What does it mean to validate my art, and why is just getting likes and comments on social media not enough?

Validating your art means proving there is actual market demand by making real sales to people who are not family or close friends. Likes, comments, shares, awards, and getting into juried shows are not validation—the only true metric is the dollar coming out of someone’s wallet. You need to make actual sales to strangers to prove your work has commercial viability. Post your work for sale, set up a simple way to accept payment, and actively try to sell. Don’t move forward with building a complex business until you’ve proven people will actually pay for your work.

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Asked by an artist seeking to start their business · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-09-29