How To Become A Successful Artist in 2024

With a new year, we can set new goals—or achieve old ones. Becoming a successful and professional artist is possibly the main goal for many creative individuals. However, this is easier said than done, considering the tremendous number of artists and the limited number of exhibition opportunities and collectors. But before we can try to beat the odds, we need to have a clear career strategy first. Therefore, in this article, I will argue how to become a successful artist, discussing the three key ingredients for success.

First and foremost, I must define what we mean by success or a successful artist throughout this article on the CAI platform. Success comes in many different forms depending on what your goals are. For some, it is simply the joy of creating; for others, it is to gain many followers on social media. Some want to sell their art online; others want it seen by people in the flesh. Here at CAI, we always intend to pursue success in the highest realms of the art world. This includes a long-term strategy to make a living as an artist, exhibit in galleries, pursue critical recognition and institutional validation, and build a solid network and online following.

In our humble opinion and professional experience, this path leads to a career that lasts and where the art itself is central. However, if you are considering a different career path at this moment, feel free to read our article discussing the different career paths—in particular, gallery representation versus self-presentation—next by consulting the following article.

Why So Many Artists Are Failing To Find Success in the Art World

The competition is one thing—and if you would like to learn more about the statistical reality of artists, make sure to read this article next—however, there is another more pertinent reason why so many artists are failing to find their way into the art world and get access to the top-tier art collectors and high-value exhibition venues. The art world consists of numerous unwritten rules. There are things you need to know to become an insider, but nobody is telling you. There is a problematic inaccessibility of information, so it almost becomes impossible to figure out the ideal career strategy yourself. We either have to know people on the inside or learn things the hard way and lose many years trying to figure it out—if we manage to figure it out eventually. This issue is a significant source of frustration and results in a problematic distance between the art world and artists on the outside that must be bridged to find success.

If you’re trying to figure out how to make it, then most likely—as you are currently doing—you will be searching for valuable resources to find the right career strategies to move forward. However, those unwritten rules remain unwritten—for now. There is an incredible amount of false information on the World Wide Web. From art blogs to YouTube Gurus, online career advice is often tremendously inadequate and not in line with how things work in the art world. Especially on platforms such as YouTube, which are marked by click-bait and promise you to become very rich very fast, the creators’ credentials are not proven or from first-hand experience in the art world. Most often, their only success is the success of their YouTube channel, which becomes greater when providing exciting false promises.

Even in books published by renowned publishers, reputable art blogs, and famous YouTube influencers, the advice that is being formulated is very often false, not actionable, or without impact. Some common examples are opening an account on an online marketplace such as Saatchi to sell your art, but nobody is buying your art, and it is actually even reducing your credibility for gallery collaborations. To invest time and money to open a web shop on your site and write an ‘irresistible’ artist statement, but once more without success. To contact galleries to collaborate but only to see that nobody is responding to them. To start a crowdfunding, but nobody is supporting it. To sell merchandise via a print-on-demand store, reducing your art to a decorative design and still seeing no results. To go along with Instagram and TikTok trends to grow an audience but only see an increase in followers but not in sales or exhibitions.

Stop trying all these things that do not work and are harmful to your integrity and credibility as an artist now. With CAI,  it has become my personal mission to empower artists by providing adequate and industry-approved advice for artists. Thanks to you, the CAI audience, it became clear that there is this problematic lack of—and incredibly great need for—accessible online information and career advice that actually works in the art world. As a result, via a kaleidoscopic approach based on on-field experience from the perspective of the artist but also of the art world and the scientific implementation of career data and art facts, we aim to solve this issue once and for all to level the playing field, and make these unwritten rules of the art world accessible to everyone. Even more, our goal is to provide a clear chronological strategy toward real success that lasts, consisting of actionable advice that has proven to work.

3 Key Ingredients for Success

1. The Art (50%)

In a nutshell, three aspects are crucial, starting with the most important one: the art. Despite what people might say or think, 50% of your success depends on your art. Some argue that it is all about who you know and what you create, and although your network is the second key ingredient for success, art comes first, and great art will always prevail. This in itself is, of course, also a hot topic. What is good art, and who is allowed to decide what good art is? However, good art is, in the first place, determined by the people in a very democratic manner. Numerous artists became tremendously successful simply because people adore their work, and there is a natural demand for it. Galleries ensure the amount of eyeballs drawn to those works increases, resulting in more sales, shows, and further validation and consolidation of that artist in the art world.

People often argue that the galleries decide what great art is, but in the first place, it is always the people. Big galleries or art critics can, of course, function as a catalyst. Art professionals with good taste and who are respected in the art world, and most often, among those seasoned art observers, there is a consensus about what good art is—so it is not a case of the emperor’s new clothes as many frustrated or envious voices would argue. The people respond to great art, and the establishment responds to the people. Don’t overestimate the power of galleries, and do not underestimate the power of the people. Do not use the tale of the emperor’s new clothes as an excuse not to improve further.

It is impossible to describe great art in a couple of paragraphs, but here are the most critical aspects. Great art is contemporary art—please note that some artworks are more contemporary than others. To become a contemporary artist, you must understand contemporary art. Create relevant, refreshing, poignant art transcending the decorative or visual spectacle. If you enjoy painting a landscape like Turner’s, please note that this is not very new or exciting, no matter how beautiful or skillful the piece is. An artist is more than a craftsperson—that is what distinguishes arts from crafts. Great art is either collectible or critical and is part of a greater story, which is the artist’s oeuvre. Make sure to tell a story that is consistent, visually or conceptually. Pursue natural recognizability by delving deeper and deeper into what makes your art yours and yours only. Learn from the masters. Go through the represented artists of the best galleries in the world and select artists you genuinely like. Use them as a reference or benchmark to learn from.

2. The Network (30%)

The art world is marked by synergetic collaborations and organic connections. We can never predict where our next show or sale will come from, but it always comes from your network—directly or indirectly. A collector with one of your works promotes you to an art critic who is about to curate a biennial, a fellow artist you have been supporting returns the favor by introducing you to their gallery director, your gallery’s PR efforts result in an interview in an art magazine resulting in a new exhibition abroad, et cetera. Who you know and where they are matters.

Our network is something we can control and have to cultivate ourselves. It sounds a bit manipulative or fake, but it doesn’t have to be. Engaging with art enthusiasts is actually great fun. Visiting the studios of fellow artists and having a chat about art, visiting the festive openings of their shows and having a drink with the attendees, meeting new people, and making new memories. This sounds very intensive, and it does indeed require time and effort. However, you will reap the fruit later.

Make sure to target your network in a geographical area that has a vibrant art scene. Don’t get stuck in a network that is an island with little to no ties to grow further in the art world. Feel free to consult our shortlist of the thirty best art cities in the world and read our article on how you can engage with these art centers without having to live there next. Start with entry-level cities and/or art galleries to start your network. Engage with the artists first, and do not cold call galleries and collectors. Use Instagram to network from a distance and cultivate those contacts in real life by supporting them and visiting the exhibition openings. Do not impose yourself as an artist. Don’t talk about yourself unless you are being asked. And why they do so, we need to be ready—both when it comes to the art and our next key ingredient, which is your artist profile.

3. The Artist Profile (20%)

Your profile as an artist consists of the final 20% that can make the difference between success and failure—and in my humble opinion, there is no good reason not to take care of this aspect as it is the easiest part of our three key ingredients. Your artist profile consists of all the publicly available material and your presence or behavior as an artist. There are several things an artist needs to take care of when it comes to this profile, here is a brief recital:

→ An industry-approved artist resume following the archetypical CV structure for artists (more information & template)
→ A professional artist bio (more information & spreadsheet)
→ An industry-approved artist website (more information)
→ A professional Instagram account (more information)

There are also some things you can and perhaps should do to make your profile more appealing:

→ Create high-end installation views of your works
→ Improve your online presence and Google Search results
→ Increase your social media following

To conclude, there are also a number of documents and tools you could and should use to professionalize your practice and to improve your profile further:

→ Portfolio or catalog with available works (more information & template)
→ Inventory of oeuvre overview (more information & template)
→ A central contact list
→ The artist-gallery contract for a consignment agreement (more information & template)
→ The artist-gallery contract for a representation agreement (more information & template)
→ A certificate of authenticity
→ etc.

Please note CAI provides various templates and tools at Career Tools for Artists.

CAI Advice for Artists

It is clear that there is a lot of information and ground to cover. Starting with good art, a professional artist profile, and industry-approved networking and career strategies, we can pursue success in 2024. Based on these three key ingredients, we can expand on numerous sub-topics and strategies to improve in those areas. Therefore, throughout the year, CAI will focus on making these unwritten rules of the art world accessible to everyone. We will assist you in elevating your art to a higher level—for instance, with our complete article on style and consistency. Then, we will make sure you can have the best possible artist profile possible supported by our career tools for artists. To conclude, advanced networking strategies can bridge that gap between your art and the art world, where your art career is today, and where we want to go.

Make sure to consult our overview page with career advice for artists and to subscribe to our newsletter to stay posted on the latest informative articles, tools, and services for artists.

Last Updated on October 9, 2024