Art Law TV presents Gallery Deals, the artist gallery relationship. An artist should try and get used to what a gallery exhibits by paying attention to the programme over the year, discussing with other artists the opinion of a gallery, getting a general feel from conversations and openings as to the type of person who visits the gallery. And when an artist feels confident enough, then they should approach the gallery. And that confidence comes about from an artist feeling that they've reached a point in their development where they think they may have work that will appeal to the gallery. The most important consideration for both the artist and the gallery, before they enter into a dealership or a representational relationship contractually, is do they get on with each other? Do they fit? Do they believe or feel even that they can do business with each other? Is the dealer interested in the work? Do they understand the work? Do they understand where the artist is coming from? What their ideas are, what their intentions are? Gamble Fees also have a project space for one of shows. And for several years we've run exhibitions in which from time to time an artist we felt would be worth pursuing for further exhibitions in the gallery on a larger scale, taking their work to art fairs or generally promoting them with other galleries overseas for instance. And also approaching our collectors on a one to one basis saying, we think this artist might be of interest to you. It's really helpful for a gallery or dealer such as Gample to offer the opportunity to an artist, particularly young and emerging, but not necessarily, to have an opportunity to show with them and to work with them, which is what I know Gample does in the basement gallery in David Street. And it's really helpful to fulfill, if possible, if it works out, the expectations of the artist in terms of working with the gallery dealer and the gallery dealer in working with the artist. The artist doesn't know the response they're going to get within a gallery like ours and we don't know how loyal and supportive collectors and friends are going to react to the show, so it's new for both of us. And generally it goes well and from there if we feel that we can work well with the artist, if we feel we can develop that program, if we feel that we have a market for it, we are suggesting it to stage further and including them in the general roster of the gallery artist rather than as a one off project. When a gallery represents an artist, one of the key terms is the level of commission. There are no regulations about this, there are no legal rules, it's a question of negotiation. But there is a very strong understanding and I would say a misunderstanding amongst artists that the going rate so called is always 50%. In my experience that is not so, the galleries that charge the artist 50% commission on sales are really those what I would call the top galleries, the galleries that offer exclusive representation, possibly even worldwide, certainly over large geographical area. And they offer promotion of the artist's name, reputation, work, advertising, marketing, the artist, getting them and securing them commissions and offering them a series of solo exhibitions over a period of time, maybe every year or two years or so on. And guarantee that they will buy in certain numbers of works every year and take the rest on consignment. An artist should expect that the work that is consigned to the gallery is cared for, is conserved, is ensured, that where the work is sent out by the gallery on approval to a collector or to a museum or for exhibition with the artist's approval, that the liability for getting that work back should rest with the gallery. So that if there is a damage or loss or theft, then the gallery or the gallery's insurance will cover the loss to the artist. I consider that a absolute minimum. There may be a request on behalf of the artist for a catalog, there may be a request for a particularly important artist dinner with a lot of special guests afterwards, which will cost a fair amount of money. We offer an artist an exhibition every two years. This has been the case for as long as I can remember. It seems to be the natural rhythm within the art world for an artist to show every two years. Sometimes an artist for various reasons will not be able to meet this two year gap. And then we would suggest that three years is the maximum if they want to keep up a certain rhythm of appearing to keep the attention of critics. It's so important that there be documentation as best they can in the contract between the artists and the dealer. It's so important that there be documentation as best they can in the contract between the artists and the dealer. Artists need to understand how to ensure that their work will be exhibited as intended. It's so important that there be documentation as best they can in the contract between the artists and the dealer about a minimum number of shows over a minimum period of time. Because if you take for example a well-known, publicly well-known case of the Scottish painter Stephen Conroy, who as a young man in his mid-20s engaged with a dealer exclusively to represent him in the 1980s. And that contract that they had which was in writing had no specific arrangements or even formula for agreeing on when, where and how solo exhibitions would take place. And the artist became increasingly frustrated by saying when am I going to have a show, where am I going to have a show, what's happening with my solo exhibitions as on. And there was no way he could point to the contract and say there is a term in here where you've agreed to let me have so many shows, selling shows. And it led to eventually the breakdown in that relationship. The starting point to a successful artist gallery relationship is one of trust. Beyond that, it's essential that both parties fully understand their respective roles and responsibilities. For further details of this programme and other programmes by ArtClawTV, please go to www.artquest.org.uk www.artquest.org