Before the Lawyer’s Office, See the Creative Coach

Erich Zimmerman Silver Cuff and Necklace-Santa Fe NM 2022. Ivan Barnett Studio.

“The most dangerous thing about illusion is how comfortable it makes us feel.” — Ta-Nehisi Coates

In the evolving landscape of contemporary art, one uncomfortable truth emerges with painful clarity: galleries are failing. Not quietly, not gradually—but suddenly and unexpectedly. More and more, owners aren’t reaching out for help until they’re sitting across the table from their attorney, reviewing the final documents of financial disaster. It doesn’t have to be this way.

At Serious Play, we offer something radically simple: intervention. I’m Ivan Barnett, and after decades in the Art business—25 years co-directing one of Santa Fe’s most respected and favorite galleries—I’ve seen the cycle play out too many times. A gallery built on vision and passion is no longer enough. Vision without strategy, passion without planning won’t sustain the bottom line. Still, so many refuse to believe their gallery is vulnerable. They stay in denial as long as they can, thinking that “tomorrow” will change everything. 

The Myth of Immunity

Many gallery owners believe their situation is unique, that the statistics apply to others and not them, and that love for the work and “a good eye” will be enough. It won’t be.

According to UBS and Art Basel’s 2024 Global Art Market Report, the number of galleries closing their doors has outpaced the number of new galleries opening. Mid-size galleries, in particular, are under extreme pressure—often crushed between rising costs and collector shifts toward mega-galleries or direct-to-artist online sales.

A recent study by ArtTactic showed that over 30% of galleries established after 2010 had closed by 2023. Why? The top three reasons: lack of strategic planning, inconsistent cash flow, and failure to adapt to market changes.

Claire Kahn Necklace, Site Santa Fe, 2020. Image Ivan Barnett.

Denial Can Be the Most Expensive Business Plan You Will Ever Not Have

There is an incredible level of denial operating in the gallery world. I’ve heard it all:

• “We just need one good season.”
• “Our audience is different.”
• “People always come back to quality.”

But hope is not a business model. Exceptional programming alone will not overcome weak margins, poor marketing infrastructure, or increased overhead. We must look inward with objectivity and outward with clarity. This is not about compromising your values—it’s about fortifying them with sustainability and getting ahead of and on top of a potential crisis.

When Too Much Ego Disguises as Identity

There is an emotional attachment to owning a gallery, understandably so. Your space is personal. It reflects your taste, your time, your commitment. But your ego can cloud reason. Just because it’s your gallery doesn’t mean it will succeed. Your name on the lease or on your gallery sign does not guarantee longevity.

Some of the smartest, most talented people I know have run out of time, run out of cash, and run out of options because they refused to seek guidance early enough to save themselves. It wasn’t weakness. It was pride. Serious Play exists to disrupt that cycle before it’s too late.

Pat Flynn Brooch, Gross Kelly Building, Santa Fe, 2021.  Image Ivan Barnett.

What Serious Play Offers and Will Do

At Serious Play, we collaborate with gallerists to build resilient models that preserve creative integrity while improving operational performance. Our services include:

• Business Model Evaluation: We assess your cost structure, pricing strategies, and programming return on investment.
• Marketing and Collector Strategy: We help you identify your real audience and convert casual interest into committed patronage.
• Revenue Stream Diversification: We explore models beyond traditional sales—memberships, digital content, cross-industry partnerships, events, and educational offerings.
• Team Optimization: We work with your staff to improve culture, communication, morale, and efficiency.
• Crisis Coaching: If you’re already in trouble, we can help triage immediate issues and reframe a path forward.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Too often, gallery owners and directors come to me saying, “I wish I had met you six months ago.” By then, it’s a scramble. Hard decisions get harder. Options evaporate.

A gallery doesn’t fail overnight. It fails in the small, ignored signs: the unpaid invoices, the poor gallery attendance, the diminishing engagement, and the slipping sales. You don’t need to be in distress to benefit from support—you just need to be honest about your blind spots and do something sooner than later.

Genevieve Howard-Paper Bracelet-Santa Fe Train Yard, 2022. Image Ivan Barnett.

Let’s Have the Conversation—Before You’re Forced To Close Your Doors

We understand your challenges because we’ve lived them. We don’t speak in jargon. We speak the language of artists and arts professionals—with clarity, respect, and urgency.

I championed Patina Gallery’s successful bids to recover, survive and thrive during three pivotal, cultural, and economic shifts over the past 25 years:  9/11, the Great Recession of 2008, and the Covid pandemic. Please see my case studies and web site for more information about these events and what I did to help Patina weather those storms.

Call to Action

Don’t wait until your back is against your gallery wall. Visit www.serious-play.co or reach out directly at [email protected] to schedule a confidential 1:1 consultation.

You, your patrons, and your gallery deserve more than survival. You deserve a solid future with new footing and with new tools.

“We are so scared of being judged that we look for every excuse to procrastinate.”—Erica Jung.

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