Where to Sell Your Art

If you are an artist who wants to make money from your creative work, you might be wondering how and where to sell your art. There are many options available for artists who want to reach potential buyers and showcase their talent. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most popular and effective ways to sell your art as an artist.

If you are an artist who wants to sell your work online, you might be wondering whether you should create your own website or use a third-party platform. There are pros and cons to both options, and the best choice depends on your goals, budget, and preferences.

Use your website to Sell Your Art

Pros of selling your art through your own website:

• You have full control over the design, layout, and functionality of your website. You can customise it to reflect your brand and style and showcase your art in the best viable way.
• You have full ownership of your customer data and relationships. You can collect email addresses, send newsletters, offer discounts, and communicate directly with your buyers without any intermediaries or fees.
• You have more flexibility and freedom to set your own prices, policies, and terms of service. You can also offer different payment methods, shipping options, and return policies that suit your needs and preferences.
• You can build your own brand, reputation and credibility as an artist. Having your own domain name and website can make you look more professional and trustworthy, and help you stand out from the crowd.

Cons of selling your art through your own website:

• You have to invest time and money to create and maintain your website. You need to register a domain name, choose a web hosting service, design and develop your website, and update it regularly with new content and features.
• You have to handle all the technical aspects of running an online store. You need to ensure that your website is secure, fast, reliable, and compatible with different devices and browsers. You also need to deal with issues such as backups, malware, spam, and hackers.
• You have to do all the marketing and promotion yourself. You need to drive traffic to your website, optimise it for search engines, create engaging content, and use social media and other channels to attract and retain customers.
• You have to deal with all the customer service and fulfillment yourself. You need to process orders, handle payments, pack and ship products, track deliveries, manage inventory, handle complaints, refunds, and returns.

As you can see, selling your art through your own website has its benefits and drawbacks. The decision depends on how much time, money, and effort you are willing to invest in creating and running your own online store. If you are confident in your skills and resources, selling your art through your own website can be a rewarding and profitable option. However, if you prefer a simpler and easier way to sell your art online, you might want to consider using a third-party platform that can take care of some of the hassles for you.

Online platforms

One of the easiest and most accessible ways to sell your art is through online platforms. There are many websites and apps that allow artists to create their own profiles, upload their artworks, set their prices, and connect with buyers from all over the world. Some examples of online platforms for selling art are:

• Etsy: A marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, where you can sell anything from paintings and prints to sculptures and jewelry.
• Saatchi Art: A curated platform for emerging and established artists, where you can sell original artworks, limited edition prints, and photography.
• Artfinder: A platform that connects artists with collectors and galleries, where you can sell paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and more.
• Society6: A platform that allows artists to sell their artworks as prints, posters, stickers, phone cases, pillows, and other products.

Online platforms offer many benefits for artists who want to sell their art, such as:

• Low barriers to entry: You don’t need any formal qualifications or experience to start selling your art online. You just need to create an account, upload your artworks, and set your prices.
• Wide exposure: You can reach a global audience of buyers who are interested in your style and genre of art. You can also use social media and email marketing to promote your online store and attract more traffic.
• Creative control: You can decide what kind of art you want to create and sell, how much you want to charge, and how you want to present your brand and personality.

However, online platforms also have some drawbacks for artists who want to sell their art, such as:

• High competition: You will be competing with thousands of other artists who are selling similar or different kinds of art on the same platform. You will need to stand out from the crowd by creating unique and high-quality artworks, writing compelling descriptions, and using effective keywords and tags.
• Low profit margins: You will have to pay fees to use the platform, such as listing fees, transaction fees, commission fees, and shipping fees. These fees can eat into your profits and reduce your earnings.
• Limited interaction: You will have less direct contact with your buyers and potential buyers than if you were selling your art in person. You will have to rely on online communication tools such as messages, reviews, and ratings to build trust and rapport.

Offline venues

Another way to sell your art is through offline venues. These are physical places where you can display and sell your artworks to local buyers and visitors. Some examples of offline venues for selling art are:

• Art fairs: Events where artists can rent booths or tables to exhibit and sell their artworks to the public. Local organisations, galleries, or artists can organise art fairs themselves.
• Art trails and open houses: Art trails and open houses are events where artists open their studios or display their work in public spaces for visitors to explore and enjoy. They are usually organised by local groups or associations, and often take place over a few weekends or a few days.
• Galleries: Spaces that showcase and sell artworks by selected artists. Galleries can be commercial or non-commercial, depending on whether they charge fees or commissions for selling art. Some galleries will rent the space out to you to organise your own exhibition.
• Cafes and restaurants: Places that serve food and drinks, where you can hang your artworks on the walls or display them on shelves or tables. Cafes and restaurants can be a good way to reach a casual and diverse audience of customers.
• Studios: Spaces where you create your artworks, where you can invite buyers and visitors to see your work in progress and purchase finished pieces. Studios can be located in your home or in a shared building with other artists.
• Pop-up gallery: If you are an artist, a curator, or an organisation looking for a way to showcase your work in a new and exciting way, you might want to consider opening a pop-up gallery. A pop-up gallery is a temporary exhibition that runs for a day to a month or more, often held in a nontraditional space like a storefront, an artist’s studio, or even a partly renovated shop.

Offline venues offer many benefits for artists who want to sell their art, such as:

• Personal connection: You can meet your buyers and potential buyers face-to-face and have a conversation with them about your art. You can also get immediate feedback and reactions from them and the opportunity to add them to your email list.
• Higher prices: You can charge more for your artworks when you sell them in person than when you sell them online. You can also negotiate with buyers and offer discounts or incentives for bulk purchases or referrals.
• Greater credibility: You can establish yourself as a professional artist by showing your artworks in reputable venues such as galleries and art fairs. You can also network with other artists, curators, and collectors and build your reputation and relationships.

However, offline venues also have some drawbacks for artists who want to sell their art, such as:

• High costs: You will have to pay for the rent, transportation, insurance, and maintenance of your artworks when you sell them in offline venues. You will also have to invest in materials and equipment such as frames, easels, and lighting.
• Limited availability: You will have to wait for the right opportunity and timing to sell your art in offline venues. You will also have to follow the rules and regulations of the venue owners and organisers.
• Less exposure: You will have a smaller and more localised audience of buyers when you sell your art in offline venues than when you sell it online. You will also have to rely on word-of-mouth and traditional marketing methods such as flyers and posters to advertise your art.

Conclusion

Selling your art as an artist can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, but it can also be challenging and competitive. There are many options available for you to sell your art, both online and offline, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. You will have to consider your goals, preferences, skills, and resources when choosing the best way to sell your art. You will also have to experiment and adapt to the changing market and customer demands. Ultimately, the most important thing is to create art that you love and that resonates with your audience.