How a gallery prepares for the next ten years of the market

01Diversifying revenue sources beyond primary sales

The traditional gallery business model — commission on primary sales of works by represented artists — remains the activity's pillar, but it is no longer sufficient to guarantee a gallery's long-term viability. The galleries that will thrive over the next ten years will be those that have diversified their revenue sources to reduce dependence on a single stream.

The secondary market constitutes the first avenue for diversification. The dealer who has built a loyal collector base over the years has an ideal network for resale. When a collector wishes to part with a work acquired through the gallery, the dealer who organised the initial sale is best placed to find a new buyer. Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac has developed a secondary department that now represents a significant share of its turnover, drawing on its deep knowledge of the provenance and market history of works it initially sold.

Art advisory is a second avenue. Private collectors, corporations and institutions engage advisors to build or develop their collections. The dealer, whose expertise and network are valuable assets, can offer this service alongside their representation activity. This diversification requires a clear separation between the two activities to avoid conflicts of interest, but it can generate recurring revenue and strengthen the dealer's positioning as a reference expert.

Editions and multiples represent a third revenue source. Offering prints, photographic editions, artist objects or limited-edition publications enables dealers to reach a clientele that cannot afford unique works but wishes to access the work of the gallery's artists. Galerie Lelong et Co has developed an editions programme that functions as an entry point for young collectors who will eventually become buyers of original works.

02Building a young collector base starting now

Collecting demographics are evolving. The collectors who dominate the market today — primarily people aged fifty to seventy with established wealth — will gradually give way to a new generation whose habits, tastes and purchasing modes differ. Tomorrow's collectors are today's thirty- and forty-somethings, who discover contemporary art through social media, buy online, favour intermediate-format works suited to urban living spaces, and integrate ethical and environmental criteria into their purchasing decisions.

The dealer who addresses only their current clientele risks finding themselves in ten years with an ageing and shrinking collector base. Building a relationship with young collectors now means adapting communication (active social media presence, engaging newsletter, video content), pricing policy (accessible entry-level works, payment facilities) and programming (artists whose work resonates with this generation's concerns).

Galerie Nathalie Obadia has shown that a programme of high artistic standards can be accompanied by a modern communication strategy reaching a younger audience without sacrificing curatorial rigour. Galerie Almine Rech, with spaces in Paris, Brussels, London, New York and Shanghai, cultivates an international and intergenerational audience that ensures the diversity of its collector base.

03Investing in technology without losing the soul of the trade

The technological tools available to galleries have expanded considerably in recent years. Collection management software enables tracking of works, sales, loans and consignments with a precision that was inaccessible a decade ago. Online sales platforms open access to geographically distant markets. Digital communication tools enable dealers to reach thousands of potential collectors at marginal cost.

The dealer of the next ten years must master these tools without transforming into a technology company. The core of the trade remains the eye, the relationship and trust — three elements that cannot be digitised. Technology is an amplifier, not a substitute. Gagosian Gallery, one of the most technologically advanced (sophisticated website, mobile application, massive social media presence), continues to base its activity on the personal relationships its directors maintain with collectors, institutions and artists. Technology makes these relationships more efficient and far-reaching but does not replace them.

For smaller galleries, adopting a platform such as Artedusa provides access to the benefits of technology without requiring significant technical investment. The platform handles online programme presentation, visibility among an international collector audience and engagement tools, allowing the dealer to focus on what they do best: choosing artists, mounting exhibitions and guiding collectors.

04Anticipating regulatory and fiscal changes

The regulatory and fiscal framework of the art market is evolving towards greater transparency and tighter oversight. European anti-money-laundering directives already impose due diligence and reporting obligations on art dealers. Discussions on droit de suite, which allows artists to receive a percentage on resales of their works, are intensifying in countries that do not yet apply it. Issues of provenance and restitution of looted works continue to be the subject of legislative debate.

The dealer who anticipates these regulatory changes and implements the necessary procedures now will be in compliance when new rules take effect, while the one who waits until the last moment will have to adapt under pressure. Rigorous maintenance of sales records, verification of buyer identity, documentation of work provenance and fiscal compliance are not bureaucratic constraints but elements of professionalism that strengthen the gallery's credibility with partners and clients.

05Thinking about succession and gallery longevity

The dealer thinking ten years ahead must also address the question of gallery succession. Many galleries founded in the 1980s and 1990s are today run by their founders, who are approaching or have passed retirement age. The succession question is often postponed because the dealer struggles to imagine the gallery without them, but it must be addressed early to ensure continuity and protect the interests of represented artists.

Galerie Lelong achieved an exemplary transition after Daniel Lelong's death, thanks to a trained team and a structure that did not depend solely on its founder. Galerie Templon, founded by Daniel Templon in 1966, gradually integrated his son Mathieu into management responsibilities, ensuring generational continuity that preserves the gallery's identity while allowing it to evolve.

The dealer without a family heir interested in succession can consider other models: partnership with a younger director, sale of the gallery to an identified successor, transformation into a collective structure. In all cases, succession planning should begin several years before the founder's planned departure, to allow the successor to integrate into the network of relationships that constitutes the gallery's value.

06Cultivating resilience in the face of uncertainty

The next ten years will be marked by geopolitical, economic and health uncertainties whose impact on the art market is unpredictable. The 2020 pandemic demonstrated that the art market is not immune to systemic shocks and that the capacity for rapid adaptation is as important as long-term vision.

The resilient dealer maintains sufficient financial reserves to weather slowdown periods, diversifies revenue sources and the geographic base of collectors, maintains strong relationships with artists and clients, and stays attuned to market signals without yielding to panic. Galerie Kamel Mennour demonstrated during the health crisis that a gallery with a solid structure and clear vision could not only survive but seize opportunities that others let pass.

07Vision as compass

Ultimately, preparing a gallery for the next ten years of the market rests less on tools or strategies than on a vision. The dealer who knows why they do this work, who defends artists they believe in, who builds trust relationships with collectors and who remains faithful to curatorial standards despite market pressures possesses the best asset for navigating the coming decades. The galleries that have made history — from Leo Castelli to Yvon Lambert, from Marian Goodman to Chantal Crousel — are those that maintained a clear artistic vision while adapting to the transformations of their era. For Artedusa partner galleries, the platform constitutes a tool of this adaptation, offering international visibility and modern communication channels that complement the dealer's foundational work and help build the gallery of the next ten years.