Building a Sustainable Career as an Artist

OPENING (15 minutes)

Personal introduction

Guided discussion questions:

1. What are your top professional and personal goals?
2. In ten years, how do you want to spend your time?
3. Is it important for you to earn money as an artist? If so, how?

YOUR THREE ROLES AS A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST, EXAMINED (10 minutes)

1. You are an artist
2. You are a professional
3. You are an entrepreneur

BUILDING AN EXHIBITION RECORD (5 minutes)

Small exhibitions

Galleries

International competitions

GALLERIES: GETTING YOUR WORK IN (15 minutes)

Guided discussion question: What holds you back from reaching out to galleries?

I’m not ready...I’m afraid of getting rejected...I don’t have the time...

Address participants’ replies

Put into place a process for getting in

1. Find galleries and add them to a list by city
2. Rank galleries in your list based on ‘best fit’
3. Take action: Apply
4. Add them to your mailing list
5. Record notes and move on

Personal experiences – mine and participants’

GALLERIES: MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS (5 minutes)

Building a lasting, successful relationship with a gallery

What to expect: sales, commission, shipping, and logistics

ALTERNATIVE PATHS: BYPASSING THE GALLERY MARKET (5 minutes)

Online markets

Reproductions

Grants, residencies, and public art

Outside employment

CLOSING (5 minutes)

Questions

Website links and resources