By Zachary Small & Eileen Kinsella

Many members of the commercial art world have used the pandemic as a clarion call to their employers, demanding an overhaul of the pressure-cooker environments that have proliferated in the industry over the past two decades. But few gallerists have been willing to discuss the financials involved in becoming a gallerist.

Last month, Artnet News surveyed more than 300 art dealers about the economics of their operations: details on their salary ranges, responsibilities, demographics, and personal stories. What emerged from this data, which we collected anonymously, was a portrait of an industry beset with income inequality.

Our numbers indicate that there is quite a long way to go. Of the 288 respondents who identified their race in our survey, 85 percent identified as white. That ratio increased when looking at executive-level employees, of which nearly 93 percent identified as white. (This data correlates to what we hear from professional organizations in the industry. For example, the Art Dealers Association of America has nearly 180 members; only three are Black-owned galleries.)

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