The standard number
Fifty percent is the figure most artists hear first, and it remains the most common single rate in the United States and the United Kingdom. If a gallery sells a work for $1,000 at a 50 percent commission, the artist receives $500 and the gallery keeps $500.
But 50 percent is a midpoint, not a fixed rule. The actual range runs from 30 to 60 percent for most commercial galleries, with outliers on both ends.
Where the range comes from
Traditional physical galleries tend to sit at the higher end, 50 to 60 percent, because their costs are higher: rent, staff, insurance, exhibition production, printed materials, opening events, and the time spent cultivating collector relationships. Some UK dealers work at 40 percent as a lower but still common figure.
Online-only galleries and platforms typically take 30 to 40 percent, reflecting lower overhead. No physical space to maintain, no framing, no opening reception.
Mall galleries and high-volume commercial outlets can charge up to 75 percent. This is usually tied to a different business model: high turnover, lower prices per piece, and work that is often produced in multiples rather than as unique objects.
Art agents and reps, a different role from a gallery, typically charge 10 to 25 percent, since they are not providing exhibition space or covering production costs.
What the commission actually covers
The percentage is not simply a fee for hanging the work on a wall. It funds the gallery's operating costs and its role in finding a buyer: staff time, marketing, the exhibition itself, insurance while the work is on the premises, and in many cases framing or installation.
A gallery that installs and frames work professionally, hosts an opening, and produces a catalogue is providing meaningfully more than a space that lists a piece online with no promotion. The commission is meant to track the level of service, not just the sale.
Reading the number in context
A high commission is not automatically unfair, and a low one is not automatically a better deal. A 60 percent commission from a gallery with a strong collector base and consistent sales may net an artist more than a 30 percent commission from a gallery that rarely sells.
What matters is what the number funds. A gallery asking for 50 percent while offering no marketing, no framing, and no studio visits is a different proposition from a gallery asking the same percentage while actively building the artist's market.
Negotiating the rate
Commission is a matter for negotiation, not a fixed industry law, though the customary range narrows what most galleries will consider. An artist with an established sales record, gallery representation elsewhere, or strong institutional recognition has more room to negotiate than an artist with no exhibition history.
The rate is set before the work is priced, not after. The consignment agreement should state the commission percentage in writing before any work is placed with the gallery, along with who covers framing, shipping, and insurance.
This is exactly the kind of term the consignment agreement should get right in writing. The gallery submission kit includes a letter template built for that first approach.
Get the gallery submission kitFrequently asked
Yes. Fifty percent is the most commonly cited industry standard in the United States and the United Kingdom, though the real range runs from 30 to 60 percent depending on the gallery.
Online-only platforms typically take 30 to 40 percent, reflecting lower overhead: no physical space, no framing, no opening events.
Yes. Commission is set by agreement between the artist and the gallery, not by industry regulation. Artists with an established sales record or existing representation typically have more room to negotiate.
Not necessarily. A higher commission from a gallery with strong sales and an active collector base can net more than a lower commission from a gallery that rarely sells.
The gallery submission kit has five templates, ready to edit.
Get the gallery submission kit