How to start an art business

You need to create unique and compelling art, determine your target market, and market your work on social media in order to start an art business. Here are some details on the steps to start an art business:

• Create unique and compelling art. This is a crucial first step. You need to make sure your artwork is up to par in terms of its caliber.

Art is a highly subjective industry, so this doesn't mean you always have to be an expert with technical art skills, but your pieces should speak to people.

Without creating compelling art, you won't have a business, so it's important to make sure your creations are engaging.

Here are some different art forms to consider:

• Painting

• Sculpture

• Fine art photography

• Crafting and fabric-based art

• Video art

Some of these types of art involve the necessity to get creative in terms of marketing and even selling. For instance, it's a lot harder to sell large sculptures than it is to sell mid-sized paintings or fine art photography.

• Determine your target market. Once you have picked a type of art and have a strong number of compelling pieces, it's time to figure out your target market.

You need to figure out who will buy your artwork on a local, national, and even international scale. You also should seek to stay informed on the current state and economy of the art market and how it is affecting various art buyers and other interested parties.

Here are some questions to consider when determining your market:

• What is the scale of your potential niche in the art market?

• Who exactly is buying art?

• Who is selling art? (Both artists, galleries, online sales, etc.)

• Who is producing similar work to yours that you would consider a competitor, and what kind of prices do they have for their pieces?

• Who is your ideal audience?

• Where does your art fit in? (In terms of the border art market)

• What kind of spaces do you want to exhibit your work in?

In general, there are three different kinds of places you can exhibit your artwork, these include:

Public Exhibition

Public art galleries, libraries, museums, open submission art competitions, and other opportunities.

Commercial Galleries

Direct Access

Direct access can apply to both physical and digital spaces where people can view your artwork.

Some examples include your website, Instagram account, your studio, art fairs, and other locations.

The more you know about your marketplace and your target audience, the better suited you'll be to make certain key decisions on how to sell your art.

• Market your artwork on social media. This is critical, you should utilize social media, and the internet in general, to ferociously market your artwork.

Social media is an extremely effective marketing tool for your business. You should create social media accounts for your art business and try to gain friends and followers. You can post about your services, like if you do portraits or other pieces on commission.

You should also include your pricing, as well as show actual pictures of your art and artist statements. Having a large social media footprint will help you grow your consumer base and generate more revenue for your business.

Another online resource you need to take advantage of is a website. This is relatively inexpensive, and if you have some extra cash, you can hire a professional to do a solid website design for your art business. Your website should include your pricing and contact information.