How Do I Find the Names of Art Collectors?

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How Do I Find the Names of Art Collectors?

Q: I need to sell more art than I'm selling. How do I find out the names and contact information of collectors? Once I know who they are and how to contact them, I'll be able to sell more art.
A: This a bit of a good news/bad news situation, but mainly good, and I'll tell you the punch line up front. In the huge majority of cases, collectors find you; you don't find them. You can sometimes facilitate that to an extent, and we'll get to that part soon, but one of the great myths of the art world is the belief that simply acquiring names and contact information of collectors is a magical panacea that will result in sales, success, financial freedom or whatever your aspirations may be. Many artists (and sometimes even gallery owners) believe that knowing how to contact the right people, aka collectors, is all that's necessary to realize their dreams, but it's significantly more complicated than that.

To begin with, let's play this out. Suppose you somehow get yourself a list of collectors and their contact information. What are you going to do? Call them? Email them? Mail them? Introduce yourself in person? If you manage to contact them, what are you going to say? That you're an artist and you have art for sale? Or that you're a gallery and you have art for sale? Invite them to your studio or gallery, or to visit your website or Instagram or Facebook pages? Tell them you have a show coming up and that they should come and see it? Take any of these approaches and you won't be seeing any deluge of responses anytime soon. But wait; there's more. Do you even know what they collect? Why they collect it? Who their favorite artists are? What those artists' resumes look like? What price ranges they typically buy in? Whether your art fits with their agenda? This is essential information to have BEFORE you even think about making any kind of contact at all. But even if you know everything, crafting the perfect introduction is still not easy.

The leads to the another great myth-- that collectors collect everything. If they're art collectors, that means they collect all art, right? No, it doesn't. The overwhelming majority collect very specific types of art. They do not buy randomly or arbitrarily wander the vast expanses of artland ever prepared to whip out the credit cards or write big checks. Nor do they give every artist or gallery on the planet equal consideration. They are on missions to augment their collections entirely with art that fits their (often strict) acquisition parameters.

Collectors-- especially more experienced ones-- do not buy art simply because artists or galleries contact them from out of nowhere, unless by some miracle what they're being contacted about is a perfect match with what they already collect and what they happen to be looking for at that precise instant. In other words, a sale (or even a conversation) is eminently unlikely to happen except in exceptional cases. The overwhelming majority of collectors have progressively narrowed and focused their interests, they know what they're looking for, they know where to find it, they know who to buy it from, they know what fairs or shows to attend, they're networked in, and over time, have cultivated and established circles of trusted contacts with galleries, artists, curators, consultants and others who have the abilities and qualifications to point them in the direction of whatever types of art they're interested in. They are rarely inclined to strike up conversations or get involved in relationships with total strangers unless there's a very compelling reason, referral or introduction involved.

As for people who buy art on more or less of a casual basis, but who wouldn't call themselves collectors-- they're even less inclined to respond to overtures from artists or gallery owners they don't know. These types of buyers are more occasional, more random in how they buy, and tend to motor around the art scene checking out various galleries, open studios, art walks, art fairs and festivals, and gravitating toward whatever happens to attract their attention at any particular moment. They're also online, either sifting through multi-gallery websites, individual gallery sites, artist websites and social media pages, etc. They prefer to move at their own pace, have their own systems and methodologies in place, whatever those may be, and they're comfortable with that. Again, they tend not to be interested in artists they don't know who ask them to look at more art.

The good news is that no matter what kind of art buyers we're talking about, if your art happens to be what they're looking for, you can rest assured that sooner or later they'll find you. In the meantime, you can follow them if they're on social media or otherwise in the public eye, and possibly even make yourself known by being supportive or complimentary in one way or another (such as liking or commenting on their social media posts), but as far as your art goes, let them do the finding at their own pace and in their own ways, and save the self-promotion for later. Nobody likes to be rushed or pressured; they'll see you, and that's enough for now. Serious collectors are always out on the lookout for art that fits well into their collections. Communications or relationships evolve gradually and over time, including those with buyers and collectors. That's pretty much how the art world works. Having said all that, there are ways to tilt the odds in your favor.

If you're an artist, the way to meet collectors and others who buy art or who can advance your career is to put yourself and your art out there in as many ways as possible. Nobody buys anything they can't see or are not aware of. Be active in the art community; be active online. Make sure people have access to your art. Participate in regular shows and open studios whenever possible, be visible, enter established juried and non-juried exhibitions that are respected by art people and have profiles in the art community, maintain a consistent regularly updated online profile (website, social media pages, photo pages, etc.), be on the lookout for opportunities to appear on art websites in the form of interviews, blog posts, features or other coverage that might be amenable to including your work, and so on.

Also keep track of relevant art events, museum shows, gallery that show art similar to yours, and other art-related activities that have connections to what you do. The more people who see you and your art and the more often they see it, the greater the chances that potential buyers who gravitate towards your type of art will find out about you in one way or another, and that's the first step to making contact. In the meantime, continue to produce new work, bulk your resume, enhance your online presence, and hopefully garner other forms of exposure and distinctions for your art on a regular basis. It doesn't really matter how you do it or where you get it as long as you get it... and keep on getting it. Collectors like artists who are serious about their art and careers.
If you're a gallery, put on a consistent and engaging calendar of shows, maintain an online presence (website and social media pages), post your complete shows online, participate in art fairs, and look for every opportunity to get exposure on the web and coverage from the critics. Assuming all goes well, you'll gradually establish a reputation where more people start taking notice and more people stop by to see what you're all about. Remember-- this all takes time; there is no instant fix. You have to prove yourself first.
Most importantly, find a niche; specialize in a particular type of art or artist. Become the expert-- the person people go to when they have questions or a desire to learn about your particular types of art. Collectors buy from certain dealers or galleries regularly because they grow to trust them and especially, come to respect their knowledge and expertise. They patronize particular galleries because they know what kind of art and artists they'll see, they know what kinds of resumes and accomplishments those artists will have, and they know that the gallery owners will keep them well informed and educated.

The same holds true for artists-- specializing, that is. Artists get reputations for creating particular types of art, or having particular approaches to the practice of art. That's how collectors enter into your life-- your art matches up with their specific tastes, and they appreciate artists who are as focused about their art as they are about their collecting.
In the meantime, whether you're an artist or a gallery, make sure you attend plenty of art events all the time, particularly those that have to do with artists whose art is similar to yours. These include art fairs, gallery openings, lectures, seminars, museum and non-profit openings and events, organizational memberships, and so on. Participate regularly and be consistent enough so that people will at least begin to recognize you. If you're not that skilled at socializing, interacting or talking, all you have to do is show up. The same goes for your online presence. Get active on social media pages (yours as well as those of others), specialized art websites, and in relevant online art groups. The more you show up, both in-person and online, the more comfortable you'll get with the surroundings, and sooner or later, either you'll start communicating or talking with people who you see or follow regularly or they'll start talking to you. It'll happen, guaranteed.
The best way to meet buyers and collectors is the old-fashioned way-- as a result of your ongoing track record of accomplishments, commitment and dedication to being an artist, involvement in the community, and the exposure you get for your art both online and in the material world. Along the way, you'll meet more and more people, be presented with more and more opportunities, hear about different collectors and what they collect, and become increasingly fluent in how to navigate the scene.

In the same way that collectors follow what's happening with the types of art and artists they collect, you'll also learn to follow those specific individuals, galleries and arts organizations who have the most interest in your kind of art. If the gallery sells art similar to yours, at least you have a chance. If they don't, it's a no-go right from the start. People who buy art are no different; they all have their collecting specialties. You'll gradually (not all of a sudden) learn who the buyers and collectors are and which ones may possibly have interest in what you do. As time progresses, do your best to find out about their collections or specialities, how and why they buy what they buy, and hopefully one day, you'll be able to make a compelling case for why your art makes sense within the context of a particular collection should an opportunity ever arise to contact, meet or speak with a specific collector.

In combination with all of the above, perseverance and longevity are key when it comes to getting to know the art people who count, regardless of whether you're an artist or gallery. The sheer fact that you can be active, produce regularly, show new work regularly, and survive over time at a discipline like art means plenty in this business. The longer you're around and the more recognized and established you become, the more people will pay attention and eventually gravitate in your direction. Most people who buy art on a regular basis have progressed well beyond the point of making risky or uncertain buys, patronizing galleries with uneven exhibition programs, or buying from part-time artists who don't take their careers all that seriously. The more convinced buyers are that you're here to stay, the greater the chances your art may one day hang in their collections.

Reference: http://www.artbusiness.com/how-to-find-art-collectors-tips-for-artists.html