Artwork, location and hold status
The gallery can see the owner, exhibition status and hold expiry. After a sale, staff can pass movement details and agreed documents to the delivery coordinator from the same record.
Custom Development
CRM for Art Galleries
A gallery needs to know where a work is, who has been offered it and whether it can accept a new hold. We’ll build a CRM that links artwork records, artist agreements and buyer relationships.
Why checking an artwork’s status is difficult during a sale
- Collectors have different tastes, budgets and collections, and the director keeps these details in their head.
- Works move through exhibitions, holds and sales, and their history is hard to track.
- Opening invitations go out in the same way to everyone, making priority guests easy to overlook.
- Artist relationships require accurate records of contracts, commissions, payments and new works.
- Sales take time and require tactful communication and timely follow-up.
Artwork catalog, collectors and exhibition planning
These modules can be included in the project. We’ll agree on the scope and workflow rules after reviewing your processes.
Exhibitions and movements
The coordinator records the artwork’s location, required documents and return date. The movement history can be checked before placing another hold.
Agreeing sale terms
The gallery keeps the artist’s confirmation, sale terms and post-sale handover details. A completed sale is tracked separately from an expression of interest.
Additional Features
- Private viewings and artwork availability
- The manager can prepare a selection for a collector and check each work’s location. If a work is part of another exhibition, the curator confirms whether it can be included. After the meeting, the manager records which works need an offer or hold.
- Receiving works from an artist
- The coordinator can check delivered works against the intake record and agreed display period. If the return date moves, they record the artist’s consent and update the handover task. Commission terms are available to staff who prepare settlements.
- Sales results by exhibition
- The gallery can compare exhibited works, collector inquiries and confirmed sales. If a work is reserved during the exhibition and collected after it closes, both dates are retained. Works returned to the artist have a separate status.
CRM Workflow Examples
How teams can divide responsibilities and handle exceptions after rollout.
A collector places a hold on an exhibited work
The manager checks the location and sale terms, then records the hold expiry. The curator can see that the artwork stays on display until the agreed collection date.
Returning artworks after an exhibition
The owner lists unsold works and checks their condition and handover documents. Once confirmed, the location is updated to the artist’s studio.
What to Include in the First Release
We’ll pilot one exhibition or group of consigned works. The curator manages the exhibition, sales tracks inquiries and holds, and the registrar tracks locations and return records. We’ll check how the system blocks a second hold on the same work.
Once we agree on the requirements, we design the screens, build a pilot, and try it against the agreed use cases. We plan the rollout and follow-on modules with your team.
Discuss the First PhaseDevelopment FAQ
Can the buyer’s price be kept separate from the artist’s terms?
Yes. The public or agreed buyer price and the artist’s settlement terms can have different access levels.
How do we track multiple impressions from the same edition?
An edition can contain individual copies with their own numbers, storage locations and availability statuses.
How do we migrate the gallery’s artwork catalog and active holds?
We’ll match inventory numbers, artists and handover records. For editioned works, we’ll verify individual copies and their locations. On a sample, the gallery will check active holds and the coordinator will identify works still due back from an exhibition.
What determines the scope of the first CRM release for an art gallery?
We’ll review one exhibition from intake through sale or return to the artist. The estimate depends on copy-level tracking, hold rules, access to deal terms and the source of handover documents. The pilot will verify that a second inquiry cannot create another active hold on the same work.
Let’s Discuss Your CRM
Tell us your industry, describe one process you want to automate, and let us know which tools your team already uses.