What happens if I don't build a direct business and stick with third parties?

You’re building your house on sand rather than rock. The rug will get pulled out from underneath you—it’s just a matter of time. You’ll be like the artists after the 2008 financial crisis who said the art market was gone and never coming back, still saying it in 2012, because they were stuck in the pre-2008 mindset and never moved to where the market went. Or you’ll be like the artists during the pandemic who lost everything overnight when galleries and shows shut down. If you don’t adapt to where the market is going—which is direct and online—you’ll pay a heavy price. Meanwhile, artists who built direct businesses are thriving with record demand.

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Asked by general teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-06-18