Alternate Ways to Buy Art… At the Art District Gallery

Well, it’s true. Original Art is a luxury item. The painting you truly love could take a big chunk out of your rent or mortgage payment, and it could seriously put a dent in your cash flow.

Buying art is serious business. It’s a big decision and a big commitment. The art you buy is likely going to be with you for a very long time, and perhaps will be passed on to your kids or even your grand-kids. It’s personal. And potentially a key factor in creating a joyful environment that you love.

So how to get around the cost factor??

Well, first, there’s payments. Most artists, including myself, will happily arrange for you to purchase their work in instalments. $500.00 in one payment could be daunting, but $50 a month for 10 months is totally do-able!

Another option would be renting. Did you know you can rent art? Many galleries, including the Art District Gallery in Kitchener, will rent you art. In the case of Art District Gallery, all you have to do is agree to pay a minimum of three monthly fees at 4% of the purchase price of the art. For example, a painting that costs $500 could be rented for 3 months for $60; and after 3 months, it would be a monthly payment of $20 for as long as you’d like to rent the art. And if you rent the piece long enough, you can end up purchasing the piece. Renting is a great option, because you have the opportunity to live with the work, and make sure it’s a good fit for you and your environment.

Yet another option can be a pooling of monies. It’s a novel concept, sharing a work of art, but it does happen. One year at one person’s home, the next year at another’s; alternating between two people. Another scenario for a pooling of money would be co-workers contributing to the purchase of a piece of art for the work environment. A more likely version of pooling money involves gift certificates. A person buys a gift certificate for art to give to the art lover they love. The recipient of the gift certificate is able to apply the value of the gift certificate to the payment of the piece of art of their choosing. And, as you might guess, Gift certificates are available at the Art District Gallery!

Finally, you may consider purchasing small. While small works may not have the impact that larger works have, the right piece could do more for your environment than you’d imagine! Most homes have a host of small spaces that need brightening. And smaller works of art are generally very affordable! Coincidentally, the Art District Gallery is going to be featuring smaller works at the upcoming show that kicks off on Thursday, December 3rd.

So if you happen to be in downtown Kitchener, near the Farmer’s Market, please take a moment to mosey over to the Art District Gallery. We’re located just off the plaza in front of the Farmer’s Market at King Street and Cedar in Kitchener. We’d love to see you!