Shipping Artwork Costs
Often a gallery will pay shipping fees one way. It’s the artist’s responsibility to get the work to the gallery, from there the gallery pays for returns to the artist or delivery to clients. Galleries located in major cities usually have higher rents and overheads. The percentage of commission that a gallery takes varies from gallery to gallery. However, the standard commission percentage is between 30-50%.
USPS is the cheapest shipping method for artworks that are not very large. The cost to ship a painting is influenced by several factors, including shipping method, packaging materials, volume and weight of the painting, shipping distance, and shipping time. Shipping locally or long distance? Find out which shipping method is best for your move.
Anything larger than 48” on one side should be crated for maximum protection. Large paintings that are over 30 inches in one dimension usually cost at least $50 to ship via UPS or Fedex. 30 inches is when the price jumps for shipping, so don’t be surprised if the package gets close to or over $100 to ship – especially when shipping across the country.
Packing Artwork for Shipping
One way to save money is to roll artworks for shipping instead of the regular procedure. Rolling artworks means taking the works off their stretcher bars or out of the frames that they are housed in and then packing them up to be shipped in a tube.
When shipping artwork, always use sturdy cardboard backing to protect it during transit. Try to keep the weight of the package as light as possible to reduce shipping costs.