The verdict in three sentences
For an art gallery and art advisory in Boston, the website is often where a collector first checks the roster of represented artists, the exhibition program and the quality of the images. Boston agencies quote a redesign at $20,000 to $70,000 in 2026, while Kolonell works from a fixed grid: $2,900 (Starter), $4,900 (Growth), $8,900 (Premium). The two risks specific to a gallery are losing the exhibition archives that carry your search visibility and publishing works without written authorization from the artist or lender.
What a collector, a curator or a wealth advisor checks
In Boston, the visitors who matter come from three directions: private collectors in Back Bay or on the North Shore, institutions and universities preparing a loan, and wealth advisors looking for an art advisory partner for their client families. Each reads the site with one specific question.
| Visitor | Their unspoken question | Page that must answer it | Common flaw to fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private collector | Who do you actually represent? | Artist pages with bio and available works | Departed artists still listed |
| Curator or registrar | Is your program serious? | Dated exhibition archive, critical texts | Archive wiped at every redesign |
| Wealth advisor | Can you guide a client? | Advisory page: approach, fees on request, discretion | Advisory service buried in the menu |
| Art fair committee | Where are you showing this year? | Fairs page, confirmed booths only | 2023 fairs still on the homepage |
| Journalist | Who do I contact, with which images? | Press area, cleared visuals, full captions | Images without credits or captions |
| Mobile buyer | Can I see the work up close? | High-resolution zoom, fast loading | Uncompressed 8 MB files |
Budget: Boston ranges and a fixed grid
The figures below are a 2026 ballpark based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages. The line that moves the budget most is often artwork photography.
| Budget line | Boston freelancer | Local agency | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full site with artist pages | $7,000 to $20,000 | $20,000 to $70,000 | Starter $2,900 or Growth $4,900 |
| Multilingual version for overseas collectors | Rarely offered | $8,000 to $20,000 extra | Premium $8,900, languages set in the quote |
| Copywriting | Often on you | Included or billed separately | Native English or French copywriting included |
| Delivery time | 6 to 12 weeks | 12 to 20 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, 4 to 6 for Premium |
| Private viewing room or gated catalog | Custom | $10,000 and up | On quote |
| Monthly maintenance | $150 to $800 (market assumption) | $500 to $2,000 (market assumption) | 3 months included, then on quote |
Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in Eastern time and 3 months of support. Gated areas, connection to your inventory management software and any custom app are on quote. The tiers are detailed on the international offer page.
Gallery-specific risks, and how to contain them
Archives and search. Every past exhibition is a page that ranks on an artist's name. Deleting those URLs erases years of visibility. The fix: a full URL inventory, a page-by-page 301 redirect map and Search Console monitoring for at least 8 weeks after launch.
Image rights and consent. The new site shows only artists you actually represent and works cleared for reproduction, with photo credits. A work sold to a collector who asked for discretion must leave the public pages.
Prices and compliance. Many galleries show prices on request. For sales to buyers from Europe or the UK, anti-money-laundering rules for art market participants can trigger identity checks: the site should say so plainly. On data, California has the CCPA, while Massachusetts has its own data security rules for personal information; your mailing list must follow the CAN-SPAM Act, and accessibility should target WCAG 2.2 AA, as ADA Title III demand letters are frequent. Have your counsel review these points. This is not legal advice.
Outage. Never switch the night before an opening or during a fair: aim for a Tuesday morning, with rollback ready.
When a Boston agency is the better choice
If your gallery wants an online catalogue raisonné, deep integration with inventory software, 3D virtual tours or weekly meetings on site, a local agency with a budget of $40,000 and up is consistent. For a credible, well-written, fast site live before next season, the fixed grid is enough.
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Questions to ask: who handles the archive redirects? Who compresses images without visible loss? Can I add an artist or exhibition myself? Are the code and hosting in my name?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Ellery Row Gallery, a SoWa gallery representing 14 artists and offering art advisory. A local agency quotes $38,000 and 16 weeks. The gallery picks the Growth tier at $4,900 and has 60 works photographed at $35 per image, or $2,100 (market assumption). External budget: $7,000, which is $31,000 less, with launch in 4 weeks, ahead of fair season. The private viewing room will be quoted the following year.
FAQ
Should we display artwork prices?
It is not required, and many Boston galleries show prices on request. A range, for example $3,000 to $15,000 for works on paper, can still help qualify inquiries.
How long does a gallery website redesign take?
With Kolonell, 3 to 4 weeks once images and copy are ready, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium. Local agencies often quote 12 to 20 weeks.
What do we do with 150 past exhibition pages?
Keep them or redirect them one by one to the new archive. Deleting them can cost a large share of the traffic tied to artist names.
Does the Premium tier include Chinese or French?
Premium at $8,900 is the multilingual tier: languages are chosen in the quote based on your collectors. No language is imposed by default.
Can we build a viewing room reserved for advisory clients?
Yes, on quote, because scope varies widely (accounts, number of works, alerts). Plan it separately from the public site.
Let's scope your project. A gallery and art advisory redesign on the Growth or Premium tier, live in 3 to 6 weeks before your next exhibition. 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.
