Installation view of Eduardo Sarabia, Four Minutes of Darkness, 2024. Courtesy of OMR.
In April 2023, Philadelphia’s Paradigm Gallery + Studio purchased its five-story, 7,000-square-foot location after 13 years of renting. It inaugurated the space with a pair of solo exhibitions from its represented artists Nazeer Sabree and Jason Andrew Turner, taking place over two floors. The milestone opening kicked off a new era for the gallery—an enthusiasm it intended to share with an international audience. “It was an exciting moment documenting the new gallery and updating our profile to share our beautiful new home with our Artsy audience,” said co-founder Sara McCorriston.
“The reach is incredible.…I’m seeing a lot more in the Asian market as well, which is really great,” she said. This is especially useful, in her words, because “it can be, not always, an early indicator of the level of interest you may receive at an art fair—which, in terms of preparation, can be a useful tool.”
Installation View of Miriam Singer, Jim Houser, and Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Pushing, 2023. Courtesy of the artists and Paradigm Gallery + Studio.
Through Artsy’s online channels, Paradigm was also able to celebrate the new opening of the space worldwide. “We find ourselves documenting artwork in additional ways: from video, to using a 360-degree camera to have a virtual twin of the gallery available to collectors to explore full exhibitions from the comfort of home,” McCorriston said. “We add exhibitions every month so our dedicated audience can see all of the newest exhibitions at the gallery in real-time.”
This is one of several strategic approaches taken by galleries on Artsy to foster online engagement. Galleries worldwide are harnessing the platform to broaden their reach, engage with a larger pool of collectors, and grow their presence in the global art market.
Each month, Artsy’s marketplace attracts over 2 million collectors and art enthusiasts, far surpassing all other online art platforms. With its search engine optimization, a robust email list in the six figures, and a social media following in the millions, galleries have leveraged the platform to enhance visibility for themselves and their artists.
Installation View of Eduardo Sarabia, Altiplano, 2022. Courtesy of the artist and OMR.
For Mexico City’s OMR, keeping tabs on Artsy’s Gallery Profile and Artist Pages are key ways to develop the gallery’s presence on the platform. “Ensuring the Artist Pages and Gallery Profile are up to date and with a great selection of rotating works definitely enhances the online presence while attracting more collectors,” said Ana Paula De Haro, a gallery partner. For the gallerist, Artsy’s Viewing Rooms help to immerse an international audience, providing a channel for viewing works in a curated show for those who are unable to see it in person. “We also dedicate time in making the experience as real as possible with many exhibition images and uploading the texts that describe/speak about the show,” she added.
“Ensuring the Artist Pages and Gallery Profile are up to date and with a great selection of rotating works definitely enhances the online presence while attracting more collectors”
Ana Paula De Haro, OMR
Moreover, Artsy allows OMR not just to meet collectors, but to maintain new relationships, too. First-time collectors from across the globe often evolve into regular contacts that keep abreast of a gallery’s program and artists by following their Artsy page. According to De Haro, the platform has facilitated an elevated sense of trust between OMR and its buyers.
“Connection and communication are key. Artsy and the online marketplace are fantastic ways to connect with new collectors who might not be aware of our program or artists,” she said. “Once connected, keeping the conversation going, either online or in person whenever possible, really helps to establish a longer-lasting relationship.”
This relationship is also bolstered by the trusted infrastructure of the Artsy platform, which can give potential buyers “a great sense of confidence in following through a transaction, especially if they haven’t been in contact or met the gallerist yet in person, in a fair or brick-and-mortar environment,” De Haro said.
Installation View of Martha Rich, It’s Wild Here 2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paradigm Gallery + Studio.
Similarly, Paradigm uses its Gallery Profile to showcase new exhibitions and artist updates regularly—a process that has proven critical since opening its expanded space. “Our use of Artsy Viewing Rooms may have started as a pandemic-related shift to sharing our exhibitions virtually, but our audience has enjoyed this deeper engagement with our exhibitions enormously, and it continues to be an extremely important part of the experience of every collection shown at Paradigm,” said McCorriston.
The gallery also encourages visitors and collectors to follow its Artsy page by leveraging Artsy’s brand at global art fairs. There, it drives Gallery Follows by broadcasting and supporting its Artist Page Ffollows. “We also encourage our collectors who enjoy browsing on Artsy to follow their favorite artists on the platform to receive updates on the newest inventory and acquisitions as our artists’ careers grow,” McCorriston said. She added that encouraging these followers can be “especially effective in cases of new collector interactions.”
“We also encourage our collectors who enjoy browsing on Artsy to follow their favorite artists on the platform to receive updates on the newest inventory and acquisitions as our artists’ careers grow”
Sara McCorriston, Paradigm
Installation View of Lynne Drexler, The First Decade, 2022. Courtesy of the artist and Berry Campbell Gallery.
In New York, Berry Campbell Gallery also leverages Artsy’s Artist Pages to showcase its expertise and leadership within the Abstract Expressionism movement, where it showcases works by artists such as Lynne Drexler and Judith Godwin. “Having one-to-one contact with the collector to answer questions about an artist is always best, and Artsy allows the gallery to be the expert,” said Christine Berry, the gallery’s co-founder. “We represent many artists exclusively, so we upload as many works as possible to show our strength in particular areas.”
Being proactive and maintaining a high level of personal engagement on the Artsy platform is something that the three galleries share. Quick responses to inquiries and a personalized approach to online interactions are crucial in translating interest into sales and fostering lasting relationships.
“Working with Artsy is the easiest way to meet new clients because of their expansive network and unrivaled internet presence,” said Berry. By combining innovative engagement strategies with Artsy’s extensive tools and reach, these galleries are harnessing Artsy to foster growth, platform their programs, and engage with a global audience along the way.
