Art is one of those things that you’d hope society appreciated more, but by and large, it’s quite difficult to earn an income with. For every famous figure, there are thousands of struggling artists who barely make enough to pay for rent and essentials.
In fact, data shows that about 85% of artists make below $25,000 a year. Only 10% make between $25,000 and $100,000 per year, and those percentages get smaller and smaller, the higher the income. However, that doesn’t mean that people with a passion for the arts have to give up on their dreams.
The defining feature of the 21st century is the trend of overcoming supposedly insurmountable odds by taking unconventional routes. In this article, let’s look at some ideas that might help if you’re an up-and-coming artist.
#1. Offer To Create Commissioned Pieces for Businesses
The fact is, most amateur artists have this notion that they can paint on canvas and sell pieces. However, for many artists today, this is no longer a reliable means of making an income. If you were to speak to artists and engage in artist communities, you’d find that many of them rely on commissioned pieces for a chunk of their income.
To start this process, you’ll obviously need to have a portfolio of some sort. Businesses are not going to hire you just because you tell them you can paint or create something for them. Thus, the first thing you want is your own website at the very least.
If you’re an artist who only relies on Instagram to host your content, you need to build an official website ASAP. If you don’t know how, ask a friend who’s good with tech or use a website builder that will build you a site using AI. All you’d need to do is respond to a few questions, and the AI would do the rest, notes Hocoos.
With an official website and samples of your work uploaded, you want to learn how to reach out to businesses. Go ahead and research the following: how to write a cover letter, how to create a project proposal, and how to formulate a contract.
These are skills you will keep honing every day because you’re going to be sending a lot of proposals and contracts.
#2. Follow a 70/30 Ratio for Audience Building
American artists are at a disadvantage when it comes to sales when compared to European artists. Data shows that in 2023, European-born artists made over $6 billion in sales. Meanwhile, American-born artists made half that, at $3 billion.
Thus, it’s not a bad idea to be a little careful about how you spend your time. It can be tempting to immerse yourself completely in making art and enjoying that creative process, but sometimes, it can be counterproductive. The ‘70%’ of the ratio refers to the effort you put into finding new openings and opportunities to get your name out there.
So, 70% of your time can be spent on networking while 30% of your time can be dedicated to creating your actual art. You can play around with those ratios, but the goal is to realize that, by and large, you want to be spending much more time on getting your name out there.
This can be a little tough if you adore the artistic process. However, it’s a reality that you’ll want to face if you want to make a stable career for yourself. If you spend 100% of your time creating art, you simply can’t expect it to be discovered, appreciated, and consequently, monetized.
#3. Look into Murals and Public Projects
This is another area that’s largely slept on by new artists. So many people fail to realize that help and opportunities do exist, but you have to actively look for them. The fact is, many cities and towns care for artists and do want to help you. For example, did you know that Tennessee was one of the few states that tried to reduce the negative impact of AI on artists?
Similarly, the National Endowment for the Arts announced a second round of grants in 2024, for $110 million for all 50 states. Essentially, if you put in the effort to make a few calls and send some emails, you’d be surprised at the results. Local governments often have money ready to spend through these grants, and often, it’s just a matter of reaching out to them.
Cities and larger towns also tend to have public works projects going on from time to time, and if you manage to win a contract, that’s huge! Having your name associated with a public installation is a big deal for your career progression and will likely open several new doors for you.
At the end of the day, it’s no doubt tough to make a career in the arts. This isn’t a ‘you’ problem. It’s a problem with the industry as a whole right now. So, you could either keep trying things the conventional way and get frustrated or tweak your approach a little. The latter is probably the best option.
If there’s one final tip we have for you, it’s to learn how to enjoy creating art you normally don’t care about. You’re often going to get projects that you have little personal interest in, but they might pay well. Being able to enjoy these projects instead of feeling bored and annoyed will go a long way to making you a successful artist.
