Earlier this month, online art venue Paddle8 announced a partnership with Miami’s NADA art fair, offering collectors the opportunity to preview work at the fair online and purchase it up to one week afterward. It is the first partnership of its kind, and galleries were quick to sign on: 76 of the 80 NADA exhibitors ultimately participated, according to Paddle8 co-founder Alexander Gilkes.

So how’s it working out? Gilkes estimated approximately half the galleries had offers, sales, or reserves through Paddle8 by the end of the first day, though some galleries IN THE AIR spoke to said they’d been so busy selling art face-to-face that they hadn’t even had time to check the site. New York’s the Hole was skeptical about putting works on Paddle8, but ended up selling two pieces online before the fair began for $10,000 apiece.

NADA galleries pay Paddle8 a four percent commission on every work they sell through the site (a lower fee, Gilkes noted, than Paddle8’s regular commission, which is in the low double digits).

The experiment seems to be successful enough that Paddle8 is already securing additional fair partnerships. In January, the company will enter into a similar arrangement with Art Los Angeles Contemporary. “It’s an area we’re very committed to developing,” said Gilkes of art fair collaborations.

— Julia Halperin

Tags: Art Basel Miami Beach