The gallery that paid late, how late is too late?
My first gallery sale, I was so happy I almost didn't notice the cheque took four months to arrive. Almost. The second one took five, and a nudge. I was young and I thought that's how it worked, you wait, you don't ask, you're grateful.
Now I have a rule: two months, and I send a polite email. Three months, and I start to wonder if they're running their business on my work.
What's your line? How late before you say something, and what do you say? I told a gallerist once "I know you're busy, but my bank is less patient than I am" and it worked, but I still felt like the difficult one. Which is ridiculous, non?
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oh man, this hits. my first gallery sale i was so thrilled someone actually wanted to hang my work somewhere real i probably would have waited a year and thanked them for the privilege. which is exactly what they count on, right?
two months is generous honestly. i do 30 days and then a check in, nothing aggressive just "hey want to make sure everything's tracking okay on your end." three months and i'm sending a proper invoice with a "please remit" in bold. i had one take six months and i literally had to decide between rent and materials and that's when i stopped being nice about it.
the thing that gets me is how they make YOU feel difficult for wanting what you're owed. like you're the one being unprofessional. you're not. they sold your work, they got the money, that's yours.
i like your line though, might borrow that 😭
Rent or materials, that's the line. You shouldn't have to choose. And yeah, they count on the thrill carrying you through the first one, I look back at myself and think, ma pauvre, you were paying for the privilege of being taken advantage of.
I like your 30-day check-in. "Tracking okay" is good, keeps it professional, doesn't put them on the defensive. I might borrow that. The bold "please remit" at three months made me laugh, but I also think good for you. At a certain point they're not busy, they're just hoping you won't ask again.