I get emails almost daily from new “galleries” and platforms wanting to sell my art. When you’re a new artist, this feels exciting—finally, someone noticed you! After 20 years, I just roll my eyes. I know 99.9% of the time they want your money, and if they claim to have followers, those were bought from some bot farm.
The signs are so obvious once you know what to look for.
- Their social media engagement? (Which can be bots)
- All blanket comments from bots saying “amazing work!”
- There’s no real collector base.
- No evidence the person running it knows anything about art, and half the time they won’t even tell you who they are.
Here’s what really upsets me: thinking about newer artists who haven’t learned this lesson yet. You’re so desperate to be seen that you’ll jump at almost any opportunity. I get it—we’ve all been there. But listen to me: you’re going to get taken advantage of until you learn to spot this crap.
Calling Platforms Out – There Are Just So Many Of Them
I want to call out every single one of these scammy platforms by name, but there are literally thousands of them. I’ll be diplomatic here—maybe 2 out of 10,000 artists actually find success on these things. The rest? You’re just funding someone else’s lifestyle.
Artists are passionate people who love their craft and want it seen. Hell, after 20 years, when someone buys my art I still get that same giddy, grateful feeling. I know you feel the same way.
Asking For Money From Artists
But here’s where I’m not going to be nice about it: If they’re asking YOU for money, they’re not selling your art—they’re selling you false hope.
Before you get excited about the next “opportunity” email, do this:
- Check their social media. Is it real people engaging or just bots and other desperate artists?
- Look at their “success stories.” Are those actual sales to collectors, or just artists paying fees to participate?
- Ask yourself: why are they asking ME for money instead of collectors paying for my work?
There’s nothing wrong with legitimate submission fees—that’s how some real galleries and publications operate. But these predatory platforms? They exist solely to extract money from hopeful artists. They don’t have collectors. They don’t have sales. They have you paying to put your art on a website nobody visits except other artists who also paid.
The art world is hard enough without you funding your own exploitation. These people are counting on your desperation and dreams to pay their rent.
So next time you get that exciting email, remember: real galleries don’t need your money upfront. Real collectors don’t shop on platforms that only exist because artists paid to be there.
