Dominique Gallery Projects

OUR STORY & MISSION

Originally launched as Studio Gallery Center in 2015, Dominique Gallery is now a storefront and virtual gallery and arts incubator founded in 2018 by Dominique Clayton. The storefront location in the West Adams neighborhood in Los Angeles has exhibited solo exhibitions by emerging artists from Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto as well as group shows featuring a wide range of artists with diverse artistic practices including original painting, sculpture, photography, and works on paper. The gallery is committed to diversity and representation, intentionally holding space for emerging artists of color and women.     

What began as a storefront art gallery has since evolved into an artists incubator and project space.  With the rapid growth of the Black art market, it became evident that young Black artists needed more than just a space to show work.  The ecosystem of Black art patronage needed an overhaul with specific focus on artist development, press, and collector building, and networking.  While the value of the global art market saw a decrease in overall value (50 billion down roughly 22% from the estimated 64 billion the previous year due to the pandemic), according to Art Basel’s 2021 Art Market Report, online sales of art and antiques reached a record high of $12.4 billion, doubling in value on the previous year, and accounting for a record share of 25% of the market’s value.  

Dominique Gallery is primed to capitalize on the expanded digital marketplace which will enable wider outreach to patrons near and far.  Thanks to a wave of new coverage and interest in Black owned art spaces as a result of calls for representation and equity across all businesses, we have stepped into our power and purpose and are excited about our growth and future.

OUR NEEDS

We are seeking funding to better support our artists and establish various opportunities for exhibitions and publishing including renovating our long standing storefront space, publishing catalogues for past and current programs, and financing art fair and trade show projects.  As the pandemic forced closures and cancelled in person events and programs, many artists and art spaces suffered with full programs and revenue streams compromised indefinitely. Dominique Gallery pivoted to online exclusives and partnered with other organizations to create virtual programs, fundraise, and introduce gallery artists to new audiences and patrons.  In 2020 alone, we presented five virtual exhibitions and co-curated one auction, an effort that brought over $50,000 in support of Black voters.  These reconfigurations require new technology, software, and investment in producing virtual content that will continue even as businesses reopen.  In addition to new technology and partnerships, the gallery participated in its first set of art fairs (virtually) and will participate in its first in person art fair this fall.                         

OUR TEAM

Dominique Gallery is the brainchild of Dominique Clayton, an arts writer and manager with over 15 years experience in artist management.  Drawing from her past career in film and television production and management, Clayton has recentered her focus on visual arts which has seen a surge in interest, talent, and patronage particularly by artists and collectors of color.  Clayton first opened her doors to the public while 8 months pregnant with her youngest child and has long been inspired by the challenges and triumphs of artist parents and continues to amplify their work through special programs. 

Dominique Gallery is a solo operation with project based assistance from marginalized artists.  With additional funding, we will be able to pay for full time customer service, marketing and communications, and PR support and create pipelines for young creatives to learn all facets of the business.

OUR GOAL

Represent the underrepresented - artists, collectors, and communities.  With your support, we can sustain the practices of local emerging artists by showing and selling their work and creating publications to archive and document the process for future generations to come.  In doing so, we can restore the creative capital in marginalized communities and contribute to generational wealth building while also cultivating seasoned and new art audiences and patrons.