What's a realistic revenue goal for an artist doing art shows and fairs full-time?

To be sustainable doing art shows and fairs full-time, you need to generate around $100,000 annually. This is fairly universal regardless of your specific situation. Below this threshold, it’s difficult to quit your day job and make a living solely from art fairs. A good individual show should generate $4,000-$7,000 in sales, while a home run show might bring in $10,000-$20,000. Keep in mind you need to calculate profit, not just sales - these are two very different numbers and you must focus on profit margins to truly understand your business viability.

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Asked by artists considering doing shows full-time · Answered by Mays Mayhew (artist interviewee sharing her experience) · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-03-12