Places where art is exhibited and sometimes sold to make a profit of some kind are called art galleries. The difference between an art gallery and an art museum are simple. An art gallery is a place where art is displayed for the purpose of it being sold to make money. An art museum is a place where the most famous art in the world hangs, and it is not for sale. Selling art is the primary function of an art gallery because it needs the profit from any sale to thrive. Throughout New York, you are sure to find what you are looking for. Maybe it is within the walls of the DCKT Contemporary Gallery, where everything is unique.

A gallery exhibits art for the enjoyment of others, with the added bonus of being able to purchase their favorite pieces when the exhibit concludes. This means that the gallery changes frequently, depending on how often shows are conducted. A gallery often puts together a show based on the work of one individual artist with the option of work from other artists put together. Visual art is the most common form shown in a gallery, with paintings being the most popular. Artists who are sculptors or photographers are able to display their work as well. Unlike museums, galleries typically collect a commission from each piece that is sold. Rarely is admission charged, although there are some galleries that prefer to do things that way. Sometimes artists are supported by grants, and they are able to win awards and prizes. The Guggenheim Museum in New York presents the Hugo Boss award every other year to an artist or a group of artists working in any place anywhere. Hugo Boss clothing company sponsors this by presenting the winner or winners with a $100,000 check.

Contemporary art is a term used to describe the modern era of art. Though there is speculation, it is thought that art developed since World War II until present day is considered contemporary art. There is no reference to a specific style of art when discussing contemporary art. It is exhibited in many ways. There are contemporary art galleries, publicly funded arts organizations, contemporary art museums, or by the artists themselves. Most contemporary art galleries are found grouped together in certain districts of bigger cities, although medium sized cities are known to have one or two galleries for local artists. Corporations are becoming more and more a part of the contemporary art world by organizing and sponsoring local art galleries, and even displaying some inside their own walls.

Contemporary art galleries have been criticized because of their showing of art that is not considered by others to be art of this form. Art created by common people is literally what contemporary art is, but there are always skeptics somewhere. Contemporary art can be at odds with the world at times because of what is thought to be art and what is not. Respected galleries and other institutions are under fire because of the thought that they do not share another point of view. It goes back to the age old question of what is art, and what constitutes it to be so. It doesn't stop those ambitious artists out there who want to get their work out there, though.