How to grow your payments app with artists and small galleries
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
Artists sell original paintings, prints and commissions at open studios, art fairs, exhibitions and through social media. Small galleries sell work for many artists and pay them their share after each sale. Commissions usually need a deposit, and bigger pieces are sometimes paid in instalments. A payments app that takes card payments at fairs, sends a payment link for commissions and deposits and keeps a clear record of what has been paid can win artists and galleries, and every buyer who pays sees your app.
Talk to artists and galleries
Ask local artists and small galleries:
- How do buyers pay you today at fairs, open studios and online?
- Do you take a deposit for commissions?
- Do buyers ever ask to pay for a piece in instalments?
- If you are a gallery, how do you pay artists their share?
Take payments at fairs and open studios
Tap payments on a phone mean artists can sell more at events without asking buyers to find a cash machine.
Send links for commissions
A payment link for the deposit, and another for the balance when the work is done, makes commissions simple for both sides and keeps a clear record.
Grow through the art world
Artists share studios, fairs and exhibitions, and galleries work with many artists. One gallery on your app can bring every artist it sells for.
Build it
Create your own financial platform.
Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
Build my platform →Questions people ask
What about picture framers?
The picture framers guide covers custom frames for art, photos and keepsakes, usually with a deposit when the order is placed and the rest on collection.
Picture framers →What about pottery and ceramics studios?
The pottery and ceramics studios guide covers classes and taster sessions, studio and kiln time and sales of finished pieces.
Pottery and ceramics studios →Can I call it a bank?
In most countries "bank" is a protected word you can only use with a banking licence. Call it an account, a wallet, an app or a platform. The accounts and payments behind a SendPay Business platform are powered by licensed partners.
Is there a step-by-step plan I can follow?
Yes. The free launch checklist takes you from picking your people and naming your app to setting fees, going live and winning your first ten customers.
Digital bank app launch checklist →How do I start?
Pick a template, name it and preview every page before you pay. Your platform can be live on your own domain within 24 hours of confirmation.
Build my platform →Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.