As a graphic designer, I spend most of my working life helping other people present their businesses and ideas well. But outside of work, I’m also an artist. I paint, exhibit and sell my work, so this topic feels relevant (and exciting!).
Like many artists, I find the creative part comes naturally. It’s the business side of things that I struggle to prioritise. In fact, despite exhibiting and selling my work, I currently have no online presence for my art – no website, no dedicated social media, and nowhere for someone to find me or see more of my work. So, when I say artists need to take action and become easier to find online, I’m very much including myself.
A new scheme in Aotearoa has given artists another very good reason to take their online presence seriously.
For many artists, the moment an artwork is sold feels like the end of its journey. It leaves the studio, finds a new home, and may eventually be sold again through a gallery, dealer or auction house.
Until recently, the artist who created the work received nothing from that resale, even if the artwork had increased significantly in value.
That has now changed.
New Zealand’s Artist Resale Royalty Scheme came into effect on 1 December 2024. Under the scheme, eligible visual artists, or their appointed successors, can receive a royalty when an original artwork is resold through a qualifying sale.
That is great news for artists. But there’s a catch. You need to be identifiable, contactable and easy to find.
What is the Artist Resale Royalty Scheme?
The scheme is administered by Resale Royalties Aotearoa Toi Huarau, or RRA.
When an eligible original artwork is resold for $2,000 or more through a qualifying professional resale, a royalty equal to 5% of the resale value is collected. RRA retains a portion to administer the scheme, then distributes the balance to the artist or their eligible successor.
The scheme covers a wide range of visual artwork, including painting, drawing, sculpture, carving, photography, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, digital art and more.
Artists are encouraged to register with RRA in advance, making it easier for royalties to be identified and paid promptly.
Your website is part of your artistic legacy
When someone encounters your artwork in a gallery, private collection or auction catalogue, one of the first things they are likely to do is search your name online.
What will they find? A social media profile can be useful, but it isn’t a substitute for a professional artist website. Posts disappear quickly, platforms change, and important information can become buried beneath years of updates.
A well-designed website gives your work a permanent home online. It connects your name to your artwork and provides a clear record of your practice, career and body of work. It also helps galleries, collectors, art market professionals and organisations such as RRA verify who you are and get in touch with you.
More than an online gallery
A quality artist website should do more than display a grid of images. It should tell the wider story of your work and make it easy for people to understand what you create.
This might include:
- A carefully curated portfolio
- Information about your materials and techniques
- Your artist biography and statement
- Exhibitions, awards and professional history
- Details about commissions or available work
- News, media coverage and upcoming shows
- Clear contact information
Your website also gives you control over how your work is presented. Instead of relying on an outdated article, an abandoned gallery listing or a poorly lit photo posted by someone else, you can create an accurate and professional picture of your practice.
Creating an online home for Ross Ferguson Art
We recently created a new website for Waikato artist Ross Ferguson. The website brings together Ross’s original acrylic paintings, hand-painted reproductions of the Masters, and one-off skateboard artworks, while also sharing the craftsmanship and thinking behind his work.
It gives Ross a professional platform he owns, making his artwork easier to explore and his practice easier to understand.
“Creating my own website was a natural step in expanding my audience and providing a dedicated outlet for me to showcase my work. It also gives visitors the opportunity to explore my artwork and purchase pieces directly from me if they so desire,” Ross said.
Requests for commissions have already started rolling in, setting up Ross or his successor to receive royalties for future resales.
Make sure your name stays connected to your work
The Artist Resale Royalty Scheme is an important step forward for artists in Aotearoa. It recognises that artists should continue to share in the value their work creates over time.
Registering with RRA is an important first step. Building a strong and searchable online presence is another.
At Redspot Creative Studio, we create artist websites that put the artwork first while making it easy for collectors, galleries and potential clients to discover the person behind it.
If your work is out in the world, make sure you can be found alongside it. Get in line though, I’d better go first!
