5 Ways You Can Live Off Your Art

Everyone dreams of being able to make a living doing the things they love so that they don’t have to work a soul-sucking corporate job. It used to be much harder for people to make a living while working in the creative field unless they were super famous. It just so happens that people love art. They are consumers of it, and they are always looking for more. If you out yourself out there so you can make the right connections, then you can eventually quit your job and live off your art.

Network With Other Artists

You might not have considered networking because it doesn’t seem like something an aspiring artist would need to do; wouldn’t that be more appropriate for a suit and tie business guys? Nope. Networking is important for anyone looking to work in any kind of creative field. You should attempt to connect with as many other artists as possible. You never know who can hook you up with a gallery, or a gig playing a show, or some time in the recording studio.

Find A Local Market To Sell Your Work

In pretty much every town and big city you can find a local market to sell your work at. Places you can check out are local farmer’s markets, flea markets, Saturday markets, etc. Chances are that one of those is going on close to where you live. The types of people that usually go to markets like these are typically fans of art, and love supporting local artists. There’s a pretty high probability that someone will end up buying your art. If you get enough takers, eventually you can live off your art.

Gain Exposure Through Blogging

Aspiring artists often don’t consider blogging as a bridge to living off their art, but the truth is that blogging can garner you a lot of attention, particularly if you’re good at it. If you start a blog and it goes viral, then you have an outlet to self promote. If you play music, then embed videos or mp3s of your music. If enough people read and share your blog, they will begin to gravitate toward your other work. Hopefully then you will be able to live off your art.

Sell Your Art Online

If you can’t find a local market to sell your art, then you can always try selling it online. It would be impossible to name them all, but a few possibilities would be Etsy, Ebay, Amazon, and Craigslist, just to name a few. Post your work on social media like Facebook and Instagram. Join Facebook groups for artists. Thanks to the internet, it’s ridiculously easy to get your work out there. Combine this tip with the one above and you’re sure to see some success.

Find A Gallery

Of course, you can always do it the old fashioned way and find a gallery. Some galleries are specifically looking for younger artists who are just starting out. Try to find local art shows where you can connect with local gallery owners. This is where networking comes in handy.

Image Source: Biography.com
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