TurningArt
Title encourages artists to upload their images for sale or lease to corporate clients
Expected pay: variable
Husl$core: $$$$
Commissions & fees: 40% of the sales price of original art; other fees vary
Where: Nationwide (remote)
Requirements: A portfolio good enough to be accepted into the platform
What is TurningArt?
TurningArt is an agency that helps connect artists with corporate clients, who want to adorn their offices with ever-changing artistic displays.
How it works
Artists submit an application through the site’s artist page. It typically takes around a week to review applications. TurningArt will send artists an email notification when the review is complete.
If the artist’s account has been approved, the site will send instructions on how to complete your profile information and submit pieces to add to the TurningArt catalog.
TurningArt Review:
TurningArt works with corporate clients that want to rent or buy artwork to adorn the walls of their office buildings. The site has a wide variety of ways artists can make money, ranging from selling original paintings or photographs to “leasing” your art for temporary use.
The artist sets the price of originals, and pays a 40% commission to the site when they sell. But the selling price needs to exceed $300 for any original.
Other sales & commissions
Otherwise, the site’s sale and commission schedule is as follows:
For print rentals, Artists get 25% of the retail price for a one year lease period. This amount is issued in monthly installments through the duration of the lease period. Earnings range from $12-$120 annually for print rentals.
Original Artwork Rotations: Artists get 25% of the retail price for a one year lease period. This amount is issued in monthly installments through the duration of the lease period. For lease periods outside of one year, the artist fee is prorated.
Digital Rotations: Artists receive 20% of the annual revenue made on image files on display through digital artwork programs.
Print Sales: Artists are issued 25% of the revenue made on all print sales on TurningArt, Made & Curated. For print sales made through eCommerce partner platforms, the artist and TurningArt will agree on the amount while onboarding the assortment for that specific platform.
Commissions: Artists are paid a contracted and agreed upon fee for commissioned work. At the start of a commission project, TurningArt and the artist will mutually agree upon a fee that fairly compensates the artist to complete the assigned project.
What’s displayed
Once you’re accepted to the platform, you can start uploading art. The site has discretion to decide which pieces show on its website. But all pieces that partner artists submit to their TurningArtist Dashboards as fine art prints will be published to both the TurningArt catalog and the Made & Curated site. When a piece is published to the fine art print catalog on TurningArt, it will also automatically be added to the Made & Curated site unless the artist opts-out of this.
Fine art prints may be purchased on Made & Curated by the public. When an artist disables a piece on their TurningArt account, it will also be removed from the Made & Curated site as well.
Your rights
You retain the rights to your work. The site also does not ask for exclusivity, unless you market a piece as a limited edition. Those pieces would be sold exclusively through TurningArt. But any other artwork listed here can be sold on your own website and/or other websites. TurningArt’s only ask is that you don’t undercut the TurningArt prices when you’re selling elsewhere.
The site watermarks your artwork on its website and publishes only small images, to make sure the artwork can’t be simply copied and stolen. The large image files are held by the site to create larger images of your work. But those files are never public.
Pay
Artists are paid once monthly — on the 15th — by either check or direct deposit (through Bill.com). But artists are only paid once their royalties exceed $50.
Recommendations:
TurningArt is one of several good sites that allow artists to multiply their income by allowing these companies to market and reproduce their work. You can find the site here.
Other sites worth considering include SaatchArt, FineArtAmerica, and Society6.
What their artists say: (from SiteJabber)
I have researched the internet sites that can promote and sell my art for the last 3 years. TurningArt is the best. Hands down. It’s obvious that they work to promote the work of their artists and the results show up in the form of a regular check. All artists want to be rewarded for their dedication and this company does that. –Will Birdwell, artist
From TrustPilot
Photographic Art is a hard sell. People do not seem to be drawn to it as they are other art forms. However, TurningArt has helped me get my works out to public and hanging on walls all around the country. It isn’t the money so much as it is knowing that people are seeing my works, and hopefully, enjoying it as much I did producing it.
My experience with TurningArt has been terrific. They are true champions of the emerging and established artist, delivering great opportunities to earn real revenue on both originals and prints. I have always been paid fairly and on time, and their service is completely free for me. Their team is professional and provides great support. I would highly recommend working with them.
I signed up to post my art on Turning Art in 2019. They have an impressive website and really impressive artist features. I believed what I read about selling my originals and the commission structure for them sounded reasonable. However all they do is make prints of my work and I get a very tiny royalty stipend (maybe $6) for that art printed / out on lease rotation. I don’t get a check until it hits $50 which takes a looooong time. Artists, don’t waste your time and don’t sell yourself short. They’re making money while both artists and customers lose.
Updated 2/10/2025
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