3 Tips For Aspiring Artists Looking to Start a Business

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It is one thing to have and develop one's talent for artistic endeavors, whether in such forms as painting, photography, literature, and graphic design. It is quite another to create something that can be profitable in a market of its very own. For many, art becomes relegated to a hobby that accompanies more pressing career responsibilities. While this is still a fruitful arrangement, using one's art to create a business in its own right can still be a viable career option provided one has the necessary tools and initiatives in place to make it a reality, which can provide even greater personal rewards in addition to financial ones. This involves having a grasp of business concepts in addition to artistic talent and technique. This will help facilitate and demystify the process and shatter harmful stereotypes such as that of the starving artist. The following are three tips that can help an aspiring artist who may be looking to start their own business with their own art.

1. Develop a Plan

The very first step for aspiring artists looking to start a business of their own is to develop their business plan. Realizing a dream must be done by taking many individual concrete baby steps, laying out every goal, and aspiration on the drawing board. Take a thorough inventory of all relevant skills and draft an outline of your art business that includes what sort of art will be your primary focus, how profitable it could potentially prove to be, and a description of your desired market and targeted demographic. Take into consideration any developing trends in the industry as well as initiatives to take advantage of them. Deciding upon a catchy name to capture the essence of your business plan can also go a long way in bolstering brand recognition, and a variety of online resources can also help you narrow down your process.

2. Find a Location

The very next step for aspiring artists looking to start a business of their own is to decide upon a suitable location in which to create and conduct business, be it out of the convenience of one's very own home or a suitable rented studio and retail space, which scoping out trendy and art neighborhoods and districts in the city nearest to you can help you find. Enlisting the help of local groups can help gain greater insight into the most ideal available options in the area of interest. This can also take the exclusive burden of responsibility off of the artist's shoulders so that they can focus more of their precious time on finding a suitable location from which to conduct their business. This process will also require successfully complying with local regulations by completing registrations and obtaining any necessary permits. Such information can be found at the state's office, which can verify whatever identifying or other information may be needed for the aspiring artist. State, city and local agencies may need to be consulted to determine whether or not the aspiring artist looking to start a business of their own would need to obtain a vendor's license prior to conducting business.

3. Sell your Art

The very final and culminating step for aspiring artists looking to start a business of their own is, of course, to start selling the art you have created or are creating. Getting greater visibility and brand recognition will require a lot of public visitation, starting out humbly at local fairs that showcase art or a rented booth at a local marketplace. From there, you can steadily aim larger, scoping out regional events and contacting art institutions and art gallery proprietors in order to potentially have them showcase your works or recommend other venues. Reach out to communities and centers and network with like-minded artists or an art handler to get insider tips that can help you in reaching out to a wider audience with whom to share your works and talents.

Making a business out of selling and creating your very own art is a gradual and sometimes difficult process, but is by no means an impossible one if you have the right advice and tools to make it happen. Making your work visible to the market place takes many small steps, from formulating your overall business plan to working with other artists and selling your work.