The verdict in three sentences
For a Toronto gallery or art advisory, a new website from a local agency typically costs 15,000 to 40,000 CAD (about 11,000 to 29,000 USD), and a premium cultural-sector studio can go well beyond that. Kolonell builds on a fixed grid in USD: Starter 2,900, Growth 4,900, Premium 8,900, with a project manager reachable in Toronto's time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks (Premium 4 to 6) and 3 months of support. The real budget question is elsewhere: photography of works, image rights, translation and maintenance often decide the three-year total more than the build price.
What must a Toronto gallery site prove to a collector?
Collectors rarely buy online, but the site decides whether they ask for a visit or a call. They type an artist's name, an exhibition title, "Art Toronto" in October, or "art advisor Toronto corporate collection", and land on whatever page answers. The site has to prove seriousness, taste and discretion in a few seconds.
| Page | What a collector or client checks | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Represented artists | Bio, CV, exhibition history, selected works | Only artists actually represented, with their consent |
| Current and past exhibitions | Dates, installation views, texts, press | An archive that stays online, not deleted after each show |
| Available works | Images, medium, dimensions, "price on request" or price | Images used only with the artist's or estate's authorization |
| Art fairs | Booth, dates, artists shown | Updated before each fair, removed or archived after |
| Advisory services | Process, client types, fee model in general terms | No invented collectors, placements or sales |
| Visit and appointments | Address in Yorkville, Queen West or Dundas West, hours, private viewings | Accessible directions and opening times kept current |
| Enquiry form | Speed and discretion of the reply | Minimal personal data, clear consent for newsletters |
Real cost: freelancer, Toronto agency or fixed grid?
Local figures below are a 2026 ballpark from typical agency quotes and public rate pages, converted at roughly 0.73 USD per CAD (approximate). Kolonell prices are quoted only in USD, as published.
| Option | Typical Toronto range | Approx. in USD | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance designer or developer | 4,000 to 12,000 CAD | 2,900 to 8,800 | A theme adapted to the gallery, limited copywriting, support depends on availability |
| Small local agency | 15,000 to 40,000 CAD | 11,000 to 29,000 | Custom design, artist and exhibition templates, workshops on site |
| Premium cultural-sector studio | 50,000 to 120,000 CAD | 36,500 to 87,600 | Brand work, editorial design, collection integrations, long discovery phase |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 | Essential gallery site, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks | |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 | Fuller structure for artists, exhibitions and advisory, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks | |
| Kolonell Premium | 8,900 | The multilingual tier, languages set in the quote, delivered in 4 to 6 weeks |
All three Kolonell tiers include a project manager reachable during Toronto business hours, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support. Private viewing rooms for collectors, gated areas, online checkout and connections to gallery inventory software are on quote, as are custom features. Details of each tier are on the international offer page.
Hidden costs and the three-year total
The build price is only the visible part. For a gallery, the expensive items are content.
| Cost item | 2026 ballpark | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|
| Photography of works and installation views | 1,500 to 5,000 CAD per campaign (about 1,100 to 3,650 USD) | Third-party photographer |
| Exhibition texts or catalogue essays | 0.30 to 1.00 CAD per word | Third-party writer, or the gallery |
| French translation for a national audience | 0.20 to 0.30 CAD per word | Third-party translator |
| Image rights and artist consents | Time rather than fees, sometimes estate licensing | The gallery |
| Accessibility review for Ontario | 1,000 to 4,000 CAD | Third-party auditor |
| Hosting and domain | 15 to 40 USD per month | The gallery |
| Maintenance after the 3 included months | 150 to 500 CAD per month (market assumption) | On quote at Kolonell |
Here is a three-year comparison for a mid-size gallery, with every non-Kolonell figure an assumption.
| Three-year line (USD, approx.) | Kolonell Growth | Local agency |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 4,900 | 18,250 (25,000 CAD) |
| Photography, one campaign | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| Hosting, 36 months at 20 | 720 | 720 |
| Maintenance, 33 months (market assumption) | 6,600 at 200 per month | 9,900 at 300 per month |
| Total | 14,420 | 31,070 |
On the compliance side, Canada's PIPEDA governs personal information in commercial activity, Ontario's AODA sets accessibility obligations for many organizations, and CASL requires consent before sending commercial emails such as exhibition newsletters. Anti-money-laundering rules cover art market participants in jurisdictions such as the EU and the UK, which matters if you sell to collectors there; stay informed on what applies to you. This is not legal advice.
When a Toronto agency is the better choice
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A local studio is worth its premium if you need repeated in-person shoots and workshops at the gallery, a deep integration with collection management and online sales from day one, or a long-term team that sits in the room with your curators. If your need is a precise, fast, well-written site with clear scope, the fixed grid is usually the rational option. Before signing either way, ask: who owns the design files and the content, what happens to the exhibition archive at the next redesign, who clears image rights, and what is the maintenance price after launch.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. "Halden Contemporary" is a fictional gallery on Dundas West with an advisory arm and 12 represented artists. A local agency quotes 32,000 CAD, about 23,400 USD. The gallery also considers Kolonell Premium at 8,900 USD, the multilingual tier, because it wants a French version for Montreal collectors. Translation of 9,000 words at 0.25 CAD per word adds 2,250 CAD, about 1,640 USD, paid to a third-party translator. Total: 10,540 USD, against 23,400 USD for the agency, a difference of about 12,860 USD.
FAQ
How long does a new gallery site take?
With Kolonell, 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth and 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, once texts and images are ready. Local agencies in Toronto commonly quote 8 to 16 weeks including discovery.
Can we show prices or keep "price on request"?
Both are common. Many galleries show prices only to registered collectors, which means a gated area, on quote, while "price on request" with a fast enquiry reply costs nothing extra.
Do we need a French version in Toronto?
Not legally for most private galleries, but it helps with collectors in Quebec and Europe. Budget roughly 0.20 to 0.30 CAD per word for professional translation, plus the multilingual tier if you choose Kolonell.
What about maintenance after launch?
Kolonell includes 3 months of support; after that, maintenance is on quote. In the Toronto market, 150 to 500 CAD per month is a fair assumption depending on update frequency.
Can we reuse artists' images from our archive?
Only where you hold the rights or written consent from the artist or estate. Clearing 40 to 60 key images before launch is common practice and avoids takedown requests later.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your artists, exhibition archive and whether you need a private viewing area, and we will propose a tier, a timeline of 3 to 6 weeks and the costs on quote. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
