the gallery that wanted me to pay for the opening
Got approached by a small local gallery recently, really liked the space, seemed legit. Then they sent the contract and there was a line about me covering the cost of the opening reception, drinks, snacks, etc. I've heard of artist paying for their own prints or whatever but this one caught me off guard. I passed on it but now I'm wondering if that's more normal than I think?
Has anyone else run into this? Did you pay it or walk?
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I've seen this more in the last few years and it's never sat right with me. A gallery's job, their actual function in the arrangement, is to take on the costs of presenting the work. That's what the commission is for. When they start itemising the opening, the drinks, the prints, the framing, what you're really looking at is a rental arrangement dressed up as representation.
You were right to pass. The ones that do this tend to have a pattern, it won't be the last line item.
There are legitimate small galleries that operate on thin margins and are straight about it. They take a higher commission or they're selective about what they take on. That's different. But asking the artist to fund the opening tells you whose risk they think this is.
Yeah that's pretty much what I was thinking too. I'm not trying to be difficult but if I'm covering the opening costs and the prints and who knows what else, what am I actually getting from the gallery besides the wall space? Might as well rent a coffee shop at that point.
Good to have someone else confirm I wasn't being unreasonable about it.