:

 

1. Research and planning

 

Before attending any art fair, it is important to do your research and plan. This includes researching the gallery or space where your artwork will be displayed, thinking about the target audience, and pricing the artwork.

 

Check out the gallery or space where your artworks are displayed:

 

At this stage, it is important to gather the following information:

1. In what area is the gallery or exhibition space located?
2. What kind of artwork does the gallery or exhibition space display?
3. What kind of audience visits the gallery or exhibition space?

 

To collect this information, you can visit the gallery or exhibition space’s website, contact the gallery or exhibition space, or check the gallery or exhibition space’s previous exhibitions.

Thinking about the target audience:

 

The target audience is the people who are most likely to buy your artwork. To determine your target audience, consider the following factors:

1. What are the age, gender, place of residence, income, interests, and values of your target audience?
2. What kind of artwork do they like?

To gather this information, you can use marketing research, talk to a sample of your target audience, or join online communities where your target audience is active.

 

Determining the price of works of art:

 

The price of your artworks should be proportional to their quality and artistic value. When determining the price of artwork, consider the following factors:

1. Cost of materials and time spent to create each work of art
2. The price of similar works of art in the market
3. The budget of your target audience

To determine the price of artwork, you can get help from an art expert or use an online artwork pricing platform.

 

2. Preparation of works of art

 

Make sure your artwork is in perfect condition and ready for display. That includes proper lighting, organizing artwork, and presenting business cards or brochures.

 

1. Proper lighting: Proper lighting can show your artwork in the best way. For this, use local lighting or general lighting. Spotlighting draws visitors’ attention to specific artworks, while general lighting causes all artworks to be uniformly lit.
2. Organize artwork: Your artwork should be organized so that visitors can find it easily. To organize artwork, you can sort them by style, subject, or size.
3. Provide a business card or brochure: Your business card or brochure should provide your visitors with your contact information. You can also use business cards or brochures to provide more information about your artwork.

 

3. Communication with visitors

 

Be present at the exhibition and communicate with visitors. Say hello and talk about your artwork and help them find a piece they’re interested in.

 

1. Welcoming visitors: Greet visitors with a smile and a pleasant face.
2. Talk about artwork: Talk to visitors about your artwork. Tell them how you created them and why they are important to you.
3. Help visitors find the work they want: Help visitors find the work they want. Talk to them about different art styles and different subjects of artwork.

 

4. Prepare to bargain

 

Many buyers expect to be able to bargain for the price of artwork. Be prepared to balance your prices according to buyers’ budgets.

Bargaining is a natural thing in buying and selling. If the buyer doesn’t agree with your offer, don’t be afraid to bargain. You can lower the price or offer other benefits such as discounts or free shipping.

 

5. After the exhibition

 

After the show, thank your buyers and ask them to contact you. You can also use this opportunity to gather feedback from buyers and improve your artwork. Getting feedback from buyers can help you evaluate your artwork. Ask buyers to comment on your artwork and tell you what they like best and what they dislike.

 

last word

 

Selling works of art at an art exhibition can be a good way to introduce an artist’s works of art to new audiences and generate income, and with proper planning and preparation, success in this field can be increased.

Some key points for the success of selling works of art in the art exhibition, which we talked about in the article above, are briefly mentioned at the end:

• Research and planning
• Prepare artwork
• Communication with visitors
• Preparation for bargaining

In the above article, we have mentioned important and noteworthy points for selling works of art. Selling works of art in an art exhibition may be one of the plans of artists in the path of their artistic life, and the necessary preparation for this helps to do it as well as possible.

 

More resources to study

 

To read more, you can refer to the following articles:

In-Person Art Shows Are Crucial for Selling Your Paintings

How To Sell Art – The Best Guide for Artists

How To Sell Your Artwork at an Exhibition by Paul Brown

How to Sell Art at Fine Art Exhibitions

What are the most effective ways to sell artworks at an exhibition?

Method of marketing, exhibiting and selling artwork