How to Make a Living as an Artist in 5 Steps

I was challenged by the Willpowa Network to explain, "How to Make a Living as an Artist". Here's how you do it...

1. It's easy to let day to day things interrupt your art, but you can also let your art interrupt the day to day things.

Keep a pad and utencils around, if you're at a computer, keep a txt, paint, or recording program open (depending on your art). If you have a cel phone, learn to quickly open the voice recorder, tasks, notes, or memos so that you can quickly write down new ideas as they come.


2. Breathing is involuntary, because it is vital to your survival. Consider making your art the same.

Set a minimum goal of 10 to 60 minutes daily to practice your art. If you miss your daily goal, don't even worry about it. The more you try, the more you'll succeed. This is a focused set of time, even if it's just 10 minutes, for you to do your thing. No TV, internet, phone, or any other interruptions... and no judging. There will be time to edit later, but now is the time for unrestrained creativity!


3. Plants do not survive in the dark, and neither will your artistic career.

Find a job where you can use your artistic ability. If you really can't do that, then keep pictures of your art, or your performances where you work - and bring up the subject of your art whenever you can (try lunch time, not randomly in the middle of a staff meeting). If you are at a job that doesn't support you being an artist at all, find a school, library, or non-profit organization where you can volunteer.

4. Great ideas and energy are just that - if people can't own it, they won't pay for it.

If you've done all the above, the people who you are volunteering or getting paid to help regularly, will be dying to support your art. If you don't have it packaged, they'll have to shop elsewhere. If it's music, keep a few CDs with you whenever youi're out. If it's visual, print out a couple posters or shirts. If it's performance, have lots of business cards with you. The price doesn't have to be on the package, but you should be prepared to answer the question, "How much do you charge?" They are paying to get something that they can't have without paying for - a ticket, an experience, something tangible - remember that.

5. People view ads and buy stuff everyday - why not yours?

Find out where your type of art is being advertised or promoted, and add yours to the list. Newspapers, blogs, radio, there are so many avenues for this, so dedicate a day out of each week to do this. And the reverse is true too... If you start your own blog, video channel, or other outlet, people will start to depend on you for content... and advertisers will pay you to promote their content as well.


Here's my blog:



Now Go Make a Living as an artist!