An End to the Starving Artist
Launching and building a successful business is hard, but, is it harder if you’re an artist? Some artists choose the “starving artist” business model, some decide to teach, some search for a special patron to pay the bills. Today’s art market provides hundreds of new sustainable business models. Each unique business model has a very different path to success.
The perfect path for you might not be the traditional art fair, teaching, or gallery experience. Today there are thousands of alternative markets where you can stand out and sell your work at higher prices (and profit). Markets that allow you to take control of your future. Our mission is to help each artist explore multiple options and provide step-by-step guidance for growth.
The Arts Business Institute serves a crucial, common need in the fine art and maker communities – practical business education for creative entrepreneurs. Each of our live workshops and online courses presents successful strategies and provides proven tools for launching and growing a local business to a national brand.
Our Unique Strategy
Most creative people struggle with the day-to-day tasks involved in running a business. Every artist or artisan business is different and the typical direct sale to an art collector is only one of a hundred different business models available to today’s artist. In most cities, there are few role models to help coach creative entrepreneurs. Over the past 35 years, the Arts Business Institute has collected the success stories, secrets, and unique business models of America’s most successful studio artists. Our workshops and online courses provide those specialized resources and solutions. Because each artist has unique needs, the Arts Business Institute provides private assessment services, 1:1 long-term coaching, and online courses to help creative entrepreneurs explore new paths and tackle difficult tasks so that they can succeed.
Art Business Network
These 90-minute small group meetings help artists create, launch and grow their businesses from private open studio events to nationwide branding with retailers, art dealers. Network meetings provide step-by-step tangible solutions to help artists create sustainable business plans. Cost: $20 Weekly Register
Private Consults
Are you ready for a big art fair, trade show, or your first gallery relationship? Is your work properly priced? How can you increase perceived value? The first goal for any professional is to spend your launch or marketing time and money wisely.
We start with a comprehensive assessment of your work, your sales history, business skill base, frustrations, and your goals and objectives. While any small business mentor can help you with the business basics of budgets, licenses, and local promotion, the Arts Business Institute offers something very different. A professional viewpoint of what best opportunities exist in the fine art, handmade luxury products, and decor marketplace where the opportunities to compete against imports and cheap prints can be intimidating. We help you identify new alternative and niche markets where you can not only sell but also stand out, succeed and prosper. The Arts Business Institute helps you find ways to work smart, not hard, to get more income for each piece, find more profit and create higher demand. An initial comprehensive assessment and ongoing private consults will provide you with those safe next steps preventing you from making very expensive mistakes.
Art Agents and Representatives
Finding an art rep who can place your work in a dozen galleries or luxury boutiques is a dream for most artists. That art rep is both an art and a science. Every art agent is different and your perfect rep will have established relationships with galleries and dealers where your work will sell best. A good art agent won’t take your work, no matter how good it is… unless you are ready to provide the materials and service to meet the demand. Art agents can spend hours or even months searching for the perfect gallery. As an artist, you’ll be required to provide a full body of work, collateral material, and a strong sales history. The Arts Business Institute helps you build your business and sales to the level where you can provide a rep with all the tools necessary to successfully sell your work can take months and often years of work. Request
Online Courses
ABI online courses are designed to provide creative entrepreneurs with strategies to handle both the complex and mundane left-brained business tasks that many artists avoid. ABI our comprehensive course breaks down challenging tasks into a clear manageable process.
Live Workshops
Each Arts Business Institute 2-3 day workshop is customized to meet the needs of a specific community of artists. Unlike most local small business workshops, the Arts Business Institute provides unique art industry trends and market-specific strategies in the areas of marketing, branding, production schedules, pricing, and cost of sale.
Most non-profit arts and educational partners use the workshop event as a fundraising opportunity. Just 30 paid workshop attendees cover most of the expenses. Local community grants and corporate donations provide profit or scholarships for low-income participants. A refundable deposit is required to schedule a workshop. History Course Topics Faculty
What happens in your community after an Arts Business Institute workshop? We think results matter.
The Arts Business Institute tracks graduates with follow-up interviews, 1:1 coaching, online courses, and referral services. The goal of every workshop is to provide each artist with the business tools that they need to succeed. Talk to any one of our successful graduates who credit ABI with their launch success.
