"When I had galleries, it was amazing how much it helped me to be able to show my clients an important  publication or a list that the artist was included. I could prove them that it was not just me to suggest they should invest in this artist - which is hard for clients to believe because they know the gallery owner works on a commission basis and their main purpose is to sell and make a profit - but I could offer them a real proof! It is unbelievable how much it helped me! And this was the reason why I chose artists I found in similar publications. And the prices I could sell the works of such artists were 3 times up to the usual.

International Contemporary Masters is a serious art publication. It is not open to every artist that agrees to pay. On the contrary, we are very strict at our selection, something that has made some artists to be insulted and angry. I have heard many times the words; 'Who do you think you are, to tell me that I am not accepted? Who are you to decide what is good art and what is bad art?"

And I answer. " I do not decide what is good and what is bad art. But I curate this publication and all the festivals and art events I have organized through out the years, and my name and signature is under each of them. And I want to be proud of it.!"

I never had a negative review through my festivals and exhibitions. It was always great comments on the serious work I did. And I want to continue so."

Despina Tunberg - Curator and gallery owner for more than 12 years in Chania, Crete, Greece and in Santa Barbara, Ca, USA

Procedure

A committee selects, not only the artists but the works that will be in the book.

The selection of the art is interesting, modern, beautiful and mainly, of high caliber.

Despina Tunberg is the curator of the publication and she makes the final decisions of who will be in the book.

If the artist does not agree with her selection and has other suggestions that do not meet with her standards, then the artist is not accepted.

The book contains artists from all over the world, so as to create an image of what happens all over the world in contemporary art.

It includes all media; painting, mixed medium, digital art, sculpture, installations, photography, pottery, performance art.

Some artists, no matter if they are good or not good, they get angry and feel insulted when they are asked to pay to be in a publication, or to pay to have a show at a gallery or to PAY generally! . They believe that they should get paid instead of paying, and that the gallery owners or the publishers or whoever has to do anything with their art, should never ask them to pay, but they should be offered a payment instead!

This approach is very amateur, and it proves that this artist has no experience at all with galleries, shows, publications etc.

NOTHING IS FREE! NOWHERE! Wherever you see an exhibition, it means a cost behind it. If it is at a famous gallery, it is an extremely high cost. At a smaller gallery the cost is lower. But there is always a cost. And someone always pays for it. And IT IS NOT THE GALLERY!

Think about it... How could it be?

Being an artist, is a profession. Nobody owes you anything because you create art.

Working with artists is another profession. And it has to be profitable, in order to continue existing.

The art market is the hardest market. When economy is bad, the first think people stop buying is not the FOOD!

Who pays for it?

A well known artist or an artist who is good at public relations, finds a sponsor. Big companies like Mercendes, Coca Cola, Heinneken, etc. sponsor a lot of art shows. But smaller companies do so too. This has to do with the artist's  connections and public relations. I ensure you, it does not have to do with the quality of their art! 

If the artist is not able to find a sponsor, then they undertake the cost themselves. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A COST!

When you are going to pay for an exhibition, just make sure that it is a real gallery and not some place that they just hang your works on the wall and that's it.

This is the difference with a vanity gallery and an art gallery.

Do not feel insulted when you are asked to pay. Every gallery will ask you money. It's only when the shows are sponsored by a government or a public sponsor or EU etc. that the participation is free. But, belive me, it is not so easy to be accepted there, because they hardly announce such events. The artists get in through 'Back Doors!"

If you think you are good enough, then find a sponsor.

This is a reality and if you want to be professional, you have to invest, like every body does in every business.
If you want to see it as business, you will be able to make money. If you want to be romantic and think that you are an artist and you have nothing to do in the business world, you will remain an artist that nobody knows and you will never have money.

Times have changed and the artists have changed. They are respected as creators and talented and smart human beings, but that's all.

All the artists in the book are selected!

The publication is of museum quality and the cost is high.

The book is delivered for free to about 1,000 names of our mailing list and the rest (5,000 ) will be delivered by our distribution company bookmasters.com to bookstores. The price we get is the cost price and we have no profit through sales, in order to make the book as easy to sell as possible and the artists to get the best exposure and advertisement.

Our only income is from artist's participation.

I personally would like to ask the artist; "Could you think of a reason 'Why you shouldn't  pay?'