As rents rise across New York, LA and other art-world hubs, dedicated brick-and-mortar gallery space is becoming less feasible. With retail rents averaging $334 per square foot a year in downtown New York,* it’s no surprise that many galleries are finding it difficult to survive and thrive. Facing rising rents and surging overhead costs, artists, curators and art dealers have an innovative alternative: utilizing an art services company instead of renting a traditional gallery space.
Equipped to handle fine art storage, transportation and coordination of private viewings, an art logistics company, like SRI Fine Art Services, can be a savvy and affordable alternative to maintaining a traditional gallery space.
Cost Savings
Saving money is a significant benefit of using an art services company as your on-demand gallery space. At SRI, we offer artists, art dealers and curators the ability to store artwork and host private viewings in a secure setting at a fraction of the cost of renting retail space. You only pay for the services you actually need, which increases your profit margin by lowering overhead. Plus, you avoid pesky overhead expenses like electricity, water and heat.
Customizable, Private Viewing Gallery
Using a private viewing room at an art services company allows you the flexibility to use the space only when you need it. And, the space can be customized to present your artwork in the best manner. SRI’s private viewing room has everything you need to replicate a gallery setting: professional lighting, access control and climate control allowing it to function as your small gallery space. The space can be rented by the half day, full day or by the week to fit whatever timeframe you need.
All Logistics Covered
Opting for an art logistics company over retail space also gives you access to their staff–a treasure trove of art handlers who will manage all of your artwork logistics needs. SRI’s art handling team can install and wrap your works onsite to your specifications (and these services are billed by the hour, which adds up to more savings!).
Was your viewing successful and is the artwork going to a new location? We’re happy to deliver it anywhere within the tri-state area or across the globe with the help of our in-house crating and shipping department.
More Cost Savings–Outside of the City
Looking for extra ways to lower your overhead? Consider utilizing our New Jersey location to store your works. Our NJ storage facility offers a free shuttle service of artwork to our New York viewing room as needed, which can add up to additional savings. We also offer discounts to clients who exclusively utilize all of our services (transportation, storage, installation, etc.), so customer loyalty can result in additional discounts.
Confidential, Concierge Service
SRI handles every transaction as highly confidential and we act as a concierge to our clients and their artwork, working with the utmost discretion. We can even accommodate double-blind viewings to help to manage the anonymity of your clients.
Whether you need to show an individual work or a comprehensive collection, an art services company can be the perfect solution. We’re happy to help you obtain an on-demand gallery space and you can learn more about SRI’s private viewing rooms here:http://srifas.com/services/viewing-spaces/.
*Source: The Real Estate Board of New York Manhattan Retail Report, Spring 2017