Publisher Defined

One of the common questions asked today is - What is a Publisher or a Distributor? These are great questions because the line is now significantly blurred and many artists are in fact their own publisher and/or distributor.

However, some of the basic definitions and expectations apply. See if you can see what you are currently doing in the definitions below.

Photo by the Author - Havanna, Cuba

A “Publisher” is an individual or company who contracts with an artist to reproduce their work in forms acceptable to the artist. The publisher ensures that the artist is compensated, usually by a royalty on each reproduction sold. The publisher arranges for and finances the printing of the reproductions, promotional literature and advertising to announce the release of the work. The publisher will then arrange to have the work distributed.

A “Distributor” is usually a company engaged in the business of marketing reproductions and will have an established clientele. The distributor will hire and train sales representatives to call on galleries or other outlets to solicit sales for reproductions. The distributor will look after shipping, invoicing, collection of payments, storage of some or all of the work and will compensate the sales force out of it’s share of the returns. Many distributors represent the work in their catalogues, on-line services, trade fairs and private exhibitions. Quite often the publisher and distributor will be the same company, however many distributors deal directly with an artist who has produced their own work just as they would any other publisher.

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