Selling artwork in your Airbnb?

George-and-Rasheda0
Level 2
Bristol, United Kingdom

Selling artwork in your Airbnb?

Hi everyone! Hope you're all surviving out there 🙂

 

I have an uncle who's quite the artist - he's been struggling to sell his paintings post lockdown and would like to explore different ways to advertise.

Over the past year, we've hosted a fair few guests, so I thought there could be an opportunity here. The idea is that he can hang some of his local landmark paintings in our Airbnb.

 

These paintings are usually quite pricy and look great, but what is a fair pricing arrangement: presumably, x% commission + heavy discount on the artwork, or free and no commission, or other?

 

My question is: has anyone done this before, have you been successful with additional revenue, and what pricing model did you follow?

2 Replies 2

@George-and-Rasheda0  If you're inclined to purchase some of the original artworks yourself and display them in the house, it might give you a great opening to make affordable duplicate prints of your uncle's work available for sale. In the event that an Airbnb guest is spontaneously inspired to invest in one of the  originals at full price and transport back home with them (which basically never happens), I guess you could make a deal.

 

I don't really recommend a host taking on the role of gallerist in an Airbnb, though, unless the rental is explicitly marketed as a sort of atelier-guesthouse and/or is owner-occupied.  Exhibiting a valuable, unique artwork in an Entire Home rental deprives the work of exposure to the public and to serious collectors, while exposing it to a high risk of damage and depreciation that each piece would have to be privately insured with a lot of documentation and added expense. Advertising the prices of the home decor would look a little tacky to some guests, while conveying to the unsavory ones that there's something worth stealing on the way out. On the balance of things, none of this seems worthwhile to me.

 

One idea that might work well for everyone: support your uncle by privately buying one piece to prominently display in your Airbnb. Ideally, one that captures the landmark that's most popular with your guests. Using some the budget that you've set aside for your guest's restockable amenities, commission your uncle to produce about 100 consumer-grade A4 (or similar) prints of the piece, and provide one for free to each group that stays with you as a parting gift. For guests, it's a very impressive and memorable gesture; you're rewarded with even more enthusiastic reviews and potential repeat business, and for your uncle it's more exposure and word-of-mouth from people who may appreciate his talent but aren't about to haul a whole painting home from their trip.

Hello @George-and-Rasheda0 

Not really a partnership, but I do offer extras and it does generate a lot of adittional income


I detailed it on this post here:

 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Do-you-upsell-any-extra-services/m-p/1578146#M363917

Have a good day
Justin