Art Consultants Role - What is it?

Can someone fill me in on the relationship between an artist and an art consultant. I'm thinking of being represented by an art consultant but have no idea what the relationship entails. Does the consultant exclusively represent the artist, and everything the artist produces goes through the consultant, or is it okay for the artist to sell elsewhere in parallel? Can the artist just place work on consignment with the consultant as and when the artist produces work? Can there be representation for a limited time, say half a year? Are contracts signed between the artist and arts consultant?

Anyone with experience of this? Thanks.

Usuff Omar.

Hi Usuff

An art consultant represents you. Choose one who you know has a good reputation and has been in business for several years. Make sure that you form a relationship with your consultant and that he/she visits your studio and sees the work you do. Never allow that consultant to take sole representation - in fact I don't know of any in Britain that do that. Establish the contract early into the relationship. Some consultants will ask you to provide the contract but make sure they give you receipts for all the work that they take, even if it is just to show to the client. Also establish that they have sufficient insurance when the work is in their hands and that the delivery costs of transport fall to them. Ask them about sales tax and the percentage they take before you sign anything.

I have three consultants who represent me but work closely with only one of them - there is a link to their site on my home page. She and her colleagues always come to our Open Studios and my she and I talk every month. I send her new slides as soon as they are ready. Constant contact with her keeps the artist fresh in her mind. There are varied degrees of success through art consultants - I have been lucky but a lot of my peer group have not. I have had work out on lease on many occasions and have done very well from it, making almost as much as if I had sold but still maintaining possession. A sale is always better, of course.

Good luck Alison http://www.raimes.com

Alison,

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, Alison. I placed an ad in a US publication for an arts consultant because I was after literally someone to consult about marketing fine art photography. Instead I got someone who gave me little or no advice but is seeking to represent me. I then realised the term 'arts consultant' has a specific meaning in the arts world. I know nothing of her background, and she has given me almost no information. After reading your post I'll tread carefully here.

Usuff Omar.

Glad to hear it, Usuff. I have been contacted by dozens of *art consultants*. One of them wanted to lease a painting from me - only a small one - it worked out I would get only a few pounds per month, and she expected me to drive eighty miles to deliver it too. I suspect I would never have seen the work again or the money. Recently one of my *consultants* took a painting on consignment - I even picked up another artists work and delivered it to the other side of London at no charge to them. Three weeks later I wondered why no paper work had arrived. It turns out that the client had changed his mind after arguing over price, and the painting had been sitting in their offices all that time. I could fill up the newsgroup with stories of artist's dealings with such organisations.

A word more of advise to anyone dealing with art consultants, apart from making sure they are a legitimate business. Any slides you send to them will more than likely not be returned. I get my photographer to do around thirty slides of every piece of work now - it works out cheaper than getting duplicates done. Mostly, I try and get people to look at my website first before sending slides.

Usuff, I get the feeling that it is advise that you are after rather than representation ? The best place for you to start is at an art school. Even if you just go in and read their notice boards you are more likely to find useful information.

Good luck ! Alison http://www.raimes.com http://artlives.homestead.com

From your address I see you are 'down under.'

Consultant possibly has a different meaning there than it does in the USA, but generally speaking:

Artist's Agent = someone who represents you to the art collecting world. A sales agent for the artist.

Art Consultant = someone who has expertise in one or more areas of art and sells their knowledge to anyone needing their advice/expertise.