(This article was originally written in May, 2019 and was recently updated in 2023.)
I recently received an email from an artist informing me that she had sent her artwork to a gallery in Manhattan for an art show that was scheduled to take place a few months ago. She shipped her artwork as requested but didn’t receive any confirmation about the delivery status. When she visited the gallery’s website she was shocked to read that the exhibition was “postponed” and that the artists would be notified.
However, time passed and she did not receive any notification. She sent emails to no avail. A few days ago, the gallery website was completely removed. She never received her art nor a reimbursement for fees she paid to participate in the exhibition.
One wonders, is this a situation in which the gallery owners met unforeseen personal or business problems or is this another art scam aimed intentionally to victimize artists?
Hope for the Best
Whatever caused this situation, many artists were involved and are concerned about what happened. Being an optimist with faith in most people, I hope there is a reasonable explanation as to why the artists weren’t notified. Perhaps there was a sudden tragedy that prevented the show from taking place. I hope this problem will be resolved quickly and amicably for all artists concerned. I hope the artists will get their artwork and any fees they paid returned in full.
Look For The Warning Signs
If this was intentionally organized as a scam against artists, unfortunately, this event is not a one of a kind occurrence. Perhaps something similar has happened to you.
To help you protect yourself, on this website you’ll find an article about “Vanity” galleries and one titled Scams Aimed at Artists. It is a topic of concern that I included in one of my books more than 10 years ago. I fear it will be an ongoing subject of interest for a long time to come. I’ll keep reporting about it.
There are warning signs to watch for. In this situation, the gallery’s call for artists was widely publicized. The pitch to artists was very appealing. They know that artists worldwide crave to be in an exhibition in New York City. They announced: “Exhibit in the heart of Chelsea”, promoting their gallery as being “in close proximity to famous galleries.” The opportunity included participation in both its onsite and online show during a large art fair in NYC, NY. I’m sure they received many applications from artists around the world. However, “close proximity” does not guarantee a single person will come through the gallery door.
Take Action
If something like this has happened to you, don’t just sit there. Take action. Before the website for this gallery was removed there were several art professionals listed on the jurying committee. The advice I gave to the artist who contacted me for help was to contact those individuals and also the Volunteer Lawyers For the Arts, and report the situation to the Better Business Board and Attorney General’s Office. There is more you can do which I include in this article.
Could This Have Been Avoided?
Had the artists read my article about Vanity galleries before sending their artwork, they would have discovered that this gallery is on the “Pay to Participate” list created by Alan Bamberger, an art consultant, advisor, author, and independent appraiser specializing in research, appraisal, and all business and market aspects of original works of art, artist manuscript materials, art-related documents, and art reference books. That might have served as a warning sign for these artists.
You cannot always protect yourself from every situation like this. Galleries go bankrupt. People victimize artists. Opportunists surface every day and dream up new clever pitches to artists. But you can limit your exposure. Do the research before you jump in.
Stay Positive and Informed
The good news is, the majority of individuals, organizations and galleries that offer artists opportunities to show their art can be trusted. And, there are many art service businesses and professionals that charge artists fair and justified fees for their services. Just do your homework to determine which ones they are.
Hi Sxxxxxxxxx Art is a scam! There is a pre-selection phone call with James Mxxxxx where he confirms the acceptance to the fair and rushed me to fill the form within 24H in order to receive a usd 150 discount! A week later a member of the stuff emailed me that the booth was not available anymore and if I wanted to leave the USD 300 deposit with them for another fair… I declined and demanded my money back. 2 weeks later no reply from them and I gave their details to my bank fraud department. A retail dispute is ongoing as I write now. (Please note: names written in Rosa’s comment have been hidden for her protection)
It’s so easy to become tempted!
There is one time I asked a friend who lives in NY to do a walk by of a gallery opening reception. With the address in their gps they went. It was legit looking! BUT they went back the next day with a friend and discovered **poof** it had all disappeared even though the show dates were well beyond the opening reception.
Ugh!
Cheryl, That was very smart of you to have your friend check out the gallery for the reception and most importantly to do the follow up the next day! All artists should follow your lead.
Hello
Can you shed any light on a book my 89 year old aunt is being persuaded to advertise in: “POWER OF CREATIVITY Art Book” published by Contemporary Art Curator magazine. Their emails are very ‘salesey’ and pushy and I think 600 euros is a lot to ‘promote’ her art via a one page feature in a book which may have a limited circulation. Do you have any views or advice on this? Thanks
Valuable insights Renee! I still receive some offers via email from pay-to-play galleries and the like. Strangely, even long after unsubscribing. Now I swipe them into junk because- yes, it is! You do get the hang of it after research and repetitive viewing of these seemingly valid calls. Thanks again for your generosity in bringing it to our attention. Happy Holidays!
Adriana, Good for you for identifying a scam when you see one. Happy Holidays to you too! 🙂
Hi Adriana,
The non-unsubscription may be a violation of CAN-SPAM laws. You might be tempted to report them to the appropriate authority. Check out this govt website: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business
(OR google CAN-SPAM laws and find the government link if you don’t trust my link, which is OK!)
at the bottom it talks about the fines for non compliance.
Thank you Jeni for this helpful information.
Hello Renee,
Wow l appreciate your insight and wisdom.
I do get approached by galleries in NYC.
They look amazing, with regular pictures of their shows from artists around the world.
Yes, they are pay to hang, pay to market etc..
And I calculate that to come over for 2 weeks to present myself with my work, including shipping and their package would set my back £8,000. (around $8,000 U.S.)
Of that’s beyond my means. But the dream is still there for one day.
Best blessings always Renee
Hi Gordon,
Thank you for your comment. I can certainly understand why so many artists dream of exhibiting in a NYC gallery. However, it’s a myth that having a show in NYC will lead to fame and fortune or even a single art sale. All the best, Renee
Renee, you’ve written another helpful article. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for always looking out for artists. You’re a valuable artist’s advocate.
Gordon, I appreciate your visit and your comment. I’ll continue to write articles like this until I no longer need to.