Do I really need to have a tightly defined niche to be successful as an artist?

The answer is more nuanced than conventional wisdom suggests. While many successful business people will tell you that you must nail down a specific niche, the reality is that many artists build successful businesses with diverse subject matter—even completely opposite subjects that would appeal to entirely different audiences. Some artists have quit their day jobs based on success with two polar opposite subject matters. Others were about to quit one subject, tried something completely different and found success, which then drove increased sales of their original work. Both sides can be true: having a niche can help, but you can also succeed without one. The key insight is that perhaps you are the niche—your personality, interests, and story are what tie everything together, not necessarily your subject matter.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2023-11-02