Today's MarketPlace Is Where Artwork Sells

What is selling art? Is it having a show or maybe networking, how about given out marketing material? All the latter are tools of the profession. Selling art is a process of convincing others your art is worth the price you are asking.

Let's put this in context. If an art salesperson replied to the question "what are you selling? with “I’m selling art” that reply indicate the salesperson is not applying the basic fundamentals of trade or does not have the skill set to sell art.  

People buy items for a reason, there is no difference when it comes to buying art. The key is tapping into the reasons then create the situation which would result into a sale. -   The Banksy Case Study in NYC.

Selling is a process and the first step is to decide what you are attempting to sale… Here are a few questions to stimulate the thought process. By answering these questions, truthfully you will identify selling points -a feature of something such as a product or an idea that makes people more likely to want to buy or support it.- What is the reason someone will trade their money for your art? And for what purpose or use?

Knowledge is power and the power of information is the key to attracting the right audience for the sale pitch to close the deal. It doesn’t take much to convince someone to attend an art show, but it take a lot to convince someone to buy your artwork. The goal here is to invite the segment of the public who will purchase your art - and reduce the number of space takers.

To make a living in the visual arts, the artist must sell consistently and profitably their talent or their output. This is not easy for the majority of artists even when the support is available. Many artists put the selling aspect of art on the back burner because they have the impression that selling art is easier. This assertion is wrong and has resulted in many artists not being prepare to endure the challenges the art market presents. There are other reasons for the high failure rate most prominent is the lack of selling and marketing skills. When someone tell you that a key to making a living in the arts is in spending most of your time in the studio creating art. Well, lets put it this way…if being in the studio was the catch all then the failure rate among artist would be at an all time low.


Robert Currie
CEO of Louisiana Art Network

 About the author: Robert Currie is a managing art executive with a decade of sale experience, a multiple art gallery owner and CEO of GAN who specializes in helping artists market and sale their work and provide art gallery owners with business operation consultation and offer state-run art districts training and consultation. For more advice on how to make a living selling art, sign up for free updates from Global Art Network. We have help hundreds of artists achieve their potential. ---Robert Currie