Over the last 25 years the growth of Internet and the social media have irrevocably changed the face of the modern world on personal, social and business levels.
The way a business develops and operates is measured, quantified and played out on a variety of online media from twitter to face book to dedicated websites and blogs. Whatever your feelings, these mediums are not going to go away, and cannot be ignored. Social media, sales and auction sites provide a multitude of threats and opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs with artists and art galleries at the forefront of these.
The opinions, views, news and indeed, sales and marketing strategies of New Zealand’s artists, galleries and museums are being transmitted to a global audience and, more particularly, to existing and potential customers at the touch of a button.
That the business of art and the way it is being conducted is becoming more reliant on high-speed communications technology is a given. The use of websites and temporary online exhibiting space and other digital platforms is becoming the norm. Online-only sales are not expected to replace galleries, auctions and other traditional sales channels but will provide an alternative buying opportunity and additional revenue stream. With these thoughts in mind The New Zealand Artist Magazine spoke to a number of gallery owners to discuss these new trends.
Misconceptions
Christopher Taylor, co-founder and director of Auckland-based Ocula, reputedly the leading contemporary art website in Asia Pacific by visitation and which hosts 160 galleries on its online platform, says there are a lot of misconceptions about selling art on line.
Taylor is of the opinion that for an artist or gallery to setup a website and expecting sales to roll in is an exercise in futility and, at best, does nothing but raise false expectations. “There are millions of websites out there and the vast majority are miserable failures,” he points out. “Setting up a website is just the beginning, it should be seen as a live media channel. It also requires a lot of care and attention. Many artists and galleries underestimate the cost, expertise and the huge amount of time required to maintain, manage and optimise an efficient web presence. There are artists and galleries who are very good at this but to establish a high end website to produce the expected results takes an experienced webmaster.” This is the route Ocula has taken and is also why Christopher is able to describe his website as “a permanent online art fair with a global footprint.”
Integral
Julia Milley at the Central Art Gallery in Queenstown says while an online presence is integral to the gallery’s business, an important source of leads and enquiries, it is imperative to be proactive in order to get the best results out of it. “It is not something you set up and forget about,” she says. With the gallery marking its 52nd year in business and with over a 1000 established customers in its books Julia says online sales are largely generated from existing customers who either know the artists who produced the work or trust Julia’s skill and integrity in selecting the right piece of work for them. “We also have a policy whereby if the customer is not satisfied with what they have viewed online they can return it,” Julia says.
Libby Storey, manager of Artis Gallery in Auckland notes that there has been a steady and dramatic increase in enquiries, since the gallery updated and improved its previous website.
She says she is not aware of any significant change in the relationship between galleries and the artists since the advent of online art sales and marketing efforts over the last few years.
“The artists we work with are very aware that we do a lot of work behind the scenes,” Libby points out. “We are involved in the marketing and sales of the work.We organise exhibitions, we have a host of established clients and developed a sound business ethic and credibility in the business of art over the last 30 years.”
Speaking from City Gallery in Invercargill, Aleisha Toomey says while the company’s online presence is fairly new, it was never envisaged that it would lead to an upsurge in online sales. It does, however, entice people to come and visit the gallery which means more feet through the door and therefore, more sales opportunities.