NEW YORK, NY.- The WAL (World Art Lounge), a new global collaborative business solution for midsize art galleries, announces the launch of its exclusive membership program, which will mitigate risks for galleries interested in exploring new markets and reduce barriers to entry, as well as provide galleries with customized solutions to enhance their regional and international business strategy.
“Having been in the art world for nearly two decades, I continue to be impressed by the unstoppable creative spirit in this industry,” says Jean-Daniel Compain, Founder and Chairman of The WAL. “With an increasingly competitive global landscape and mounting operational pressures, galleries are having to reimagine and evolve their business strategies. We have created The WAL to offer galleries bespoke and innovative solutions to attracting new business, as well as venturing into new markets at a reasonable cost. With the support of our international team of experienced art professionals, The WAL will launch its inaugural events in Asia, Europe, and the United States in 2019. Going forward, our exhibitions and special events will be developed in close collaboration with our member galleries to ensure they are tailored to each gallery’s needs.”
The WAL has been designed with galleries in mind—developing and employing solutions that will save member galleries time, money, and resources, and allow them to focus on what they do best: presenting and promoting their artists’ work. Throughout the year, The WAL will offer its member galleries exclusive access to unique exhibition spaces, as a lower-cost and lower-risk alternative to opening permanent bricks-and-mortar spaces in new markets. Member galleries may choose to secure an entire space and exhibit independently, or to collaborate and share an exhibition space with fellow members, thereby reducing the cost of exhibiting in new regions even further. Exhibitions will typically be on view for a week or as long as more than a month, depending on the member galleries’ needs and goals.
“We created a straightforward and creative solution for art galleries to exhibit their artists wherever, whenever, and with whomever they want,” mentions Cyrille Troubetzkoy, Artistic Director of The WAL. “In a very simple way, we collaborate with member galleries, sourcing the right venue in the city of their choice, within their budget and at a time they need it. Our team has also worked on a robust program of destinations based on multiple criteria and timed with key international art and culture moments, which will offer unique opportunities to meet the larger art collector community.”
Beginning in March 2019, a global roster of mid-size member galleries will have access to The WAL’s exclusive online platform, where they can connect and partner with their peers to share ideas and develop collaborative exhibitions, as well as request The WAL to propose carefully curated exhibition spaces throughout the world.
In 2019, The WAL will present inaugural exhibitions in cities across Asia, Europe, and the United States, featuring selected member galleries. The first collaborative exhibition opportunity will take place from June 5 to 9 in Paris at Galerie des Gobelins in partnership with Mobilier National, offering for the first time a contemporary art show in one of the most prominent French public institutions. Boasting unparalleled architecture and interior design, Mobilier National will provide 10,000 square feet of exceptional exhibition spaces to up to 15 member galleries.
In addition to offering exhibition spaces in new regions, The WAL will provide a full suite of related services—from logistical operations, shipping, local staffing, and installation to special events and communications, as well as curatorial and legal counseling—allowing member galleries to focus on their core expertise. A team of regional experts and curators from The WAL will also create bespoke programs ranging from special events to private visits in each city during the exhibitions that will meaningfully activate the space and attract new buyers, collectors, and art lovers alike.
Galleries interested in membership to The WAL’s incredible network will undergo a qualification process. The accepted galleries will pay a one-time initiation fee of €1,200 ($1,400), in addition to a yearly membership fee of €900 ($1,000) or a monthly membership fee of €75 ($85) to gain full access to The WAL’s global program and service.
