The Economy and Art

The question presented is how do artist survive when the economy goes south! Now we all know that art is a non essential luxury, mostly purchased by impulse buying from the general populace, while collectors make up the difference. When economic downturns arise tourism falls off and sales of art plummet! So how does an artist survive when art sales drop off?

Artist are resilient beings who can take the bumps and bruises that naturally come with the profession, but a depressed economy is hard for anyone to overcome. I have listed a few suggestions that have helped me through turbulent times in the past.

1. Rethink your market outlet, consider other venues to market you work. Look for shows that are free to participate in, look for events that tend to specialize in a field that your art genre falls into.

2. Go outside your normal box, create something that will cause a buzz, this usually will get you free press, be if brief but any publicity is good.

3. Target Galleries in areas whose economy is not as adversely effected as the one you are in.

4. Make your presence known! Most artist tend to look for other things to do during a downturn in art sales and tend to drop out of public view, this is a mistake that you do not want to make. Advertise your presence, attend any and all art related events, drop off portfolios to new galleries, look for venues where you can set up a one day one man show, donate some time to art related organizations. Stay in the public's eye and your chances of making a sale expand.

5. Now is the time to look around the studio take an inventory of the materials and supplies you have, what you can create without having to outlay any money. Keep creating, don't stop, use what you have at hand, try new mediums to produce art that you can market for less.

6. Be determined!! Don't give up, Stay true to what you do best!

These are just a few simple tips that have helped me through troubled waters before and that will help in the future, be persistent, be tenacious and most of all be an ARTIST!!!



"Art never expresses anything but itself." -Oscar Wilde