ARTIST APPLICATION

Sharing your work shouldn't feel like work.

Rela delivers, installs, and rotates local original art on commercial and residential walls.

HOW IT WORKS

  • STEP 1

    APPLY

    Tell us about your art.

    Share your statement, headshot, and images of pieces you’d like to enroll.

    APPLY NOW

  • STEP 2

    APPROVAL

    We’ll confirm all details of your application + determine works that are the best fit for your Rela collection.

  • STEP 3

    SCHEDULE ART TRANSFER

    Rela offers artwork storage between displays. Book a time to drop off artwork to our studio and gain some space in yours.

  • STEP 4

    GET YOUR ART ON VIEW

    Your work is now available for instant purchase on Rela’s site and in subscribers’ custom curation.

    Share your Rela collection and earn every month your work is on view.

Artwork Requirements:

  • ARTWORK SCALE

    Minimum dimension of 24”

  • CLEAN PRESENTATION

    Unframed canvases need to be at least 1.5” in depth and clean or painted a solid color

  • FRAMING

    Works less than 1.5” in depth may require framing. Framed works should have well-aligned corners and (preferably) minimalist style, allowing the work the shine!

  • SIGNED

    Whether on the front, edge, or back - take ownership and sign your work.

  • WIRED, READY TO HANG

    All work must be wired and ready for installation. If Rela wires the piece, a wiring fee will be deducted from display earnings.

Application Requirements

Application is two parts:

Part 1 Is all about you!

Part 2 Asks you to upload images + information for artwork you’d like to share.

If you have all the required information prepared, the entire application should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

  • Viewers want to connect with you! A high-quality, well-lit, welcoming image can launch a relationship with viewers.

  • Tell us about yourself! Share your background, inspiration, process, or anything you’d like that connects viewers to you and your work.

    This content will be published on your artist profile page with your headshot and links to your work.

  • Distill your full Artist Statement into 2 sentences. What is the most important content from your full statement? Present the connection point that will resonate with your audience.

  • Photograph your art in good light in a simple, cropped view.

    List caption information:

    • Artwork Title No one is inspired by “Untitled no. 4”; instead, use titling as an opportunity to share more with your audience.

    • Media - what materials did you use to create this piece?

    • Year Made

    • Dimensions (height x width x depth)

    • Short Story Introduce the work to your viewer; what do you want them to know about this piece? How can they connect with it? (This also helps us market your work.)

    This information is used for website inventory and the promotion + sales of your artwork. Accepted artists are welcome to share additional work at any time.

What Collaborating Artists Are Saying

  • Carrie Boerio

    “I love that your business model focuses on artists.”

  • Dani Michaux Samson

    “I’ve worked with Rela for several years now, and it is awesome. I highly recommend connecting with Rela whether you are a buyer or an artist.”

  • Juliet Thibault

    “Rela is a new venue for sharing my work. I’m making big changes to how I create as I don’t have to make for a particular market anymore.”

FAQ

  • Yes, artists earn a percentage of each subscription each month their work is on view. Earnings begin at $10/piece/month.

    Earnings are delivered monthly via direct deposit. If you prefer another form of payment, we can arrange for paper checks mailed quarterly to your address.

  • Artists retain ownership of their work while on display in various locations. Title of ownership only transfers to buyer after a sale, not during subscribed display.

  • Yes, all artwork is always available for purchase. Whether through Rela or your channels, increased visibility increases purchase potential.

  • No, Rela contracts with local art installers to manage delivery + installation as a service for both subscribers and artists.

    If your work requires site-specific installation, you will be paid for your installation labor.

  • Damages and losses while on display in the subscriber’s space are the subscriber’s responsibility. Rela retains subscribers’ cards on file, ensuring no opportunity cost for artists.

  • No, Rela is non-exclusive and works with both independent and represented artists. Increased community presence is good for both you and your gallery. If your gallery has questions about our work, we’re always happy to share more in a conversation.

    Also, Rela is not traditional representation. We are a platform that shares your artwork, not an agency.

  • Yes, Rela requires both Artist Agreements and Subscriber Agreements to establish clear guidelines and responsibilities, protecting all involved.

  • Accepted artists launch a relationship with Rela that consigns their work for an initial 24 month period. Unless artist requests to dissolve relationship, consignment continues on an annual basis.

  • Yes, please apply with three to ten examples of your work so we can learn more about your body of work.

    Accepted artists require a minimum of three artworks in their Rela collection.

  • Yes! For artists, Rela is a free service that manages all logistics of circulating your work in commercial and residential spaces.

    Rela earns a percentage of subscription and sales commissions.

Have questions? Review the frequently asked questions here and email artist@rela.art with any unanswered questions.

Prefer to begin with a conversation? Book a call anytime.

APPLY NOW

APPLY NOW

Have you experienced any of these challenges as an artist?

UNRELIABLE INCOME

It’s difficult to create your own budget as fairs are seasonal, exhibitions are intermittent, and sales are not guaranteed. What if your body of work worked a little harder for you?

Rela can provide monthly earnings with your pieces that have not yet sold. Rela helps you earn a commission before selling your artwork.

FREE LABOR FOR EXPOSURE

Time spent preparing, figuring out transportation logistics, packing pieces, and installing equates to time not creating. Although some opportunities are valuable, routinely supporting the culture of free labor isn’t only bad for finances, it can degrade self-worth.

Rela handles all logistics, management, and installation for you.

STUDIO SPACE

Maybe you’ve had the same piece in your workspace for years that just hasn’t found a home yet. Or you’re storing large canvases that take up too much studio space. Maybe you’ve evolved your practice and have work that you would no longer show, but you aren’t quite sure what to do with now.

Let Rela circulate those pieces for you and earn each month from works that you’d otherwise be storing.

BARRIERS TO SALES

How many times has someone adored your work, but admitted they simply can’t afford it? Too often artists interpret this as a reflection of their work’s value. Let’s create a model where art can be on view and artists can earn even without a sale.

Subscriptions keep art on view without requiring a sale and placing artwork in a space for a may increase sale probability.

LIMITING ARTWORK SCALE

Want to work on a large scale but know that the majority of buyers can’t immediately afford these pieces? Do you find yourself deliberately scaling down for art fairs and other shows?

Rela’s programming forges a path in the art marketplace that allows you to create on any scale.

PROMOTION HEADACHES

It’s true that no one will promote you more than yourself. It is also true that more eyes on your work can lead to more opportunities.

Circulating your work through Rela’s programming and having your work shared on multiple platforms can only help. Rela presents work with minimal design, so the artwork is always the focus.

We’re makers

Let’s create a better system together