Free art consignment agreement template
Placing work with a gallery, shop or art fair? Fill in both parties, set the commission split, consignment period, discount and payout terms, list every artwork with its retail price — and download a formal A4 consignment agreement with signature blocks. The artist's net payout is calculated for each work.
Standard form-based template — runs locally in your browser with zero AI generation.
What an art consignment agreement should cover
- The parties: artist (consignor) and gallery (consignee), with the person authorised to sign for the gallery.
- Consignment period: start and end dates, and what happens to unsold works at the end.
- Commission split: the percentage of each sale the gallery keeps and the artist receives.
- Discounts: the largest discount allowed without asking, and who bears it.
- Payment terms: how many days after the buyer pays the artist is paid.
- Title and copyright: the artist owns each work until paid in full and always keeps copyright.
- Insurance and liability: who covers damage or loss on the walls, in storage and in transit.
- Schedule of works: title, year, medium, dimensions and retail price for every piece.
Worked example: 50/50 split with a 10% discount
A painting retails at $2,000 on a 50/50 split, so the artist nets $1,000 at full price. If the gallery gives a collector 10% off ($200) and the discount is split evenly, each side gives up $100 — the artist receives $900. If the gallery absorbs the discount, the artist still receives $1,000.
Consignment vs. selling outright
On consignment the gallery pays nothing up front and the artist carries the risk that work doesn't sell — in exchange, the artist keeps ownership and usually earns more per sale. When a gallery buys outright, you invoice it immediately with an artist invoice or bill of sale. This template is a practical starting point, not legal advice.
Prepare the rest of the paperwork
Work out retail prices that still pay you after commission with the art pricing calculator, give the gallery an art price list and artwork labels, and issue a certificate of authenticity for each sale. See all artist tools or the sitemap.
Art consignment agreement — FAQ
- What is an art consignment agreement?
- A written contract between an artist (consignor) and a gallery or shop (consignee). The gallery shows and sells the work but does not buy it; the artist keeps ownership until the work is sold and paid for, and the two share the sale price at an agreed commission split.
- What is a typical gallery commission on consignment?
- Most commercial galleries take 40–60% of the retail price, with 50/50 the most common split. Art fairs, framers, cafés and online shops often take 20–40%. The template lets you set any split and shows the artist's net payout for every work.
- Who pays when a gallery gives a discount?
- That should be in writing. Common options are splitting the discount evenly, the gallery absorbing it from its commission, or sharing it in proportion to the split. The template lets you set a maximum discount (e.g. 10%) and who bears it.
- When should a gallery pay the artist?
- Within a fixed period after the buyer's payment clears — 30 days is common, some galleries pay within 14 or 60. The agreement also asks the gallery to share the sale price and, where allowed, the buyer's details.
- Who is responsible if consigned art is damaged?
- Usually the gallery from the moment it receives the work until it is returned, including transit, insured at least for the artist's net amount. You can edit the insurance and liability clause to match what you agree.
- Is this consignment agreement legally binding?
- Once both parties sign, it records the agreed terms, but it is a practical template, not legal advice. Consignment and trust laws differ by country and state, so have important agreements checked locally.
- Is the consignment agreement template free?
- Yes. Fill in and preview without signing in. A free account is needed to download the PDF; free PDFs include a small ArtFroFest badge and paid plans remove it. Your draft stays in this browser and no AI is used.