What are the main viable paths for artists to make a living today?

There are really only a few viable paths. The gallery model is often cited, but it’s not actually viable for the vast majority of artists. Research shows that less than 1.5% of artists in galleries in major cities were selling over $60,000 a year, and less than half a percent were making over six figures. It’s like professional athletes — a very rare breed. So the gallery model is more the realm of unicorns. If that’s out, you have two primary paths: First, you can do art shows and fairs — you get a booth, pay booth fees, and sell on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year. It’s totally viable but hard on the body with a lot of driving. Second, you create an online business where you do the marketing yourself, run sales and marketing campaigns, capture emails, sell directly on your website, and treat it like a real business. That’s a totally viable model and the one most recommended. You’ll never stop creating and you’ll always want eyeballs on your art, so you have to accept that marketing is part of the job.

---

Asked by artists trying to understand their options for making a living · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-05-29