Golden rule number seven: Decide
how you are going to take and process payments.
This causes house owners more stress than most. You may
decide that you want cheques made out to the individual artist,
which means you have to keep a tally of what your commission
is and get the artist to pay you it at the end.
Now, I always felt responsible for money that changed hands
in my house, meaning that if money was short at the end of
the day (not that it ever was, I’m delighted to say),
then that should be my responsibility. So we had a tin in
which money was kept and we kept a note of all sales on a
list, what artist, what piece, price and whether cheque or
cash, etc. Either myself, my wife or a trusted artist entered
sales. It’s only common sense to let people you know
well take responsibility for the money. In the end, as house
owner, it’s your responsibility.
At the end of the day, we totalled the money on the list
and totalled the money in the tin. They always matched, ensuring
happiness. Like most Open House owners, I never had any money
woes and as long as you are sensible about such arrangements,
neither will you.
In addition to this, I also kept an Excel spreadsheet listing
all artist sales which I would update every Monday. It would
work out sales minus commission, final balance, overall takings,
all the clever things you’d want it to do. At the end
of the Festival, I would write the artist a cheque, minus
commission as detailed on this sheet. Simplicity itself.
The very good news for you is that the rota forms, sales
book and Excel Spreadsheet I refer to here are available
for download so that you can use them too.
Golden rule number eight: Label everything clearly.
It helps the visitors and artists trying to sell another’s
work. Clear descriptions and prices on the pieces and signs
saying ‘PRIVATE’ and ‘MORE WORK THROUGH
HERE’, ‘TEA,COFFEE & CAKES £1.00 EACH’ let
visitors know immediately what might seem obvious to you.
When you think you’ve got your exhibition ready, count
to ten and then walk around trying to look at it through
someone else’s eye. It does help.
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