2 Heavy-Duty Art Business Books

Daydreams about finding a gallery that wants to sell your painting don't usually get as far as dealing with the practicalities of that business relationship. Will you insist on a contract? What will it say? Have you even heard of the term "consignment sale"? (Which at its most basic means you give a painting to a gallery for free and they try to sell it in return for a commission of the selling price.)

One of the books I've been sent from Allworth Press, The Artist-Gallery Partnership (Compare Prices) provides detailed information on what to expect from a gallery and an analysis of a typical contract. It's aimed specifically at the USA market, with chapters covering state-specific laws. With a list price of $20 it's not cheap, though it is considerably less than the hourly rate of a contract lawyer. Read my review...

The second Allworth Press book is The Artist's Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions, by Lynn Basa (Compare Prices). Again it's written for artists working in the USA but many of the principles will apply anywhere. Neither are lightweight reading, both are heavy-duty art business books. Uncreative as the business side of managing an art career may seem, you neglect it at your peril.

See Also:
• Six Steps To Selling Consignment
• Beating the Wal-Mart Mentality from About.com's Guide to Arts/Crafts Business

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