Where Do People Buy Art? Here are Some Popular Locations

Art is an industry and product that many people admire and are curious about, but also one that many feel they don’t understand much about. One of the first questions asked is where people buy art. As a successful, multi-channel selling artist over the last few years, I give a brief rundown below of the key locations where art is purchased.

People buy art from various locations and retail channels. Ranging from traditional art galleries and auction houses to more contemporary online platforms, artisan art and craft fairs and everyday retail chains, there are opportunities to purchase art all around us.

But just how do these art-purchasing locations – and the type of art they offer – differ? Read on to learn more and as I share my first-hand experiences of selling art through some of these different channels.

Some of the key settings where people purchase art

Although still often regarded as a luxury and someone elitist sector, the purchase of art is no longer confined to traditional art galleries and auction houses. People buy art from a wide of locations and sources – including art fairs, retail locations and, of course, the internet. Art can also be found in many of the everyday products we see all around us, either in terms of the design of the product itself or the appearance of the packaging to entice us into choosing it.

Different art settings will appeal to different groups of art buyers, and this will also be reflected in the price, style and even medium of the artwork found in each location. The purchase of art can also be driven by different buying motivations – art can be bought as an investment; for home decoration; or for other functional purposes, and these different purchasing intentions are also responsible for the variety of retail settings and channels through which art is bought and sold.

Technological advancements and economic factors continue to alter the art landscape and open up new markets and avenues for artists to sell their work. As an artist who has sold within the industry, and also an art consumer myself, some of the key places where people purchase art are below.

Art galleries, exhibitions, museums and auctions

At the most traditional – and typically most expensive – end of the art market is artwork by established artists that is sold through art galleries, museums and auction houses. Many of us will have a clear image spring to mind when we hear ‘art gallery’; brightly lit, open and vast rooms with blank white walls and neatly curated artwork professionally hanging on the walls (often accompanied by price tags with eye-watering figures on them, if there are prices given at all). This is largely how commercial art galleries work; they exhibit the artwork of artists whom they represent, and seek to find buyers for this artwork at the higher-end of the market.

There are, however, several different types of art galleries; from large and prestigious national or international chains of galleries (e.g. Park West, Clarendon or Castle Fine Art in the UK), to smaller, more accessible and often cheaper regional or local galleries. You can also find artist-run galleries and pop-up exhibition gallery spaces, which each serve slightly different purposes within the art industry and all offer places to buy art. I have hosted several ‘By Kerwin’ exhibitions in independent gallery spaces, such as below at the Crypt Gallery in Norwich (pictured).

On a larger scale you can find ‘mega-galleries’, known as such due to their size, number of staff, quality and body of work they present, and so on. Even bigger still are museums, known for housing some of the world’s most prestigious artwork by its most recognisable names (think the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim). Original artwork in these establishments, however, is usually not for sale. Instead, associated merchandise and prints of the artwork will likely be sold in the museum gift shop.

Auction houses represent the final key component of the high-end art-buying market. This is where many of the world’s most expensive artworks are sold, and constitute the vast majority of total global art purchasing revenue (the three largest international auction houses, Sotheby’s, Christies and Phillips, make up around 70% of the art market’s turnover).

Art fairs and artisan craft fairs

Towards the other end of the art purchasing spectrum to art galleries and auctions are art fairs and artisan craft fairs. Typically associated more with emerging artists than established galleries, art fairs often see artists representing themselves and displaying their artwork directly to the public over the course of a few days (though higher-end art fairs such as Frieze Art Fair still require artists to be represented via their gallery).

Examples of independent art fairs include Saatchi Art’s The Other Art Fair that I have participated in twice in London in 2021 and in New York in 2022. These exciting events can see upwards of 140 ambitious, emerging artist all on display side-by-side in a trade fair; with visitors having the chance to buy original artworks, prints and merchandise directly from the artist, as well as engaging with them and getting to know their story.

Artisan and handmade craft fairs are another type of art fair where art can be purchased. This type of fair often appeals to more ‘hobbyist’ art makers and craft enthusiasts, and may contain a more diverse range of products and craft types than a fine art fair. These may also come in seasonal editions (think Christmas craft fairs or local Sunday markets).

Shops and retail

In addition to temporary, pop-up art fairs, many artists strive to have their artwork stocked in permanent shops and retail spaces, and to see their brand sold under the umbrella of a more widely-known retail name.

Many such shops will be focused solely on art and craft products, while much art will also be found in more general lifestyle stores offering a wider range of associated products and homeware. Art prints can also be found in large department stores or furniture stores (perhaps I’m biased here, but I don’t like seeing generic prints sold cheaply in stores such as Ikea as commodities, when there are so many independent artists passionately pushing their own artwork and their stories out into the world).

Many artists will also have studio gallery shops, in which they exhibit and sell artwork from the shop area of their art studio. This can be a very engaging experience for art buyers – as they can meet the artist and see them bring their work to life, all at the point of sale! Many artists will also host periodic studio open days, in which they open their art studio up for the public to visit and view (and purchase) their artwork.

Online

Finally, a key and ever expanding arena for art purchases is the internet. Online art sales continue to grow across all art types and audiences and have only been amplified by the extra time spent online over the pandemic period, with many previously offline-only brands and artists being forced online since 2020.

The increasing reach of social media platforms and the internet mean the majority of art being sold now has an online presence, and there is an ever-growing number of online shopping platforms through which to purchase art. Etsy is a leading store to browse the work of millions of artists and to shop from your fingertips – complete with previous buyer reviews and all the information needed to make an informed art purchase.

There are also numerous art-specific online platforms. Saatchi Art is the world’s leading online and free-to-list art gallery, while many of the independent physical galleries mentioned above will also have their own online shops. Many artists also have their own websites and online stores (ahem), providing art buyers the opportunity to engage directly with that artist’s brand and buy directly from them.

Where are some of your favourite places to buy art?

This article provides a snapshot of the main places where people buy art. I am grateful to have sold in several of these settings and experienced first-hand the pros and cons of these. I also have my own online store – you’re on it right now – with my collection of Jackson Pollock-inspired, handpainted acrylic action pop art. Visit my homepage www.bykerwin.com to explore my full range of paintings and luxury canvas prints – available in various sizes and priced £35 – £75 with free worldwide delivery!