Worst red flag you've seen from a gallery? Mine asked me to pay to hang

Alright, I'll go first and it's a bit embarrassing.

A small local gallery near me said they'd love to show my work, then handed me a sheet: I'd pay $250 for the wall space, plus I had to sell 6 pieces minimum or cover the difference. I said thanks and never went back. Now I keep wondering if I was being too proud, but my gut said run.

So what's the red flag that made you back out of a gallery? A fee, a weird contract, them asking you to change your style, something with the commission? Give me yours, I want to know what to watch for.

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Mateo Serrano·2w

pay to hang is not a gallery, that's a shop renting you a shelf. your gut was right, no shame in walking.

mine was smaller but it stuck with me: a place wanted 55% commission AND that I cover the pedestals and the lighting out of pocket. so if nothing sold I was out money and if something sold they took more than half. I asked what they contribute and the answer was "the space." vale, so do I, apparently.

the 6 pieces minimum or cover the difference is the part that really gives it away. that's not a gallery betting on you, that's them removing all their risk and handing it to you. a real one takes a cut because they believe they can sell, not because they've already been paid either way.

the style thing gets me too. had one ask me to make my vessels "more symmetrical, more sellable." I make them lean on purpose. that was me out the door.

Karen WesselOP·2w

"a shop renting you a shelf" is exactly what it felt like, I just couldn't put words to it at the time. And 55% AND the pedestals AND the lighting?? "The space" as their contribution is wild. I'm still pretty new to all this so I honestly don't know what a normal split even looks like. Is 40/60 the usual thing or does it just depend on the place?

The 6 piece minimum is what got me too. If I can't sell 6 they want the difference in cash. From ME. I sell maybe two or three at a local fair on a good day, so I'd basically have been paying them to take my paintings for the summer.

Teddy Lin·2w

pay to hang is the big one but the sneaky version is "we'll waive the fee, just cover the hanging and the opening bar tab and the photographer." nickel and dime you into a show that costs you money and pays you nothing. that's how they get you. the fee's just honest about it.

had one ask me to "stay in my lane" with the work cause the space was "very clean modern" and my palette was, and i quote, "a lot." like ma'am the color is the whole thing. also the wall thing, if they're charging you for it they don't believe they can sell it, and if they don't believe it why would a buyer.

6 pieces minimum or cover the difference is genuinely wild though. they made you the underwriting on your own show. you weren't being too proud, you were the only one in the room who'd done the math.

Karen WesselOP·2w

The "we'll waive the fee" thing is so much sneakier, you're right, at least the $250 sheet was honest about what it was. And the bar tab and the photographer, good grief. Nobody's ever asked me to cover a photographer, that's a new one.

"Stay in my lane" though. I would've laughed out loud. Color IS the whole thing, that's not a flaw, that's the point of paint. My palette is pretty tame and someone still once told me my greens were "a lot," so I guess there's no winning.

And yeah, your last line is the part I keep coming back to. If they don't think they can sell it, why am I paying to hang it on their wall? Thank you, that helps.