Unfortunately I’ve met a lot of talented artists, musicians , singers and other forms of creatives not getting paid what they’re worth , or having a hard time getting clients/paid for their work.
What common mistakes do you see artists make with their businesses?
What advice would you give creatives so they can break the stereotype of the “starving artist?”
Businesses? Most artists have no concept of business. It’s common for artists to have a deep disdain for the economic side of their world.
Those that succeed are usually the ones who take the time to understand and experiment with a variety of business models and monetization types. Micro patronage. Crowdfunding. Art merchandising. Making their art accessible at various price points. Creative partnerships. Dipping into corporate partnerships or publishing. And of course the traditional… art fairs, gallery shows. And the more recent… constant social media, bts videos, mailing lists, events, classes, retreats, etc.
Either that or they’ve got some truly insane unique talent. But I know plenty of insanely talented artists who have such a toxic relationship to money and concepts of value that they will always be starving.
Source: was once a starving artist; still know many starving artists.
These are some really great points you’ve made . Just the ways of monetization you’ve mentioned alone are great ways for them to make money off of their work. I agree that more often than not, they do avoid the actual business side, which I understand because they’d rather focus on the creative aspect, but for it to be sustainable business skills are just as important
this man spittin
I know so many starving artists, and only a few who make a good living purely from their art. The best example I can think of is a local musician who just does everything he can. He performs in wedding bands and markets the shit out of them, booked all year. He makes commercial tracks. He opened a practice space. He collaborates with as many local businesses as possible. He’s very talented - but he hustles like an entrepreneur, and that’s what makes the difference.
This is the key difference I think. Any business can be successful, it just depends on how much you’re willing to do for it, and I feel like that musician has really got it together!