Galleries explained, commercial galleries, project spaces, Kunstvereine and museums
Gallery, Kunstverein, Kunsthalle, museum: the doors look alike, but what happens behind them differs. A clear guide to who does what, for visitors and buyers.
From the street, many art spaces look the same: a large window, white walls, a few works and a desk at the back. Yet a commercial gallery, an artist-run space, a and a museum work in very different ways, with different aims and different money behind them. Knowing which is which makes every visit more rewarding, and it helps when the day comes that you want to buy.
The commercial gallery and the primary market
A commercial gallery usually represents a group of artists. It shows their work in regular exhibitions, takes it to fairs, introduces it to collectors and museums, and helps build a career over many years. This is the : the first time a work is sold, normally soon after it leaves the studio.
In return, the gallery takes a commission on each sale. A split of around half for the artist and half for the gallery is commonly cited, though arrangements vary and are a private matter between them. The gallery’s share pays for the space, staff, shipping, fairs, printed matter and the many unpaid hours behind every show.
Entry to commercial galleries is almost always free, and you do not need an appointment during opening hours. You are welcome to look, read the exhibition text and ask for the price list. Nobody will expect you to buy on your first visit, or your tenth. Galleries often keep further works by their artists in storage, so if someone catches your eye, ask whether there is more to see.
The secondary market, dealers and auction houses
When a work that has already been sold changes hands again, it enters the . Some dealers specialise in reselling works by established or historical artists, often by appointment rather than with public exhibitions.
Auction houses, from the international names such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips to regional houses in many cities, also belong here. Their public viewings before a sale are free and can be excellent places to see works up close. Remember that at auction a buyer’s premium is added to the hammer price, so the final cost is higher than the winning bid.
Artist-run spaces and project spaces
An artist-run space or is usually a small, non-commercial venue organised by artists or curators, often on a modest budget and in an unusual room: a former shop, a basement, a flat. Exhibitions may last only a weekend, and opening times can be irregular, so check before you go.
These spaces are where many artists first show their work and where new ideas are tested without commercial pressure. For visitors, they offer something precious: art that is still being worked out, and conversations with the people who made it. Works are sometimes for sale, but selling is rarely the point.
Kunstverein and Kunsthalle, a German speaking model
A Kunstverein, literally an art association, is a membership organisation that shows contemporary art, mostly without a collection of its own. The first ones were founded by citizens who wanted art to be part of public life. The Kunstverein Nürnberg, founded in 1792, is regarded as the oldest in Germany, and many more followed in the early nineteenth century, among them Hamburg in 1817.
Today there are hundreds of Kunstvereine in Germany, from small town societies to internationally respected institutions. Membership is open to anyone for a modest annual fee and usually brings invitations, trips and talks. Many offer members annual editions, works made by exhibiting artists in small numbers at accessible prices. Our Edition Decoder helps you read the numbering on such prints.
A is an exhibition hall, and in many cases it has no permanent collection. The Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt, opened in 1986, and the Kunsthalle Basel are well-known examples. Be careful with the name, though: some institutions called Kunsthalle, such as the Hamburger Kunsthalle, are in fact major museums with large collections.
Museums, foundations and private museums
A museum collects, conserves, researches and exhibits, and it holds its works for the long term on behalf of the public. That is its great difference from a gallery: a museum is not there to sell. Its permanent collection is the backbone, and temporary exhibitions often bring in loans from other institutions.
Museums do buy, though many important works arrive as gifts or bequests. Curators research and publish, and conservators care for the works so that later generations can see them too. For a visitor, a museum is the place to see how art has been judged over time, with labels and catalogues that have been carefully checked.
Foundations and private museums sit between the worlds. They usually grow from one collector’s holdings and carry that person’s taste. The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen near Basel, which opened in 1997 in a building by Renzo Piano, grew from the collection of the dealers Ernst and Hildy Beyeler and is today one of the most visited art museums in Switzerland.
A museum is not there to sell.
Which door to open first
Each kind of space offers something different, and the best way to learn is to visit all of them. Museums train your eye on the best of the past. Kunstvereine and Kunsthallen show what is happening now, with clear exhibition texts. Project spaces bring you close to artists. Commercial galleries let you see new work for free and, when you are ready, buy it.
Terms in this article
- Primary market
- The first sale of an artwork, usually through the artist’s gallery or the artist directly.
- Secondary market
- The resale of artworks that have been owned before, through dealers or auction houses.
- Project space
- A small, usually non-commercial venue run by artists or curators for experimental exhibitions.
- Kunstverein
- A German speaking membership association that exhibits contemporary art, usually without a collection.
- Kunsthalle
- An exhibition hall that often has no permanent collection of its own.
Readers ask
Can I walk into a commercial gallery without buying anything?
Yes. Commercial galleries are open to the public during their opening hours, and entry is almost always free. Most visitors come to look, and gallery staff know that. You can read the exhibition text, ask about the artist and request the price list without any obligation. Regular visits are the best way to train your eye.
Why do galleries often not show prices on the wall?
Many galleries keep prices on a separate list at the desk so that the walls stay calm and the focus stays on the work. The list is there to be asked for, and doing so is entirely normal. Prices in the primary market depend on things such as the artist’s career, the size and medium of the work and earlier sales, and a good gallerist will explain them if you ask.
Who can join a Kunstverein?
Anyone. Kunstvereine are membership associations open to the public, and the annual fee is usually modest, with reductions for students in many cases. Members typically receive invitations to openings, talks and trips, and many Kunstvereine offer annual editions by exhibiting artists. Check the Kunstverein’s own website for current conditions and fees.
