How It Works
Submissions
Local artists submit their work and we curate a roster of incredible talent. Selected artists pick the prices they want to sell at and keep the lion’s share of the profits after an artwork sells.
Exhibitions
We design and hang pop-up exhibitions in the windows of our business partners across North Brooklyn. These shows run for roughly a month at a time, before a new selection of works replaces the old. Every storefront keeps a percentage of the sales from the artwork they sell, and another sum is evenly divided among all of our business partners. Flash shows lasting only a weekend are hosted in non-traditional art settings which also take home a portion of the sales.
Encounters
Neighbors, visitors, tourists, and passers-by get a perk during their daily routine through spontaneous encounters with our exhibitions. QR codes attached to each label allow viewers to instantly buy a work, and our website allows collectors to browse and buy art at their leisure. With 100% transparent pricing, we make starting—or growing—an art collection as easy as taking a walk.
Payouts
At the end of each exhibition cycle, artists who’ve sold their work get paid. If a piece hasn’t sold, it’s returned to the artist or continues to be listed on our site and cycled into a future show. Business partners also receive a check for sales and participation. Collectors fortunate enough to have snagged an artwork pickup their new masterpiece and bring it home.
Benefits For artists
Set your own prices: Decide how much you want a work to sell for and that’s the price it’s listed at.
Generous payouts: All our artists keep 60% of the list price of every work that sells—more than offered by traditional brick-and-mortar galleries.
Unlimited, free submissions: You can submit as often or as infrequently as you want, and we’ll never charge a submission fee.
Non-exclusive exhibition rights: There are no exclusivity agreements to sign so you can show with as many other outlets as you want.
Added visibility: In addition to having your art exhibited with our partners, you’ll also be added to our Artists page and have your work featured on our social media.
Connect with local collectors: Local exhibitions mean a local audience, and a chance to grow a loyal fan base next door while supporting the neighborhood.
Benefits For businesses
Passive income: Our business partners get 10% of the list price of every work sold in their storefront, and every storefront splits another 5% of sales at the end of each exhibition period, so even if you don’t sell any art, you still get paid.
Attract customers and tenants: By improving your windows, you’ll get more people pausing outside your storefront. For active businesses, this means you’re more likely to get them to come inside and become customers. For vacant storefronts, this improves the likelihood of finding someone to let your space.
Stay connected to the community: Today, when business-as-usual is anything but usual, the normal way of interacting with customers has been radically upended. It can be a challenge to maintain your regular footprint. By supporting and displaying local artists, you’re helping creatives who live and work nearby, keeping the area beautiful, and reminding the neighborhood how important local businesses are to the community.
Added visibility: In addition to having your work exhibited with our partners, you’ll also be added to our Business Partners page and featured on our social media.
Benefits For collectors
Transparent pricing: All our pieces list the price you pay on the label—no asking for price lists, negotiating with a salesperson, or worrying that you’re being gouged.
Collect at your own speed: With QR codes right next to an artwork, you can buy it on the spot and ensure you get the work you love. If you need some time to think things over, our full inventory is always up to date on our site, so you can log on and acquire a piece even after you’ve walked by it.
Art you love—and can actually afford: Our goal is to offer works that aren’t just artistically noteworthy, but also financially approachable. While we offer pieces at a range of pricepoints, we make sure that even those just starting their art collection can take home something beautiful.
Support emerging artists: It’s no secret that it’s never been easy to be an artist, but these days it’s more difficult than ever. By working with Counterpoint you’ll help support those who are building a practice and give them the ability to keep doing what they love.
FAQs
How do I submit my art?
Artists interested in submitting their work can fill out our application, managed by Google Forms, here. Artists can submit up to five pieces at a time and there are no submission fees.
I'm a young artist at the start of my career, can I participate?
Absolutely. Counterpoint Gallery wants to work with artists from all stages of their careers. Our focus is the quality of the work submitted, not the credentials that come behind it. Whether you're just starting out or have been a lifelong practicioner, we want to help artists make sales, build an impressive resume, and grow an audience.
I'm an artist whose work has been accepted–what happens now?
Congratulations, we're excited to work with you! We'll reach out with an email soon to arrange a date for you to drop off your art with us in Greenpoint. All works must be dropped off in ready-to-hang form and include information about the piece and a way to contact you. After we receive the work, we'll put together a pop-up show and let you know where and when it will be exhibited.
Can artists outside North Brooklyn participate?
Artists outside of North Brooklyn are welcome to participate, but all accepted work must be dropped off in Greenpoint.
How long do you keep artists' work?
We ask artists to loan us accepted works for three months. This allows us flexibility to make sure it's exhibited in the best possible show and has the highest likelihood of selling. Of course we don't want you to feel like your pieces are being held hostage, so if you need to arrange a different loan period let us know when we email you your acceptance.
How long do exhibitions run?
On average our pop-up exhibitions run for roughly a month. Depending on installation/breakdown times, availability of inventory, and access to the exhibition space the length of time a show or particular work is up may vary.
What happens if my artwork doesn't sell?
If your artwork doesn't sell during the run of a pop-up show, don't worry! One of the reasons we ask for a three-month loan is to give pieces the best chance possible to sell. During that time the work will remain on our website and be available to purchase, and we may use it in another exhibition. At the end of the loan period, we may ask to extend the loan. If you choose not to extend or we don't ask for an extension, we'll send you an email to arrange pickup of the work.
How can my business work with Counterpoint Gallery?
Businesses and storefronts interested in collaborating with Counterpoint Gallery can fill out our application, managed by Google Forms, here.
I'm a business that's applied to work with you–what happens now?
We'll reach out about your application in about a week. If you're accepted, we'll be in touch to finalize exhibition dates for a pop-up show. We'll also likely want to drop by the space and take some measurements to be sure our display goes up quicky and easily, and looks great.
Can businesses outside North Brooklyn participate?
Right now Counterpoint Gallery is focused on partnering with businesses in North Brooklyn, but we hope to be able to expand to other areas as our business grows. If you're outside the area but are interested in working with us, send us an email at hello@counterpointgallery.com and we'll be in touch about ways we can collaborate.
How long do business partnerships last?
Like our artist agreements, we ask businesses to partner with us for at least three months. This will allow us to stage several pop-ups with you and optimize a curatorial platform that works best for your space. Of course we recognize that in a rapidly changing business environment, flexibility is key and we're happy to work with partners to arrange a timeline that fits their needs.
How does Counterpoint's profit-sharing work?
Just as we're committed to transparent pricing for our collectors, we're committed to making our payout system 100% clear. Artists get 60% of the sale price of their works; businesses get 10% of the sale price of each work sold in their storefront; another 5% of all sales across all storefronts during an exhibition period gets split evenly between participating businesses.
I just bought an artwork–what happens now?
Congratulations on your new masterpiece! We'll be in touch shortly to arrange a pickup time in Greenpoint. You'll be able to pick up the work after the pop-up show in which it's being exhibited closes. Pop-up shows usually run for about a month. Please note that right now artwork is not available to be shipped and all pieces are pickup-only.
I still have more questions.
If we haven't answered your question above, don't be a stranger! Email us at hello@counterpointgallery.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.