If you’ve ever thought, “I wish my artists would help more with marketing,” you’re not alone. But, it’s not always easy to ask for that kind of help and have it be a productive collaboration that strengthens the artist/gallery relationship.

In my experience, collaboration works best when it feels less like a grab bag of last-minute requests and more like a shared plan. The gallery leads the strategy, the artist contributes the pieces only they can provide, and the whole thing runs in a way that respects their time.

Here I want to give you a simple strategy to do that, so you can strengthen your marketing message, build collector confidence, and still keep your artists feeling supported rather than overextended.

1) Start by Reframing the Relationship: “We’re Building Your Market”

Before you ask for a single photo or caption, take a moment to set the frame.

Most artists have worked with at least one gallery that promised promotion and then… barely posted. So some skepticism is normal. What helps is being clear about what you mean by marketing and why it matters.

You can keep it simple:

• Visibility builds awareness.
• Awareness builds demand.
• Demand supports pricing and long-term career momentum.

A line I like:

“Our role isn’t only to exhibit your work. We’re actively building your collector base and strengthening your market over time. Marketing is part of that infrastructure.”

When artists understand that you’re thinking about their career trajectory, not just your next opening, collaboration gets easier.

2) Define “Collaboration” So It Doesn’t Turn Into “Everything”

A lot of tension comes from fuzzy expectations. If “artist collaboration” starts to mean “the artist is now responsible for promoting the show,” it will fail.  Instead, define it as a small, predictable set of contributions.  A healthy structure looks like this:

• The gallery leads the plan, messaging, calendar, and execution.
• The artist contributes a few key inputs that only the artist can provide.
• Both agree on timing and scope in advance.

That last part matters more than people think. Artists are managing studio work, admin, shipping, and life. Marketing needs to feel like a contained project, not a constant interruption.

3) Use a Shared Marketing Calendar

If you want to reduce overwhelm for everyone, get out of “last-minute mode.” A shared calendar for all to work from can solve so many problems.  Create a simple 6–12 month visibility calendar that includes things like:

• Exhibitions and key dates (save-the-date, opening, closing)
• Art fair moments
• Catalog or release moments
• Newsletter features
• Press outreach windows
• Social campaigns (themes, not daily demands)
• Studio visits, talks, or collector events

Then ask the artist for a few planning inputs:

• When new work will be ready to photograph
• Travel or residency dates
• Important career moments (awards, institutional news, publications)
• “Please don’t schedule anything extra this week” windows

When artists see you planning ahead, it signals professionalism and care. It also makes it much easier for them to participate without scrambling.

4) Create an “Artist Marketing Kit”

If your gallery is always chasing files, you’ll feel like you are nagging and the artist will feel like they are being managed. A marketing kit fixes that.  Think of it as: give me the essentials once a year, and I can do a lot with them for months.

A solid Artist Marketing Kit includes:

• Short bio (50–80 words)
• Long bio (150–250 words)
• Updated artist statement, or a short set of talking points
• Headshot and studio portrait
• 10–20 high-resolution artwork images
• Captions and credits (title, year, medium, dimensions)
• A short process paragraph or mini Q&A
• 5–10 behind-the-scenes photos (studio, materials, sketches)
• Optional: 3–5 short vertical videos (10–20 seconds each)

And then make the promise explicit about how you will use this information to accomplish your goals for their career development and increase awareness of their work.  That clarity can help remove resistance from the artist, because it replaces random requests with a predictable system. Of course, if they are having a solo show with you or collaborating in a special project, you’ll need to adjust your marketing.

5) Co-Marketing That Feels Like Amplification

This is where tone matters when collaborating with your gallery’s artists on marketing.  Artists should not feel like your marketing staff. The goal is amplification: when the gallery and artist share aligned messaging at the same time, collectors notice.

Low-burden options that work well:

• A coordinated announcement (gallery post + artist post within 24 hours)
• A short quote or voice note for your newsletter
• A 15-minute Q&A you repurpose across channels
• A small “in the studio” photo set (captured once, used over time)
• A short, structured takeover during exhibition week

When you propose this, give the “why”. Then make it easy. Offer a draft caption, a few image options, and a clear deadline.

6) Invite Artists to Activate Their Network Without Asking for a Contact List

Artists often have supporters and collectors you have never met. But asking for their contact list can feel intrusive and isn’t really appropriate.  A better approach is to let the artist invite people, using your materials, such as a polished invitation email they can forward and a simple RSVP link, or a direct gallery contact email

Your not asking for names. You are giving the artist an easy way to bring people into the gallery experience. It protects privacy, respects relationships, and still expands your reach.

7) Have One Annual “Marketing Alignment” Conversation

If you only do one meeting, do this one.  A yearly 30–45 minute conversation (individual or group) can prevent months of miscommunication. It is also the best place to keep things feeling advisory and collaborative rather than transactional.

A simple agenda:

1. What the gallery is focusing on this year, and why
2. What you are seeing in collector behavior (what is working)
3. Your marketing rhythm (newsletters, social cadence, press)
4. What you’ll need from the artist (time-boxed)
5. What the artist needs from you (support, boundaries, approvals)

8) Create a Simple “Artist Partnership Guide”

Think of this as your “how we work together” document. It is not a contract, and it does not need to sound corporate. It is simply a clear, friendly outline of what the artist can expect from you, and what you will need from the artist in order to market their work well.  Why it matters: most friction comes from misunderstandings, not bad intentions. A partnership guide helps you avoid the slow drip of confusion that builds up when expectations are implied instead of stated.

Here’s what I recommend including.

Start with the shared purpose: Explain, in plain language, that the gallery is investing in building demand and long-term market strength for the artist. This helps the rest of the document feel supportive rather than administrative.

Communication rhythm and response times: Clarify how you will communicate (email, text, WhatsApp, shared folder, Notion, etc.), what types of messages go where, and what “reasonable” turnaround looks like for time-sensitive items like approvals or shipping details.

Marketing assets: what you need and when you need it: Spell out your Artist Marketing Kit requirements and the update schedule (for example, “We refresh your kit every January, and we may request a few additional pieces before a solo show.”). Include clear specs like image resolution, preferred file naming, and where files should be uploaded.

Approvals and artist voice: This is a big one for trust. Define what requires explicit approval (artist statements, sensitive messaging, pricing language) and what you will handle without needing a review (event reminders, installation photos, basic announcements).

Exhibitions and participation expectations: Outline what participation looks like for group shows versus solo shows. Mention practical items like timelines for deliverables, interview availability, studio visits, and any opening or supporting events you typically host.

What the gallery provides : Be specific about what you invest in: newsletters, social promotion, press outreach, photography, catalogues, fairs, collector introductions, or VIP events. Artists are far more open to collaborating when they can see that you are bringing real resources and effort to the table.

A simple “how we’ll review this together.”:  Add a line like: “We’ll revisit this once a year, and we can adjust what is and isn’t working.” This keeps the guide from feeling rigid.

You’re going for clarity without pressure. When expectations are set early, artists usually feel more supported, not more managed.

To the Point

If you want better collaborating with your gallery’s artists on marketing, the answer is rarely to ask for more effort. What works is leading with a clear plan, using a simple system, and making collaboration time-boxed so it fits into real life.

When you pair that structure with genuine support, like done-for-you content capture or clear templates, the relationship starts to feel easier for everyone. Most importantly, when artists can see that you are investing in their market and closing the loop with real feedback, marketing stops feeling like a chore and starts to feel like what it should be; a partnership that builds momentum over time.