What’s With All the Questions? ANSWERS for those still wondering – “WHAT IS IT?”

Hey there – we figured we would try something. We know often folks have questions about how something works but don’t know who to ask. Sometimes folks have the same questions and get different answers, based on who they ask. Probably less often than one would imagine, folks search for an answer from a trusted source/the source – and then share the source itself as means of answering questions. 

So…. 

We figured – what the FAQ – let’s just share them as a blog post. Cheers. Answers to some of your questions here: 

Art on the Rio – FAQs 

What is it?
It’s different. Art On The Rio, is anything but your traditional “gallery” or artist representation model. It’s a “Ghost Gallery” and “Art Dealership.” Art On The Rio works with artists and for artists, to place their work on the walls of local businesses. Our “Brick and Mortar Partners” are  all types of businesses and sizes. Our goal is to get the artists work in as many different demographic locations as possible, for the sake of connecting artists with buyers that might not be within their immediate network and vice versa. 

OK, But… What is it??? How does it work? Is there a physical gallery space????
Everything you see online at www.artontherio.com is currently in inventory or hanging around town at what AOR refers to as “Brick and Mortar Partner” locations. There are more than a dozen locations. They grow and change regularly – the best way to keep up is following our feed on Instagram @artontherio

Who can participate?
Are you a visual artist? Do you create works of art that you’d like to sell? Can they be “wired to hang?” Are they of your original creation? Damage and blemish free? Are you willing to hand your babies over,  have them posted on the internet and hung around town for possible purchase? Then YOU can participate! 

Who’s in charge? Who runs it? Why?
Art On The Rio was created and founded by Carlos Contreras and Jessica Gentry. The hybrid model that is an Art Dealership and Ghost Gallery is a fully independent small business, operating out of Albuquerque’s North Valley. The duo created AOR in order to give artists an alternative to “doing it all alone” when joining a gallery or pursuing a traditional route to representation wasn’t/isn’t desired by the artist.

Do I have to pay to be part of it?
NOPE! Again, NOPE! In fact, you don’t pay a dime until something sells. That means the creation of your “footprint” on the www.artontherio.com website – the marketing done on your behalf, and the partnerships we work to secure is all done out of a love for the hustle – and the possibility of monetary return, when things sell. 

How much of “the cut” does AOR get?!?!
Speaking of “selling.” When your art sells  – we only take 20% – read that twice! Yep, we split with artists 80/20, with the only exception being American Home Furniture on Menaul and Carlisle, where the split is 70/30. In being fair to American Home Furniture, they’ve re-invested 100% of their profits to date into paying local marketing experts to help us spread the word about AOR! 

I see there are Community Partners – What’s that about?
AOR aims to serve the artists AND the community! We are open to being approached by small businesses, individuals, and non-profit organizations about their particular needs, message, or idea and we will see if a partnership makes sense to us. Sometimes that’s a virtual event for means of a monetary donation – others, it’s creating access, space, or time for folks who wouldn’t have it otherwise. Either way – all we can say is “no,” and we don’t do it often. Let’s collab!