Do galleries earn their commission?

What do artists get for that 50 per cent commission charged by galleries? Artists and collectors alike want to know.
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Photo ArtsHub; Hong Kong art fair

A dealer will always tell you that the gallery business is tough. That is because it is.

Not only do they have to deal with the individual needs of 20-or-so artists, but they have to worry about making next month’s salaries for their staff, deal with fluctuating confidence in the economy, and successfully navigate a constantly changing platform of tastes and trends.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's Senior Contributor, after 12 years in the role as National Visual Arts Editor. She has worked for extended periods in America and Southeast Asia, as gallerist, arts administrator and regional contributing editor for a number of magazines, including Hong Kong based Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. She is an Art Tour leader for the AGNSW Members, and lectures regularly on the state of the arts. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Instagram: fairleygina