Frequently Asked Questions
Collectors & Institutions
Q: How does WORKPLACE work with collectors?
A: We work closely with collectors over time rather than as a simple sales channel. That can mean introducing artists at an early stage, advising on acquisitions, and helping to place works in dialogue with existing collections. Much of this happens through ongoing conversations rather than one-off transactions.
Q: Do you help new collectors as well as established collections?
A: Yes. We work with people buying their first artwork and with established private and institutional collections. The approach is always the same: understand what matters to you, share artists we believe in, and place works where they will be looked after and thoughtfully contextualised.
Q: How do you place artworks with museums and public collections?
A: We regularly work with institutions on acquisitions and loans. This can involve advising curators, shaping proposals, and managing the practical side of getting works into collections. If you are a curator or advisor researching an artist we work with, you are welcome to contact us directly.
Q: What is your approach to representing artists?
A: We tend to work with a small group of artists over many years. Representation at WORKPLACE usually develops out of an ongoing conversation, shared commitments, and a sense that we can meaningfully support the work - through exhibitions, publications, institutional projects and careful placement with collectors.
Q: Do you accept artist submissions?
A: We don't accept submissions and are not able to respond to all of them. Our relationships with artists develop through research, exhibitions, recommendations, studio visits, and seeing work in context over time. If we feel there is a genuine alignment, we will initiate that conversation ourselves.
Q: How do you decide which works to offer to which collectors?
A: Placement is considered very carefully. We look at the artist’s trajectory, the work’s place within their practice, and where it will sit in a collection. It is not simply a first-come, first-served process: where there is strong interest in a work, we try to place it with collectors or institutions who are the best fit for the artist and who have a meaningful history of supporting our programme. The aim is always to act in the best interests of the artists we work with over the long term.
Q: Is it first come, first served if more than one person wants the same work?
A: When there is more than one serious enquiry about a work, we look at where the piece will be best placed for the artist over time. That can mean prioritising collectors or institutions who have supported the programme, who are actively following the artist’s work, or where the work will sit in a context that makes sense for their practice. Our intention is not to create artificial scarcity, but to make thoughtful decisions in the interests of the artist.
Q: Do you work with secondary-market or resale works?
A: We occasionally consign works from clients for resale on the secondary market, particularly by artists we represent or have a strong relationship with. In those cases we will discuss the work, agree a price and commission structure before consignment, and handle the process discreetly. Each situation is considered case by case, with an emphasis on acting in the best interests of the artist, the work, and the client.
Q: How do you collaborate with curators and institutions?
A: We regularly collaborate with independent curators, museums and non-profit spaces. This can involve co-developing exhibitions, lending works, producing new commissions, or shaping longer-term projects around an artist’s practice. If you are planning a project and feel there may be a connection, you are welcome to get in touch.
Practicalities
Q: How can I see a work in person or discuss a specific piece?
A: If you are interested in a particular work, we can arrange a viewing at the gallery, in one of our spaces, or sometimes off-site by appointment. We can also share additional images, installation views and context, or speak via video if you are unable to visit in person.
Q: Do you ship artworks internationally, and how is this managed?
A: Yes. We regularly ship works in the UK and internationally using specialist art shippers. Packing, customs and insurance are arranged according to the work and destination, and we can advise on duties and taxes relevant to your location before confirming a sale.
Q: Can I consign a work I own by an artist you work with?
A: In some cases, yes. We occasionally take works on consignment, particularly by artists we represent or have a long-standing relationship with. Consignments are considered individually, taking into account provenance, condition and whether the work fits our programme and current conversations with collectors.
Q: What is your approach to pricing and transparency?
A: Prices reflect the realities of sustaining artists’ practices, exhibitions and the wider ecosystem around the work. Where possible we share price information openly, and we are happy to explain how pricing relates to an artist’s wider market, editioning, and institutional context.
Compliance
Q: Do you carry out Customer Due Diligence (CDD) checks?
A: Yes. In line with UK and EU anti-money-laundering regulations, we are required to carry out Customer Due Diligence for certain transactions, especially above specified value thresholds (currently €10,000) and where risk indicators apply. This may involve verifying your identity, confirming the beneficial owner of a purchase, and asking for basic information about the source of funds.
Q: Why do you ask for ID and source-of-funds information?
A: These checks are a legal requirement under anti-money-laundering regulations (including AMLD5/5MLD) for art-market participants. They are designed to protect both clients and galleries and to ensure that significant transactions are properly documented. We try to keep the process as straightforward as possible and only request information that is necessary to meet our obligations.
Q: When will I be asked to complete these checks?
A: We will let you know in advance if a proposed transaction requires CDD. This typically applies above certain value thresholds (currently €10,000) and where additional checks are appropriate, for example with complex ownership structures or cross-border payments. In most cases the process is quick and can be completed electronically before an invoice is finalised.
Q: How do you handle and store my information?
A: Any information provided for CDD purposes is handled confidentially and stored securely in line with data-protection regulations. We only use it to meet our regulatory obligations and do not share it with third parties except where required by law or with your explicit consent.
