As I continue to grow as an artist manager, my interest in the art business deepens. Around 90% of the artists who approach me express a desire to sell their work, which often comes up in our first conversation. Reflecting on the artists I've worked with, whether through mentoring sessions, writing for them, or developing projects together, I counted that only 20% of them were men. Interestingly, not a single one of those men mentioned selling their work as a primary goal.
Inspired by @carriescottcurates I read The Artsy Market Recap 2024, which revealed that only 29% of inquiries on Artsy in 2024 were for works by women artists. This made me wonder if the need and willingness to invest money in career or practice development among women artists stems from the possibility that the men on my "level" are actually selling more. While these figures are still far from ideal, Artsy also noted that 37% of inquiries for ultra-contemporary artists were for works by women, which shows a modest but notable improvement.
The artists I work with are usually in the first 5–10 years of their careers (I count it from the year they completed their BA). Their work is priced between £150 and £15,000, and they are not represented by any galleries or engaged in relationships beyond a single exhibition. The majority of their sales occur directly, often through Instagram, while only a small portion happens at exhibitions.
In 2024, I've noticed a growing trend of artists including prices on their websites or adding shop functionalities. The main reasons often stem from the nature of their work. Many create installations or present conceptual works at exhibitions or use materials that are hard to care for, making selling their pieces more challenging. Others aim to grow alongside their collectors, who generally cannot spend more than £500 on a single piece. Additionally, some artists produce such a high volume of work that they need to offload it quickly, so making the purchase of their work more straightforward works in their favour.
However, when I asked several artists for their price lists, many didn't have them -not even one photographer had it or followed up. If the artist is participating in shows hoping to make sales, they should have their prices ready. If they are struggling with figuring out their pricing, I’d recommend visiting galleries and collecting catalogues, or requesting them anonymously via email. It could provide better insight into how much similar artists are selling their work for.
In 2024, I observed several successful studio sales announced exclusively on Instagram. Many artists also introduced limited editions of smaller works leading up to Christmas. Those announced at least two months in advance and marketed as potential gifts tended to perform better. I was very excited to see that even a few sculptors tried this strategy.
I've talked about this a few times, but I'm still curious: why are so many artists hesitant to officially announce on Instagram that they are selling and/or to include prices on their websites? Many artists want to sell their works through exhibitions, but when one consider how few exhibitions result in sales—even at mid-level galleries—and that most sales happen via Instagram or directly from the studio, why wouldn't the artist take advantage of that? Especially considering that galleries often take 50% and may delay informing the artist about the sale for months—or, in some cases, fail to pay them altogether.
A friend once suggested that publicly selling work, especially through Instagram, might make it seem like "the artist is selling out," but to me, it simply looks like "the artist is selling."
If you're an artist, let me know in the comments: why are you hesitant to announce on Instagram that you're selling your work and/or include prices on your website? Or, if you've tried it, did it work for you?
And for those who love buying art (I know that if you are an artist, you also like it), how do you feel about seeing artwork prices listed on Instagram or websites? Does it make the process easier and more appealing for you or do you think that the artist shouldn’t be so open about it?
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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