Where & How To Sell Your Art Locally and Make Money (2022)

 5 ways to sell your art locally

1. Galleries

Working with a local gallery is the first choice among many artists. It takes a lot of work off your shoulders so you can focus on making more art. Most galleries nowadays don’t ask for exclusivity – however, they would appreciate it if you work with only one gallery per city to avoid conflict of interest.

2. Open studio

Turning your home studio into a gallery space is cost-effective. You don’t have to pay more if you already have a studio space. It doesn’t have to be picture-perfect, as long as it is safe for people of all ages to come in for a visit. You might want to keep your sharp tools in a locked cabinet.

3. Pop-ups

If you work from home and don’t have gallery representation, receiving customers could be tricky. There is a solution: you could rent a commercial space for a short period, like a week or two. The best time to make this pop-up gallery is when your city has a major art fair. You could attract collectors from everywhere in the world who happened to be in town.

4. Art fairs & art shows

Art fairs could be expensive, and usually, they are not open to individual artists. However, we see a new art show trend where artists could participate without a gallery. They are a lot cheaper and accessible for young artists.

5. Restaurants and bars

Do you have a friend who runs a bar or restaurant? Those alternative spaces are not ideal but better than not showing your art. Responding to the pandemic, some artists are becoming very creative – they made exhibitions in their garage, in the garden, on public streets, on the beach, and even in an abandoned building! Any space could be a potential exhibition venue, as long as it is safe for you and your visitors.