Prints for Sale
06/05/2014
Increasing retail sales is one of the strategies the Board and the Director have implemented, aimed at increasing generated revenue and decreasing reliance on Government funding. The reasoning behind this decision makes good business sense, because since 2008 Umbrella has annually published a substantial number of works on paper from Umbrella members and particularly the Murris in Ink printmakers. In years past these prints were commissioned and sold to individual clients. Then from 2009 till 2014 Umbrella facilitated workshops for MII to create prints for exhibition and sale at our booth in the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, as well as Artslink travelling exhibitions and in-house exhibitions, marketed on the Umbrella website gallery and for the occasional one-off buyer.
With addition of resident printmakers and increased activites in the studio this year we have built up an inventory of exceptional work. So it is a logical step to maximise our resources and increase efforts to sell prints from Access Space upstairs. To assist us to make professional presentations Umbrella purchased a museum quality print drawer that will safely accommodate dozens of works on paper. Initially we plan to represent Umbrella Studio member/printmakers who have utalised the studio downstairs. Additional efforts to step up marketing includes, online and social marketing and paid advertising.
Kayleen developed a new database to record and track prints as they are acquired, displayed, travelled and eventually sold. Umbrella will retain a 30% commission from works sold.
For those interested in viewing the artworks for sale, visit us at the Gallery or contact Vicki Salisbury on director@umbrella.org.au to receive a catalogue of works for purchase.
