Become a Member Gallery
Delivered through a network of 300 galleries across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Own Art has supported £70 million of sales of contemporary art and craft to UK customers, enabling more than 78,000 customers to get access to the art they love.
Selling to your customers with Own Art is simple
The 5 step process explains how it works:
- Customer decides they want to make a purchase using Own Art.
- Gallery takes the customer through an online credit application lasting approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, this can be done over the phone or the customer can complete the application at home.
- If accepted, the customer e-signs the credit agreement and direct debit mandate, and the gallery e-signs an agreement on behalf of the business.
- The customer can take their purchase away immediately, collect at a later date or have the piece delivered to their home address. As soon as the customer is in receipt of their purchase, the gallery notifies our Credit Provider to receive payment.
- The amount (less the service charge*) is remitted to the gallery via FPS (Faster Payment Service) within 1-2 working days.
Who is it for?
Membership of the scheme is open to commercial enterprises, charities and other not-for-profit organisations based in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland that specialise in the presentation and sale of work by contemporary artists. This includes online galleries that are registered in these regions. We are unable to consider applications from individual artists, or from companies that represent the work of a single artist only.
What does it cost to become a member?
Applications for membership are subject to a non-refundable fee of £250 (+ VAT), payable at the point of application. This fee goes towards the administrative costs of processing your application, including a ‘mystery shopper’ site assessment.
Own Art members are also required to pay an annual membership fee of £270 (+ VAT) once they have been on the scheme for 12 months.
The annual fee gives you access to a great range of exclusive benefits and discounts and is essential to allow the continued growth and promotion of the Own Art scheme for the benefit our customers, members and the artists whose work they represent.
As part of our funding agreement with Arts Council England, National Portfolio Organisations are exempt from paying the annual membership fee.
Interested? To start your application, click here.
Own Art Membership
As an Own Art member gallery or organisation, we have a number of assets available to help you make the most out of your involvement with the scheme:
Core Benefits
Subsidised interest-free finance
Marketing & Promotion
- Online promotion via this website
- Promotion via Own Art social media including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
- Opportunity to be included in our monthly e-newsletter
- Free point of sale marketing materials and digital assets
- Promotion at art fairs attended by Own Art throughout the year (talks, marketing support in the lead up and during the fair)
Business support from Creative United
- 20% off Creative United’s business consultancy services to access advice on developing business plans, putting business plans into action, growing your business and developing strategies to grow and diversify audiences.