LEVELING UP YOUR PRACTICE: Long Term Sustainability
- Jun 5
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 29
Passcode: =1R4c+vt Matthew Deleget is an artist, gallerist, curator, writer, educator, and arts worker. An art world guru, his professional practice conversations are always insightful and invigorating.
This meeting was a professional development session for New York Academy of Art alumni, where Matthew Delegate, an artist, scholar, curator, and gallery owner, discussed pricing strategies and professional practices for artists. Matthew explained the "alchemy" of pricing artwork, starting with calculating direct costs (materials and studio expenses) and labor costs, then adding a 10-20% discount factor to determine wholesale prices. He outlined how galleries and dealers typically double the wholesale price to establish retail pricing, with additional adjustments based on the artist's career status, exhibition history, and current market trends. Matthew emphasized that pricing is not a science but rather an art form that requires artists to consider their sustainable living needs, market conditions, and the global nature of the art world, while also being prepared to offer discounts to collectors and galleries.
AT A GLANCE:
Consider setting an annual salary goal to inform sustainable pricing of artwork.
Track direct costs (materials, studio, overhead) and labor costs to establish a baseline "wholesale" price for artwork.
Price work at a retail level (typically double the wholesale price) and maintain consistency across all sales channels.
Research local galleries, assess fit based on program and exhibitions, and consider initiating contact for studio visits.
Set up Google Alerts for their name to monitor secondary market activity.
When approached by collectors looking to resell work, suggest the option of donating the work to a non-profit or institution for a tax deduction.
Artwork Pricing Sustainability Challenges
Matthew discussed the challenges of pricing artwork sustainably, emphasizing the need to cover expenses, labor costs, and maintain a margin for continued practice. He outlined various direct and indirect costs associated with studio production, including materials, facilities, insurance, business expenses, and professional services. Matthew stressed the importance of tracking these costs through tax filings and highlighted that pricing remains an evergreen question for artists at all career stages.
Art Studio Cost Management
Matthew discussed the costs involved in running an art studio practice, emphasizing both direct material costs and labor costs such as administrative work, research, and production processes. He suggested artists consider an ideal annual salary they would need to live sustainably, using $48,000 as an example to demonstrate how to calculate labor costs per hour and per work. Matthew also explained the importance of factoring in discounts when pricing artwork for sale, recommending artists set a wholesale price that accounts for these discounts.
Artists' Pricing Strategy Overview
Matthew explained the pricing strategy for artists' work, describing how wholesale prices are doubled to establish retail prices that function as the global market value. He outlined how factors like an artist's career experience, exhibition history, and the type of artwork affect pricing, with painting generally commanding the highest prices in the market. Matthew emphasized that artists should use the retail price, not wholesale price, when selling work through any channel, whether online or in-person.
Art Pricing and Market Trends
Matthew discussed pricing strategies for art, emphasizing that while large statement pieces can command higher prices, smaller works (12x12 to 48x48) sell more regularly. He explained that labor-intensive work with a visible craft quality can command higher prices, and highlighted current market trends favoring figuration, fiber art, and Native American artists. Matthew noted that artistic market trends typically last about five years and are influenced by both artistic movements and economic conditions, with art sales being more robust during economic prosperity.
Art Market Pricing Strategies
Matthew discussed art market pricing strategies, explaining that political cycles and economic conditions affect art sales, with November elections likely to reduce buyer interest. He outlined a pricing framework where artists establish a firm retail price (using $2,500 as an example) that galleries can then discount as needed, while the artist maintains control over their work's value. Matthew distinguished between collectors who are deeply committed to art and buyers who make purchases for practical reasons, noting that collectors span a spectrum from those who collect intensively to those who make occasional purchases.
Art Collector Psychology and Behavior
Matthew discussed the psychology of art collectors and buying behavior, explaining how collectors typically start with a single purchase before developing into patterned collecting. He emphasized the importance of limiting information sharing with potential buyers to no more than three images at a time to avoid overwhelming them. Matthew also outlined various motivations for art purchases, ranging from personal connection and aesthetic appreciation to investment potential and market speculation.
Collector Art Purchase Decision Factors
Matthew discussed various reasons why collectors might buy or not buy artwork, including herd mentality, financial investment, aesthetic preferences, and practical considerations like affordability and maintenance requirements. He explained that pricing can be a barrier, but suggested using strategies like discounts and layaway plans to make artwork more accessible. Matthew also highlighted how collectors often have specific criteria they follow, such as preferred artists, demographics, or artistic styles, which can affect their purchasing decisions.
Gallery Approach Strategies for Artists
Matthew discussed strategies for artists to approach galleries, emphasizing the importance of starting locally and thinking expansively beyond New York City. He advised artists to research galleries online, visit them in person to assess the space and exhibitions, and consider multiple gallery relationships rather than relying on a single gallery. The discussion included guidance on how to professionally introduce oneself to galleries through email and studio visits, with Matthew stressing the importance of patience in building gallery relationships and noting that some of the best opportunities can come from unexpected locations.
Secondary Art Market Guidance
Matthew provided detailed guidance on secondary art markets, explaining how artists' works are resold and the challenges of controlling this market. He advised artists to monitor auction results through Google alerts and suggested strategies for managing work returns from collectors, including the option of donating pieces to institutions for tax benefits. The discussion also covered the potential merits of selling giclee prints, with Matthew cautioning that printmaking should align with an artist's practice rather than primarily for financial gain.
MATTHEW DELEGET
Matthew has exhibited his work nationally and internationally, including solo and group exhibitions in the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. His work was included in the 2014 Whitney Biennial by Michelle Grabner at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. His additional museum exhibitions include MoMA PS1 (Long Island City, NY); Bronx Museum of the Arts (Bronx, NY); Herbert F. Johnson Museum (Ithaca, NY); Bass Museum of Art (Miami, FL); Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art (Indianapolis, IN); Stiftung Konzeptuelle Kunst (Soest, Germany); and EST Art Foundation (Leiden, The Netherlands). Matthew’s work has been reviewed in Artforum, The New York Times, Hyperallergic, Two Coats of Paint, Flash Art, Artnet Magazine, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, among others. He is a member of American Abstract Artists, contributes to the Artist Advisory Committee of the Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program in Brooklyn, and collaborates with the national initiative Artists Thrive. Matthew co-founded MINUS SPACE, a gallery that was based in Brooklyn, NY, presenting the past, present, and future of reductive art on the international level. Matthew is represented by Dr. Julius AP (Berlin, Germany) and has works available through Philip Slein Gallery (St. Louis, MO). He teaches in the MFA Fine Arts Department at the School of Visual Arts (NYC); Visual Arts MFA Program at Columbia University (NYC); and MA in Visual Arts Administration Program, New York University (NYC). He also taught in the MFA and Low-Residency MFA Programs at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia, PA) from 2016-2025. He holds an MFA in Painting and an MS in Theory, Criticism and History of Art, Design and Architecture from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, and a BA in Art and German from Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN.
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