Art Business Checklist: Are You Prepared?

Dreaming of turning your creative hobby into a real art business? It’s an exciting leap, but let’s be real, it takes more than just talent to pull it off.

That’s why I’ve put together this ultimate Art Business Checklist to help you figure out exactly how to start an art business and keep it running smoothly.

Whether you’re aiming for a side hustle or a full-time career as a successful artist, this list will help you stay on track and avoid costly mistakes.

It’s a long list, but I’m covering all bases. There is no way you will tick all the boxes, don’t worry. Scan through and prioritize your time and effort on the things that are most important.

So, first things first….

1. Have You Got the Right Mindset?

You are going it alone and that’s a tough call. Making art is a solitary business and keeping yourself motivated is one of the hardest parts of starting an art business. Ask yourself these questions:

Do you see yourself as an art entrepreneur, not just a hobbyist?
Are you prepared for the ups and downs of running a real creative business?
Do you believe in your potential to become a successful artist?
Have you written down your vision and added the goals to your list?
Are you part of an art community or network for mutual support?
Do you have a mentor or accountability partner?

Read this too: What is it Like To Be an Artist? The Truth Revealed

2. What Type of Art You Want to Create?

Have you found your niche? Most artists find something they do well and specialize in that subject or style. While it’s good to be flexible, being a jack of all trades and master of none, will probably backfire for a creative business.

Have you figured out your preferred medium such as drawings, paintings, digital art, or mixed media?
Have you developed a signature art style?
Does your chosen art feel sustainable over a long period of time, will you get bored?
Do you have a list of painting or drawing ideas or concepts you’d love to pursue?
Are you building a cohesive body of work for your portfolio?

3. Is There a Market for Your Type of Art?

Making great art is not enough. You need sales, not compliments. Will people want your art in their living space? Market research can help you decide if similar artwork is on sale.

Have you checked whether there’s demand for the art you want to produce?
Do you know what sells in other small art businesses?
Have you studied trends, and competitor artists?
Have you got a target market in mind?
Have you identified gaps or niche markets you could fill?
Are you creating art in a commercial medium?
Are you creating art prints in commercial sizes?

Read these:

You can start a small art business my way if you need a guiding hand

selling art made simple guide — Your Art Business Awaits

4. Have You Prepared a Professional Portfolio?

You haven’t got a business without enough stock, right? You’ll need a minimum amount of artwork to have a decent display.

Is your portfolio ready for professional presentations?
Does it include quality photographs of your art?
Do you have images of your work in situ, such as framed or displayed in a space?
Are you including detail shots and work-in-progress images where relevant?
Is your portfolio well-curated, showcasing range and depth without being overwhelming?
Does it tie into your overall art business plan and brand?
Have you enough work to exhibit and/or produce prints and merch?

I started this way: 12 Wildlife Art Bestsellers (Use These Subjects to Make Money)

5. Have You Formed Your Art Business Plan?

This sounds very grand, but it’s more about having a clear direction. You don’t know how to proceed if you don’t know where you are going. Think about where you want to be a year from now.

Do you have a clear vision for your art business?
Have you set short and long-term goals for your artist business?
Have you mapped out how to reach those goals?
Have you decided if you’ll focus online, offline, or both?
Have you figured out how you’ll sell your originals?
Have you considered publishing prints to upscale your art biz?
Do you have financial targets and a basic budget for starting an art business?
Do you know how you’ll market your work?
Is your art business plan written down, even if it’s just bullet points?

This post will help: 19 Ways to Make Money as an Artist: A Mega-Guide

6. Do You Plan to Publish Your Art?

Most successful artists scale their art business by publishing their art and designs. It’s a no brainer, same art – multiple sales. It’s also an expensive minefield for the unwary.

Do you plan to offer prints to expand your artist business?
Have you researched printing options and suppliers?
Have you got professional scans or photographs of your art?
Do you have high-resolution master files ready for printing?
Are you planning limited editions or open editions for your prints?
Have you thought about other products you could publish your art on, like merchandise, home décor, or calendars?
Will You outsource your publishing or print at home?

This is essential: How to Make Prints of Your Art: 4 Ways to Print Artwork

7. Sort Out Your Workspace, Storage, and Studio

This aspect is often overlooked in the excitement of the idea, but do you have enough room? You’ll need more space than you think.

Do you have safe, secure storage space for your original artwork?
If you plan to order prints in bulk, do you have enough dry, clean space to store them?
Have you planned space to store packaging materials like boxes, envelopes, or postal tubes, which take up a surprising amount of room?
Do you have enough space to store your art fair equipment, including canopy tents, display boards, easels, chairs, tables, bins, signage, and all the bits and bobs that come with selling in person?
Where will you physically create your artwork, in a home studio, rented studio, or shared workspace?
Does your space accommodate different parts of your artist business, like packing orders, photographing work, doing admin, or managing inventory?
Have you set up space for your computer, printer, and possibly a scanner if you’re planning to produce your own reproductions?

8. Planning Your Transport and Logistics

Another often overlooked aspect of running a small art business. Is your vehicle suitable? It’s trickier than you think.

Is your car big enough to carry your art and all your equipment to art fairs and events?
Have you thought about whether you might need a small van or trailer for transporting bigger displays, canopy tents, and inventory?
Can you fit everything on a roof rack or inside your current vehicle safely?
Is it viable for you to rent a van for big shows instead of buying a larger vehicle?
If you travel long distances for events, where will you sleep, such as hotels, hostels, campervan, or friends’ places?
Have you calculated the costs of overnight stays, food, and extra travel expenses for distant shows?
If you work locally, where will you park during events?
What are the costs of all-day parking in your area?
How far away is the parking from your event booth, and how will you manage transporting your gear to your pitch?
Will your local carparks accept vans?

9. Planning Ahead for Markets and Events

Selling your art in person can be exciting and profitable, but it takes planning. You can’t just show up without a game plan. You have to think ahead

Have you researched which markets, art fairs, or festivals fit your style and price range?
Do you know the application deadlines for the shows you’re interested in? Many close months in advance.
Are you prepared with quality photos of your art and booth for jury applications?
Have you factored in costs like booth fees, travel, accommodation, and food?
Are you keeping a calendar of application dates, show dates, and payment deadlines?
Have you asked other artists for recommendations on good shows to attend?

selling art made simple banner — Your Art Business Guide

10. Have You Sorted Out Insurance, Permits, and Legal Essentials (Yawn)

I hate the paperwork but it’s real and you have to be prepared for this tedium and frustration.

Have you insured your vehicle for business use?
Do you have public liability insurance to protect yourself at fairs, markets, and events?
Have you registered your business officially for tax and legal purposes?
Do you know about any licenses or permits you might need to sell in-person?
Are you handling sales tax or VAT properly in your state or country?
Are you keeping records of your expences with proof of payments?
Are you keeping clear records of income and contracts for sales, commissions, and licensing?

11. What About Marketing Your Art?

This one is difficult. You won’t make sales if no one sees your art. You MUST be pro-active. The better you promote yourself, the more you’re likely to succeed. Simple as that.

Do you know who your target customer is for your artist business?
Are you clear on how to share your art and artistic vision?
Are you using social media effectively and tracking results?
Do you have an email list for your art business?
Are you comfortable writing marketing emails?
Can you leverage publicity with local media?
Have you made your own website and optimized it for local SEO?
Are you building strong relationships with your collectors and audience?

These might help:

12. Have You Got Your Own Art Website?

Don’t think you can live without a website. Even if you plan to sell your art on third-party sites, you will still need your own home base.

This is your storefront, where people can learn about you, see your full body of work, and connect with you directly without distractions from other platforms.

Do you have your own professional website created for your art business?
Does your home page clearly show who you are and what you offer?
Is there an email subscriber opt-in form, perhaps even a pop-up?
Are your artworks priced on your website?
Does your About page introduce you in a friendly, conversational tone with your photo?
Does your site have a blog, or are you open to starting one?
Is your website clear on purchasing terms and policies?

This post will guide you: Do Artists Need a Website? Yes – 11 Best Reasons Why

woman doing her art business checklist at her workspace table

13. Have You Crafted Your Artist Story and Branding?

The art of selling, is storytelling. Having a compelling narrative that explains or compliments the art you create is how people connect emotiuonally with your work. It’s not trivial. Please don’t ignore this.

You’ll need to have a backstory that people relate to, and share it across platforms. in galleries, and on your market stand. Everywhere.

Do you have a clear, compelling artist bio/statement?
Have you crafted a personal brand story that connects with your audience?
Do you know how to share your story for marketing and in different venues?
Does your story create an emotional connection with collectors or buyers?
Is your brand consistent across your website, social media, and marketing materials?

Read this related post : How to Write an Artist About Me Bio: In 4 Easy Steps

14. Have you Figured Out Your Pricing?

Pricing is a guessing game. Only use the competition as a general guide to what’s possible. Remember it better to start low and increase your prices, than to do the reverse.

Have you researched pricing for similar work in your niche?
Do your prices include a healthy profit margin?
Are you deducting fees and commissions to calculate your profit?
Have you thought about strategies to add perceived value to your work?
Are you using upselling, cross-selling, or packaging techniques to increase sales?
Is your pricing sustainable for growing your art business long-term?

Read these two:

15. Plan How You’ll Take Payments

If you’re serious about starting an art business, you need to make it easy for people to pay you, wherever you’re selling.

Have you set up a way to take card payments in person, like a card reader or mobile payment app?
Are you able to accept digital payments like PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfers?
Do you know how to handle cash payments and give proper change at events?
Have you checked the fees charged by different payment processors so you’re not losing too much of each sale?
Does your online store offer secure, professional payment options to build buyer confidence?

Art Business Checklist: Final Thoughts

Starting an art business isn’t easy, but here’s the thing: it’s not uniquely hard for artists. Being self-employed is challenging for everyone, no matter what field you’re in. It’s a fact that most businesses fail in the first year. It’s a challenge.

But don’t let that scare you off.

I started with nothing more than a dream of traveling the world and selling my art, and eventually, and I made it work. But it wasn’t overnight. It took time and so many mistakes.

If you’re serious about building your own art business and want real, practical advice from someone who’s been through it all, check out my book.

I share exactly how I turned my drawings into a full-time living and funded my travels, all without a trust fund or fancy connections! It was my living for over 20 years.

And I did it all from a market stall.

Grab your copy and start making your art business dream a reality today!

Everything you need to know about selling art.

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Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
I can show you how to do it. You’ll find a wealth of info on my site, about selling art, drawing tips, lifestyle, reviews, travel, my portfolio, and more. Enjoy