10 Ideas that can Generate Additional Income for Artists.

Target Markets & Actions to Take.

This post is an extended version of an essay I wrote titled “Self Defining what you can do with YOUR MFA in Fine Art." The essay was at first geared towards master of fine arts (MFA) degree candidates and recipients, but I understand that this info below can be useful to all kinds of artists and creative people. Feel free to customize it for your own medium and desires. It is my intension to catapult you into action.

So what are you doing now Ryan, and HOW do you do it?

I get asked this question a lot. I love being an artist and an art educator but I am not attached to these two things out of need. In fact, I am open to expanding my career by integrating other areas of interest. Business, writing, and developing a brand are just a few of those things.

I am a working and exhibiting artist as well as a college level professor. I supplement my income by doing many other things during and in between teaching. Here is a list of what I have done, and continue to do today outside of college level teaching. Please understand that my BFA and MFA programs have taught me all of the skills that I have organized to develop the new work opportunities listed below. I value those degrees greatly. This is a growing list that keeps me inspired. Please note, this list does not include traditionally approaching galleries, museums, or other related spaces to show your work. I will post another essay on that in the near future. The ideas listed here have and continue to develop as I apply and test them each year.

Idea#1::

1. Guest/visiting artist lecture and speaking opportunities:: As a teaching or working artist (or both) you can give presentations about your work. Lectures can be 1 hour in length by using a power-point presentation format. A one time fee is paid by the host/patron. These short lectures will usually pay a minimum of $150 and up to $500-$1000 at some universities. Please do not dismiss this idea. I know several artists who do this several times per year.
   Target market::
   Local College art programs, undergraduate and graduate level, high school and junior high school art programs, public libraries.
   Action to take::
2. Build a power point presentation with high-resolution images that shows a time line of your various works and how they have evolved. Include a variety of mediums, exhibitions, collaborative projects, and commissioned works. One hour in length will suffice.
3. Create a standardized e-mail that introduces yourself, briefly explain your current experience, and propose the speaking opportunity. Ask the host what the venue pays for such a presentation and how to proceed forward.
4. Using the internet you can easily create a list of the local colleges, universities, high schools and junior high schools in your area, research who the department chair / program director is, (you may have to call the school by phone to get this info) and contact them by e-mail. Follow up 3 weeks later with another e-mail. Also, you may let your potential host know that you would be willing to come in and meet with them.

Idea#2::

1. Visiting Artist Residency Program:: Residency based workshops and projects that are created site on scene with a school’s art students. Projects can teach both new techniques by demonstrations, as well as implement them into site-specific projects, specifically Mural projects work well as they demand longer durations of time to complete.
   Target market::
   High Schools and Junior high schools in your surrounding area, or public libraries sometimes will accept mural proposals by an artist or as a community participation endeavour.
   Action to Take::
2. Create a standardized e-mail that introduces yourself, briefly explains your current experience, and proposes the opportunity. Ask the host what the venue pays for such a project and how to proceed. Included in this message links that take the potential patron directly to your blog or site, here they can view your works as well as the archived last few projects of such nature may exist.
3. Create a list of local high schools & junior high schools in your area, research who the department chair / program director is, and contact them by e-mail. Follow up 3 weeks later with another e-mail. Offer to meet the host in person if possible.
   Idea#3::
4. Host a weekend workshop:: for teaching artists & creatives on “how-to techniques” with a specific emphasis ( it could be on collaborating with other artists.) The workshop can be held on a Saturday & Sunday, 2-4 times per year. The venues/hosts could vary. The outcome of the workshop will help artists raise awareness about new techniques and practice as well as building a new body of work while working directly with another artist.
   Target Market::
   Artists, creative people, art educators, art students, artist communities, museum art education programs, public libraries.
   Action to take::
5. Find a collaborator or several and contact them about the idea.
6. Find a venue to host the event. This could be your studio, or a friend’s studio, or a private or public studio space in the area, clearly discuss the fee and come to an agreement.
7. Develop a syllabus of what can and will be taught (think of a niche like silk-screen print-making or rubber mold making) and create an estimate of what the student fee will be.
8. Draft up a prototype information flyer. Promotion and marketing can easily be done over social media and through your local town newspaper. The promotion should be done 4-6 months in advance.

Idea#4::

1. Host a one-day workshop:: with an emphasis that teaches teaching artists (junior high or high school teachers) “A new how-to technique” with an emphasis on projects and skills that they do not have or currently use in the classroom. (you will have to research this and find out by contacting one of the schools art teachers) The techniques can later be implemented as “a workshop site on scene” with the students.
   Target Market::
   Local High school & Junior high school art programs.
   Action to Take:
2. Create a standardized e-mail that introduces yourself, briefly explains your current experience, and proposes the opportunity. Ask the host what the venue pays for such a presentation and how to proceed. Suggest to have a meeting in person with the host. Be sure to have an idea or technique in mind along with a written proposal as it will most likely be requested.
3. Create a list of local high schools & junior high schools in the area, research who the department chair / program director is, and contact them by e-mail. Follow up 3 weeks later.
   Ideas #5, 6, & 7 are dependent on basic graphic design skills with adobe photoshop, illustrator, indesign, & wordpress. In today’s day and age I can not stress how USEFUL the knowledge of these software applications are for any artist. Please trust me on this. You need basic design skills. In most cases you can find free video instruction on all of the software listed above, but if you prefer, and I do suggest that you can also take an online course. http://www.lynda.com/ is one of my favorites for sure.

Idea#5::

1. Graphic Design Service:: with an emphasis on Logo Design or Re-design for existing businesses. Businesses need image make overs and updating. Be the one to provide this.
   Target Market::
   Local businesses in your Town and in the surrounding few miles.
   Action to Take:
2. Design a simple flyer/post card that offers the service, as well as a web page that resembles the marketing on the flyer. The promotion can offer a one time fee, and the promotion should state the additional usage and features of the new logo/graphics (business cards, stationary, blog, and web graphics.)
3. Create a portfolio of work samples ( 5-10 quality freshly designed logos as well as the re-designed logo examples.)
4. Create a list of your local business to contact by using the web as well as visiting your town’s chamber of commerce.
5. Deliver the Flyer/post cards by hand to the business owners. You can do a few at a time, most towns have hundreds of businesses. During your visit, ask for an existing business card to retain, later you can inspect it and offer a better design solution through a follow-up e-mail.

Idea#6::

1. Graphic Design Services:: with an Emphasis on Blog Design. Blogs can and are used for many different things today, you can show a potential patron “how” by creating one for them.
   Target Market::
   Local businesses in your Town and in the surrounding few miles.
   Action to Take::
2. Design a simple flyer/post card that offers the service, as well as a web page that resembles the marketing on the flyer. The promotion should offer a one time fee, and the promotion should state the additional usage and features of the new blog and how it will help promote their product, service or interests. You can also offer to moderate and maintain the blog for the customer.
3. Create a list of local business to contact by using the web as well as visiting the town’s chamber of commerce.
4. Deliver the Flyer/post cards by hand to the business owners. Retain their business card for a follow up e-mail. If you can have a conversation with the owner by all means engage!

Idea #7

1. Create and develop an Online product:: NEWYAWK T-shirts is a brand that I created in the 1990’s. It has evolved into several formats. My emphasis is on selling the brand as t-shirt designs and limited edition prints from my web-site and blog. What might you sell online? Its easier to set up than you think.
   Target Market::
   My target market for the NEWYAWK brand includes:: New Yorkers, NY lovers, NY transplants, Tourists, people between the ages of 13-45.
   Action to Take::
2. Decide what you would like to sell. T-shirts and limited edition prints work well, but perhaps you already have a stock of paintings, drawings, photos, or sculptures? Photograph the works with good quality lighting and a good quality camera.
3. Create a name and a logo for your brand. There are tons and tons of articles and advice about how to do this online, do some research. Ultimately, you will need to buy a domain name and have it hosted. I have been using shopify.com for several years and I am happy with their service. Direct e-mail marketing can also go viral. I know an artist who still to this day sells one painting at a time through e-mail! If you have specific questions about shopify.com and how to use them, e-mail me and I will speak with you directly.

Idea#8:

1. Online teaching/Remote teaching:: Online College art programs are growing, several existing colleges are also adapting to offer courses online to keep up with this changing trend. With an MFA or in some cases even an MA you can teach online courses. Online courses can range from 4-6 weeks at a time or as regular semester 15 week courses. Some are even more flexible than this.
   Target Market::
   Undergraduate and graduate level, as well as on site programs that offer such courses, and those that are expanding into such programs.
   Action to Take::
2. Do an internet search for colleges and universities that offer online or remote education programs for art. This will be the majority of the leg work, but you will be surprised as to how many there are. A lot of this opportunity is in graphic design, web related design, communication arts, and art history, but i am noticing an upgrade to art appreciation, and traditional studio courses like drawing, painting, sculpture, and print-making. NOW is actually a good time to get affiliated and connected to these building programs because they are in their infancy. They are seeking people who will help develope and build these kinds of courses and programs.
   2.. Send e-mail based letters of inquiry and attach your current CV to the schools that you are interested in teaching for. Follow up 3-4 weeks later. This is a repeat process at least 2-3 times per year with the same, as well as new schools. You must be persistent.

Idea #9

1. Host an annual POP up Gallery:: in your studio space or in a friends studio. Cut out the traditional gallery percentage, dealer fee and anyone else looking to get a cut off the sale of your work. You can sell direct with this idea. This is a time where you can personally invite perspective and potential patrons of your work to come for a visit by invitation. Make a list of those people and contact them by creating an invitation. Send it out by e-mail and social media. The trick is, to set this up way in advance, and then have your artist friends help you spread the word.
   Target Market::
   Art collectors that you know, Art collectors that your art friends know and suggest, and those who you know that have an interest in your style of art.
   Action to Take::
2. Create a high-resolution image/design for the event that you can post onto your blog and easily share as a digital file. Create a concise write up about the event with all of the necessary information (time, place, date, & important instructions.)
3. Promote the event on your blog and simultaneously onto your social media platforms. Ask your friends and contacts to also share the information the same way. Once the marketing has been spread, it is helpful to engage with your contacts about the event, get them excited, and get them to spread the word more than once. Doing this at least 4-6 weeks in advance will secure a solid promotion and turn out. This is actually a lot easier to plane than you may think. If a solo show seems difficult, or if you feel that you do not have enough work, collaborate with one or two other artists!

Idea#10::

1. Social Media Art Auction:: Hopefully by now, you understand the power and reach of social media? If not, as an artist, you should! (more on this later) Simply select a piece of your work, and post it to your profile or feed with the auctions instructions. I have used this exact phrasing: “Friends! I am running a special artist to collector Auction today and tomorrow on this painting (or work of art) Here is how it works, private message me if you are interested and make your bid. (serious people only) The bidding price starts at your offer. This painting (piece) will be sold to the highest bidder. The bidding starts now (insert date, time, & time zone and will end by insert date, time, & time zone) If you want the piece to be picked up, indicate “You must also be willing to pick up the painting tomorrow” ( insert date, time, & time zone) My studio is located ( insert town or city.) Also,
   describe the work (The painting is acrylic on 1/2 ” plywood. 3.5 feet high X 2 feet wide.) Give this a try once or twice a month and see what happens. Share this with all of your contacts and ask them to share it as well!
   Target Market::
   Your social media contacts on facebook, wordpress, twitter, tumblr, linkedin, and any other network. I have done this with facebook and twitter and have had good results. I would not suggest trying to auction off many things at once, but to really pin point making a specific sale and emphasizing that selected piece.
   Action to Take::
2. Post the info and images to your social media profiles and blog.
3. Share it with your contacts and ask them to also share it with their contacts.
4. Follow the instructions in the description for this idea. You may want to micro test the auction on your social media networks based on where you spend the most time, or where you engage the most.