Consignment percentage for art
Updated October 4, 2026
The usual range
The consignor's share is what they get from each sale. The shop keeps the rest as its commission.
| Consignor gets | Shop keeps | |
|---|---|---|
| Low end | 40% | 60% |
| Typical | 50% | 50% |
| High end | 70% | 30% |
What moves the split
- Gallery services. A gallery that promotes the artist, holds openings and keeps a client list keeps closer to half.
- Reputation. Artists with a record of sales can negotiate a higher share.
- Framing and shipping. Who pays for framing, hanging and transport belongs in the agreement, separate from the split.
- Resale. Reselling a work someone already owns often pays the consignor more than an artist's first sale does.
A split tiered by price
Many shops give consignors a bigger share as prices go up, so their best pieces are worth bringing in. A common ladder:
| Item price | Consignor gets | Shop keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Under $1,000 | 50% | 50% |
| $1,000 to $10,000 | 60% | 40% |
| $10,000 and up | 70% | 30% |
Worked examples
What each side gets from a few typical sales with the ladder above, before any card fees.
| Sold for | Split | Consignor gets | Shop keeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| $180 | 50% / 50% | $90 | $90 |
| $1,200 | 60% / 40% | $720 | $480 |
| $15,000 | 70% / 30% | $10,500 | $4,500 |
Setting it up in Consignment Hub
Consignment Hub uses one split per consignor: your shop's default, or a share you set for that consignor. Each item keeps the split it was taken in at, and each sale is split by what the customer paid, after discounts and before tax. It doesn't change the split by price on its own, so shops with a ladder give consignors of high-value pieces their own share.
Questions
What is the standard gallery split?
50/50 between the artist and the gallery is the long-standing standard for first sales. Some galleries and co-ops pay artists 60 to 70%, often in return for a fee or help running the space.
When should artists be paid?
Many agreements pay within 30 days of a sale, and some places have rules on how galleries hold artists' money. Put the timing in writing.
Do discounts come out of the artist's share?
Agree it first. Many galleries split any discount between both sides; some need the artist's approval for discounts over a set percentage.