What does 'validation' mean for art sales, and why does it matter?

Validation means selling your art to people who aren’t family or close friends—actual strangers. This is critical because it proves real market demand exists. There’s also a second layer: you might have sold some pieces, but the niche may not be big enough to build the business you want. Validation shows both that your art will sell and that you personally can execute a sale.

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Asked by an artist just starting out · Answered by Patrick Shanahan and Nick Friend · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-10-17