Fifty-one percent of gallerists surveyed by Artlogic say they are unable to maintain a healthy balance between their personal and professional lives. Photo: Shutterstock
Many young art graduates dream of becoming gallerists, attracted by the glamour of the profession. But few of them realise the sacrifices they'll have to make to pursue this highly demanding career, which requires a great deal of dedication.
Inventory and sales management platform Artlogic quizzed 333 art gallery professionals and dealers, most of whom are based in the United States (35%) or Britain (20%). The majority are aged between 21 and 40, and work exclusively in the primary art market.
To win over the biggest names in the art world and achieve successful sales, gallerists often have to work very hard, even if it means risking burnout. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed by Artlogic say they are unable to maintain a healthy balance between their personal and professional lives. North American dealers are more likely than their European counterparts to feel unable to take a step back from their work.
They also tend to take fewer vacations than their European counterparts. Around a quarter of North American gallerists report taking less than 10 days off a year. Only 9% of those living in Europe take as little time off, with most taking 16 to 30 days a year. Many art dealers take a break in August (31%) or December (19%), probably to fit in with the calendar of art fairs and other major sales events.
Gallerists the world over are certainly finding it hard to take it easy in the ultra-competitive market in which they operate.
Sales take place all year round, although they tend to intensify towards the end of the year. The Artlogic report also reveals that it seems to be taking longer to make a sale than in the past, according to 61% of dealers surveyed.
Meanwhile, 39% feel that sales are moving faster than five years ago. It generally takes less than a year to conclude the sale of a work of art, whatever the size of the gallery.
Despite the difficulties they may encounter in their professional lives, gallerists remain optimistic about the future of their profession. Sixty-two percent of respondents feel that, in the next 12 to 18 months, they will have enough time to carry out all their tasks to the best of their ability.
But some are worried that they won't have enough capacity to do everything they need to in the future, which should prompt art market professionals to question the sector's workload dynamics. - AFP
