If you’re motivated to try a different approach to grow your studio practice into a profitable art business in 2025 — this article is for you.
The top 10% of professional (and living) contemporary artists often share certain characteristics, skills, and knowledge that contribute to their success. Here are some key insights into what distinguishes these artists:
1. Have exceptional technical skills
Top artists have mastered their craft, demonstrating exceptional technical skills in their chosen medium. This mastery allows them to create visually stunning and compelling artworks that have a distinctive and recognizable artistic style. This uniqueness sets their art business apart, making their work easily identifiable. Even though they have their unique style, it doesn’t limit them in how they express their creative ideas and perspectives.
2. Think like an entrepreneur
Creative entrepreneurs are driven by their devotion to create and make a difference in the world. Artists can benefit from traditional business best practices, too, especially in finances, project management, (luxury) sales strategies and marketing. Read books, talk to other art business owners (and more experienced artists, gallerists and curators), and dedicate part of your time each week in 2025 to learning how to optimize your studio practice as a profitable art business.
3. Set SMART goals for your Art Business
[Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Time-bound] It’s important to set realistic goals for your career as an artist and your art business. Don’t expect to reach ambitious goals in a short time . Break bigger goals into smaller, weekly goals and gradually build your art business over time. You will need systems for attracting possible buyers (leads), selling your art, building an art inventory and price list, packaging and shipping options, as well as tracking your finances, receipts, contracts and keeping track of your active and future projects to name a few.
4. Define your ideal art buyer persona
Before we jump into identifying your ideal buyer, it helps to understand how your work aligns with the current the art markets. A small percentage of contemporary visual artists have career goals that require representation by top tier galleries with a massive art world network, artist residencies, acquisitions by museums and permanent collections, biennales, commercial art fairs etc. Your ideal client most likely are curators, gallerists, art world professionals, High Net worth collectors (HNW) and art enthusiasts.
Many independent artists choose to self-represent to leverage online sales strategies, direct studio sales and the freedom of diversifying their income sources in building their personal brand. Often, this artist serves the decorative or primary art market, creating originals, editions and a variety of functional art products. Read more about the differences here.
The ideal target audience for this type of art is much broader. This person may be an avid art lover, new art collector, boutique owner, Interior Designer, Home Builders etc. And yes, many artists can exist in both art markets 🙂
Growing your audience is a big part of being an independent artist. Art lovers and collectors are known to buy art for three reasons:
Emotion
- They are attracted to the work because of the aesthetics.
- The art reminds them of something they value.
- The artist made the artwork specifically for them.
- They like and support the artist’s story.
- Being part of the art scene
Purchase our Know Your Customer Workbook
Money
- They like to surround themselves with beauty and exclusive objects that interest them and represent who they are.
- They have money to spend and they ‘just can’
- It’s an investment class – Blue chip art that appreciates in value over time. The global art market has reached over $579.52 Billion in 2023
- HNW buyers buy art from emerging artists — typically via a gallery, dealer or art consultant — with the intent on future financial gains.
Prestige (status or identity)
- Art is a luxury item, no matter if you’re a High Net worth collector or not. While budgets are different, art is for everyone and comes with a variety of price tags.
- The pleasure of owning it and the ability to show it off.
- To build their reputation as art collectors.
Learn how to identify who loves your artwork, then focus on being where they are (in person and online) and have conversations about what inspires your work. You can’t make people buy, but you can make people feel, and when they feel, they are motivated to act.
Gen X collectors outspent their younger peers in some of the largest-value mediums in 2023, averaging the highest overall spending for paintings
Art Basel – 2023 Art Market Report
5. Selling art (online)
If you’re an independent or self-representing artist and want to sell original works directly from the studio, you will need to create an art sales strategy for your customers. Selling your artwork through your website is simple: make it very easy for visitors to buy available work. Use tools like ArtCloud to manage your art inventory, artwork sales and customer experience. Opt for the management and website functions to save time and money by having a single tool to manage all your backend studio management. Automate emails, payment option and other functions to buy back your time in the studio.
Whether you’re selling in person or on socials, remember to invite them to imagine owning one of your originals when the time is right. Many artists are uncomfortable asking for the sale, when in fact, people are desperately looking all over the internet for your artwork and would be delighted to own your work. Remember, there is a client for every type of art and every price point.
5. Act like a marketer
Building a consistent online presence takes time. This is includes your website, social media channels, presentations, portfolio, and important artist support documents. Career artists have learned how to effectively talk about themselves and their work. These artists create demand for their work by building their personal brand, and actively spending time to develop their online presence, personal network engaging in social media, and participating in exhibitions and art fairs to gain visibility.
Your website is a business asset to display and sell art online. Make sure it builds trust with visitors by clearly stating how someone can purchase available works (including listing prices), get an artwork catalog, understand shipping and return policies and how to connect with you if they have further questions.
Capture email addresses from visitors to your website with a simple form (I use Kit), so you can continue building relationships in the coming months and years. You don’t need a big list – you need a list of qualified and interested people who love your work.
6. Understand what makes your art business profitable
Don’t roll your eyes….you need to know your numbers. Career artists view their studio practice as a business. From your price list to the number of leads, conversions and sales you have each month and understanding other financial aspects includes project budgeting, managing expenses, making strategic investments in equipment or hiring a studio manager. If you’re not measuring this (even in the most simplest form), then you don’t know what is in the pipeline or how much money you can invest in your future — or money to take a well deserved holiday!
If the financial part of running your art business is overwhelming to you, ask for help. Find an accountant or tax adviser for small business owners and inquire about how their services can help you.
Know your expenses and the amount of original works you can create each month or quarter. Some art forms like sculpture or installation art are costly and take longer to make. This will help you set your financial target for the year.
7. Scale your art business
This may be be unpopular with some career artists – implementing a business model that aligns your artistic vision helps you focus on what you love to do. Then you can implement the right strategy for you to scale your art business past $20,000 a month, while leveraging new economy sales strategies.
That doesn’t mean you have to sell your soul, make commercial art or even sell open edition prints. It does mean you need to add 2-4 revenue streams and hire studio assistants to support your business operations, virtual assistants for marketing or even a full time studio manager.
