The Ultimate Guide to Art Management Software : how to grow your art business through technology

Prior to the disaster of the Covid-19 pandemic, art was predominantly sold through traditional channels such as galleries, art fairs, and exhibitions. In 2020, everything changed. The world was in lockdown and the art selling channels were shut down leading to a decrease in art sales through traditional channels. This affected the artworld in the following ways:

• Online art sales in 2020 doubled over 2019. 

• Artists began to market themselves more to the public via social media platforms such as Instagram 

• Virtual exhibitions, fairs, and immersive art experiences replaced physical exhibitions and events

• A new, younger breed of collector emerged ie. the millennial collector who sees and acquires art differently from that of the traditional collector

• There was a shift in the role of the elite art tastemakers, who traditionally drove key decisions about which art is collectible and which isn’t

• NFT’s gatecrashed the art party and currently, the NFT’s market is estimated to grow bigger than the entire art industry

  
  

The artworld as we knew it has changed. This has forced foundations, galleries and artists to relook and rethink their strategies and ultimately find other avenues and hybrid ways to sell and present their work. Never has it been as important for art businesses to take note of these changes and trends and embrace the new technologies and digital thinking that will make businesses more competitive and increase the chance of success. Just having an online presence is not enough anymore. 

There is a bright side, with the move to online and digital, art business management software has become a real thing. There are many art business management platforms around and ultimately choosing the right one for your business will change your life - saving you time and money!

Here is the Ultimate Guide to what you should look for in Art Management Software so that you can grow your business through the technology available. Even if you are using a software platform already, it is beneficial to go through this list and ensure you are getting all your business needs met with your existing package.  For ease of reference, we have broken these down into inventory management, downloadable pdfs, website creation and management, online viewing rooms and private viewing rooms, CRM, Additional Services, and Selling Online.

Inventory Management

Keeping track of all your artworks, locations and artists is really a full-time job, and if you haven’t taken the plunge and moved it all online. Now is the time to do so. 

Managing your art inventory online takes the repetitiveness and tediousness out of your day which ultimately saves you a block of time to get on with marketing your art business and getting sales.