What's the most important factor that determines whether artists succeed or fail in selling their work?

Consistency is the single most important factor. Almost no artists are consistent in their marketing. Many try something for a few months, find it difficult, then abandon it and try something else. The artists who succeed are the ones who commit to marketing consistently, even when it’s hard and even when they don’t want to do it. They keep showing up week after week, year after year. It’s not about the quality of the artwork—there are incredibly talented artists who never succeed because they won’t do the consistent marketing work, and artists whose work isn’t as technically strong who do very well because they market consistently.

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Asked by a webinar attendee asking about success factors · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-21