We are interested in opening a gallery and cafe bar business and was wondering how popular this would be. We would like to combine art from the African diaspora with caribbean cuisine in a modern/contemporary relaxing setting.
2006-11-22 16:01:11 · 6 answers · asked by Malawi 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Other - Visual Arts
How will you select and obtain a location suitable to that combination. Sounds like a capital intensive operation. Good luck.
2006-11-22 17:09:07 · answer #1 · answered by Gaspode 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am an artist who has shown work in 3 locations similar to the one you describe (no ethnic sway at any of them)I was successful at one of the cafes, this is why...
#1-no art sales-not consistant in high quality art exhibits. (the owners vision to support beginers and high school students produced an atmosphere of 'casual'...people came for the food)
#2- few art sales.gallery that tried to bring in more people during peak summer tourist season by selling sanwiches. The art work was good enough usually but the food never caught on.
#3-the successful venue was opened on the premise that it was a Gallery Cafe and was clearly named as such. The owner only hung good quality work (made connection with good artists)and set up shop in a location next to an interior decorating plaza. (brilliant- shop at the stores that get your mind on home decorating and oh there is a cafe...lets just stop there for a bit to eat, and peak at the art) They had a simple menu and great coffee. I sold many peices each time I showed there (one month at a time)
2006-11-23 03:42:56 · answer #2 · answered by someone 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the success of any gallery depends on four things ...how consistently strong the market is during the period in which your financing is spent ...the quality and consistently of your artists' work, seen within the context of where you plan to have this combo and what the art scene consists of in that area...your advertising budget and the quality of exposure that you get with it....and a trained person to sell the work
If you mean that you wish to put fine art on your walls consider that people are used to being "sold" something most of the time,partly to avoid "buyers remorse" and party because they like the contact and want information and explanations and is some cases reassurance.
If you do not work at the sale of the art it will most likely be admired and asked about from time to time but my advice if this is the way that you go gets outstanding coffee at great prices, and a solid baker because the chances of the art paying many bills is severally hampered in that environment
2006-11-22 18:56:08 · answer #3 · answered by doc 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You will be taking on a project that will become overwhelming.
What is the utmost important to you?
To me it would be: 1. Gallery
Therefore I would not like #2. A bar business to intertwine with my precious pictures.
#3 Cafe is sweet, but again one must be careful of the gallery. No soiled pictures due to droppage of liquids or food.
Now if a Bar-Cafe business is important to you then do not consider the gallery. A Gallery is supposed to be elegant with wine and cheese, not Cafe-Bar. You must think about this hard and choose what is important to you. Good luck.....
2006-11-22 16:55:57 · answer #4 · answered by Flo-Jean 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
90% of new restaurants fail. Do a lot of research on the location and if your locality has an interest in the type of food you will be offering. When food is served, the gallery is going to be secondary to the food--meaning, real art people aren't going to take a gallery seriously, but that doesn't mean you can have art on the walls and sell it and help support local artists.
2006-11-23 00:40:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have a cafe bar, art is the way to go with changing exhibits. If you want to be carribean stick with the theme or it won't work. Ochre or light colors work for a gallery. I have a degree in art. I have the visual eye. Get to know artists.
2006-11-22 17:35:24 · answer #6 · answered by krissi poppy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋