How To Sell Art Locally And Make Money

Are you ready to find out how to sell art locally?

While selling online is the way to go to turn your art endeavor into a profitable business, marketing paintings locally has its advantages too.

After all, there is more than one way to make money as an artist!

Learning how to sell paintings for a living is a long and complicated process that requires knowledge of both online and offline marketplace.

Today, I’ll tell you plenty about selling your art locally:

Where can you find the best places to sell artwork locally?
What’s the best way to market your paintings offline?
Valuable tips and ideas to sell more art locally.

Creative Ways To Sell Art

Assuming that you see your painting activities as more than a hobby, let’s look at the options to turn your work into a lucrative business.

Considering every second person is trying to earn online, offering your art on the web is probably the first thing that comes to mind.

Quite frankly, trying to sell artwork online is one of the best strategies these days:

There are countless opportunities to reach an enormous pool of potential clients on the web.

With the rise of Social Media, getting your paintings on the largest social networks is worth the effort.

But what about your local area?

Will you be able to receive a decent amount of money for a painting if you sell it to someone who doesn’t live on the other side of the world?

Yes, you can get a pretty good deal for your artwork even if that piece finds its buyer without having a place in an online store.

That’s what I’ll teach you to do in this article.

Do You Want To Learn How To Sell Art Online?

Where To Find The Best Places To Sell Your Art Locally?

Quite frankly, giving you a concert answer to that question is not something in my abilities.

Depending on your area of residence, the local art communities will vary in many ways.

Still, that won’t stop me from sharing tips and ideas that will help you successfully market your artwork locally.

Have a look at all the places that will assist you with selling your work in your nearby surroundings:

Art shows and exhibitions
Supply stores
Local library
Galeries
Coffee shops
Retail shops/boutiques

Now, let’s start covering the marketing process you’ll go through while working with each of these places, shall we?

How To Sell Art Locally – Step-By-Step Guide

Alright, let me show you what to expect when you try to sell your art in each of the above-mentioned local places.

Make some room in your day because we have a lot to cover:

1) How To Sell Art On Shows And Exhibitions

Marketing your art at local shows and exhibitions is a two-step process:

First, you have to connect with an art group or society willing to direct you to the right places to sell your work.

Second, you’ll need to ask that group how to sell your art specifically.

More often than not, local exhibitions concentrate on a particular art form – that might be painting, sculpture, etc.

Needless to say, the artwork you’re planning to sell has to fit with the centerpiece of the show that takes place at the moment.

Even if it doesn’t, you’ll have the chance to connect with like-minded people that may help you market your work on another occasion.

2) Supply Stores

It might be hard to believe, but supply stores are often suitable places to gain information about how to sell art locally.

Find some time and go to the biggest art supply stores nearby.

During your visit, check their bulletin boards and announcements.

Chances are, you’ll find information about upcoming meetings of art clubs where you’ll have the opportunity to introduce your work.

That strategy will work for the local library as well.

3) How To Sell Paintings To Galeries Locally

I get it – many of you are probably afraid to connect with a local gallery and ask it to display your art for sale.

If you’re a newbie artist, that whole process might seem too intimidating.

Be that as it may, you should overcome your fear and do it anyway:

While art galleries prefer to feature works of already successful and well-known artists, that doesn’t mean there is no room for you.

To give yourself the best chance possible to see your work in a local art gallery, do some research first.

Find a gallery where your artwork will fit naturally, and don’t waste your time with places where it won’t.

4) How To Sell Your Art In Coffee Shops

Do you live in an area where they are colleges and art schools by some chance?

Hopefully, you do because that’s where you might stumble upon a small coffee shop that happens to appreciate a good piece of art.

Get your art portfolio all set, and let the conversations begin!

Keep in mind that online research is not enough to help you find the kind of coffee shop that will accept your artwork.

You’ll have to walk around a lot until you find what you’re looking for.

5) How To Sell Art To Retailers

As you can probably guess, the process of finding a local retail shop or boutique to offer your art is similar to the one of coffee shops.

However, there is one key difference:

By all means, a retail shop owner will be far less interested in buying your art than an art coffee shop owner.

Can you still manage to convince them that investing in your art is a good idea, though?

Well, you might, if you go to the meeting on time, professionally express yourself, and leave an impression that is impossible to ignore.

Tips And Ideas To Sell More Art Locally

Prepare Business Cards

I can almost see most of you rolling your eyes:

Who still uses business cards nowadays?

Well, you might have a point in there. Considering most artists sell their work online, they don’t need business cards at all.

With that said, we’re talking about selling locally in this article. And that involves one-on-one interactions.

Bringing business cards when you meet local business owners will give them the opportunity to connect with you if they decide to showcase your art.

Build Relationships With Local Galleries

First and foremost, don’t get discouraged if a local gallery refuses to display your painting for sale.

Instead, put the effort to create a relationship with the people who own that gallery.

You never know what might change in the future and when your artwork may fit with the art pieces already displayed in a few months or a year.

Connect With Other Artists

Yes, networking is a thing not just online but in the local markets as well.

Creating relationships with artists that are going through the same experience as you are essential for the success of your business.

Sometimes, that’s how you’ll get to meet a potential buyer, so don’t underestimate this strategy.

How To Sell Art Locally – Frequently Asked Questions

What’s The Easiest Way To Sell Art?

Currently, the easier way to start selling art is by launching an e-commerce shop on platforms like Shopify.

Another easy option to sell your artworks is to market them on sites like Etsy.

Where Can I Sell My Art?

Many online platforms will allow you to list your art for sale.

The most popular ones are:

Amazon
eBay
Etsy
Society6
Saatchi Art
Fine Art America

Where Can I Sell My Art Without Fees?

Nowadays, most platforms that let artists display their works charge fees for the service.

However, some sites will let you offer your painting without any fee, such as ArtPal.

How Do I Sell My Art For Beginners?

Before you begin offering your art for sale, you’ll have to have to do a couple of things that will help you build a profitable art business.

For example, you’ll need to pick an art niche, identify your competitors, and choose a marketplace to sell your art.

Also, you can launch an online store where you’ll be able to upload all your artwork and price them accordingly.

Creating multiple sources of income while selling your art will help you sell paintings for a living.

What Is The Best Site To Post Art?

Right now, your art will have a good chance to sell if you post it on any of the following platforms:

DeviantArt
Behance
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
Facebook

What Kind Of Art Is In Demand Right Now?

Quite frankly, any kind of art can be in demand if you find a way to present it in front of the right customers.

Still, some types of art tend to sell better than others.

Artworks that are in demand most of the time are paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, and sculptures.

Time To Wrap

Alright, this is all I have for you today on the topic of how to sell art locally.

Hopefully, this article will manage to help you make more art sales while you offer your work to local businesses and establishments.

Do you have any questions on the subject?

Is there something the article doesn’t make clear?

Ask me anything you want, and I’ll answer your questions as soon as I can.

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