I am not an art gallery owner. I work in the educational program branch of the Art Gallery. We hold workshops for the public, where we invite a local artist to come in and teach their primary focus. The current gallery focus is on the graphic novel biography "George Sprott" by Ontario-born cartoonist, Seth. We brought in the artist Sean Karemaker to teach an evening workshop on comic making, inking, and panel layout, where he also promoted his recently printed work to be sold at the next VanCaFe (Vancouver Comic Arts Festival)
Generally, exhibitions feature artists that the gallery curator goes out themselves to contact. Often, we'll contact and work in tandem with other art galleries in neighbouring cities so that an artist may visit and not have to leave the area immediately for the next exhibition. For example, we're scheduled to host Germaine Koh in 2018, right after she finishes her exhibition in Kelowna (a couple miles from here). In 2010, she had an exhibition in Berlin, Germany, and did not fly elsewhere. So far as I know, all of the features artists have been Canadian (because I live in Canada). We do our best to feature Canadian artists, and place even higher priority for artists who were born or currently reside in our city, because we need to promote our cultural aspects to the city in order to keep receiving grants.
One good thing about Canada and B.C., is that due to the Canadian Arts Council and the B.C. Arts Council, artists are able to make a living without ever having to sell a single piece of their artwork. The Council ensures so that we galleries must pay the artists a certain minimum fee to have the "privilege" of showcasing their work in our galleries, and we also pay for the opportunity to conduct interviews with the artist. (These fees are at minimum, at least $5000 CAD/3676 USD) In addition, when the artists themselves are at the gallery, we pay them another regular teaching salary to host workshops with the gallery visitors.
I realize I went pretty off-topic.
I probably don't feel as much concern for the lack of exposure that many comics are getting because exposure is not in my own interest.