The Business of Being an Artist
The fifth edition of this updated and expanded classic provides visual artists with an in-depth guide to developing and building a career as a professional artist. Veteran art writer Daniel Grant weaves the words and experiences of dozens of practicing artists throughout this informative volume to describe their real-life challenges and the solutions they found to overcome them. Grant covers everything from art gallery etiquette to the legal rights of artists, including chapters on:

Making the transition from school to the working world
Searching for funding through grants and fellowships
Developing relationships with art dealers
Handling criticism and rejection
How to stay safe in the studio
Finding a variety of ways to get paid in the new economy

New to this edition are expanded sections that look at utilizing exhibition venues from sidewalk fairs to regional biennials to national parks, selling in other countries, talking with collectors about your art and yourself, avoiding the perils of defamation, transporting and travelling with art, using “greener” materials, and the experience of becoming an artist later in life and of artists’ children. The Business of Being an Artist is an invaluable resource for art students, aspiring artists, and professional artists who want to learn all there is to know about successfully navigating the world of art.

Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.
1119673587
The Business of Being an Artist
The fifth edition of this updated and expanded classic provides visual artists with an in-depth guide to developing and building a career as a professional artist. Veteran art writer Daniel Grant weaves the words and experiences of dozens of practicing artists throughout this informative volume to describe their real-life challenges and the solutions they found to overcome them. Grant covers everything from art gallery etiquette to the legal rights of artists, including chapters on:

Making the transition from school to the working world
Searching for funding through grants and fellowships
Developing relationships with art dealers
Handling criticism and rejection
How to stay safe in the studio
Finding a variety of ways to get paid in the new economy

New to this edition are expanded sections that look at utilizing exhibition venues from sidewalk fairs to regional biennials to national parks, selling in other countries, talking with collectors about your art and yourself, avoiding the perils of defamation, transporting and travelling with art, using “greener” materials, and the experience of becoming an artist later in life and of artists’ children. The Business of Being an Artist is an invaluable resource for art students, aspiring artists, and professional artists who want to learn all there is to know about successfully navigating the world of art.

Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.
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The Business of Being an Artist

The Business of Being an Artist

by Daniel Grant
The Business of Being an Artist

The Business of Being an Artist

by Daniel Grant

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Overview

The fifth edition of this updated and expanded classic provides visual artists with an in-depth guide to developing and building a career as a professional artist. Veteran art writer Daniel Grant weaves the words and experiences of dozens of practicing artists throughout this informative volume to describe their real-life challenges and the solutions they found to overcome them. Grant covers everything from art gallery etiquette to the legal rights of artists, including chapters on:

Making the transition from school to the working world
Searching for funding through grants and fellowships
Developing relationships with art dealers
Handling criticism and rejection
How to stay safe in the studio
Finding a variety of ways to get paid in the new economy

New to this edition are expanded sections that look at utilizing exhibition venues from sidewalk fairs to regional biennials to national parks, selling in other countries, talking with collectors about your art and yourself, avoiding the perils of defamation, transporting and travelling with art, using “greener” materials, and the experience of becoming an artist later in life and of artists’ children. The Business of Being an Artist is an invaluable resource for art students, aspiring artists, and professional artists who want to learn all there is to know about successfully navigating the world of art.

Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781621534693
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Publication date: 04/21/2015
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 344
File size: 1 MB

About the Author

Daniel Grant is a contributing editor of American Artist magazine. He is the author of six books including The Artist’s Guide: Making It in New York City, How to Grow as an Artist, and The Fine Artist's Career Guide (all published by Allworth Press). His articles and essays have appeared in such publications as ARTnews, Art in America, the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New Criterion, Art&Auction, and Art&Antiques, among others. He has taught courses and lectured on career issues for visual artists at numerous colleges and public arts agencies in the United States. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Chapter I Exhibiting and Selling Art 1

So, Where Can I Show My Work?

Gaining Media Attention

Marketing and Sales

Communicating in the Digital Age

The Disappearing Art Critic

Critical Essays Disappearing, Too

The Actual Sale

Marketing and Sales in a Weak Economy

Chapter 2 Operating as a Professional 43

Getting Ready to Exhibit

Pricing Artwork

To Frame or Not to Frame

Accepting Credit Cards for Sales

A Word About Taxes

The Need for Good Recordkeeping

Working Small, Working Large

Protecting Oneself from Theft

Thefts at Art Fairs

Artists Who Work at Home

The Need to Specialize

Too Much Art

Giving Up the Day Job

Chapter 3 Expanding the Area of Sales and Income 71

Licensing

Publishing Prints

Self-Publishing

Print Publishers

Dealers and Galleries

Certificates of Authenticity

"Signed by the Artist"

Bartering and Leasing Art

Bartering

Leasing

Starting One's Own Gallery

Art Partnerships

Selling to Corporations

Finding Corporate Buyers

Making Contact

Chapter 4 Developing Relationships with Art Dealers 95

Finding Representation

Art Consultants

Art Galleries

Is the Artist's Age an Issue?

Coming to Terms

Foundry Fees and Commissions

To Consign or Sell?

Artist-Dealer Disputes

Spreading Oneself Too Thin

Severing the Artist-Dealer Relationship

Galleries Change Artists

Art World Relationships

The Collector-Dealer Relationship

The Artist-Gallery Relationship

Art Gallery Etiquette

Bad Debts and Other Recoveries

Chapter 5 A Web Site 127

The Business of Marketing Art Online

Getting People to Your Site

Tracking the Number of Browsers

Linking to an Online Mall

Some General Rules of the Internet

Online Sales

Artists' Blogs

Where Sales May Be Most Plentiful

Chapter 6 When Does Investing in One's Career Become a Ripoff? 143

Business Managers

Artists' Representatives

Publicists

Artists' Career Advisors

Paying to Play the Art Game

Selling Art through Mailing Lists

The Value of Prizes and Awards

Publishing One's Own Catalogue

Entry Fees for Juried Shows

Are You Deluding Yourself?

Chapter 7 Artists and the Law 165

Copyright

Copyright and the Internet

Does "Appropriation Art" Transform Copyrighted Material?

Making a Copyright Search

Trademark Protection for Artists

Copyrighted and Trademarked Subjects in Artists' Work

Artists' Moral Rights

Waiving One's Rights

Confusion Over the Term "Site-Specific"

The Right to Privacy

Sidewalk Art

Art that Looks like Other Art

Artists Lose Lawsuits

Valuing an Artist's Estate

Chapter 8 From School to the Working World 209

Apprenticing and Internships

The Skills that Artists Look for in Assistants

Artists' Assistants and the IRS

Finding a Job as an Art Teacher

Art Schools and Controversial Art

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Teaching

Making Peace with the Academic Life

Artist-in-Residence Programs

Museum Artist-in-Residence Programs

Chapter 9 The Materials that Artists Use 251

Safe Art Practices in the Studio

Substitute Ingredients in Artists' Paints

A Primer on Paint Labels

Artists Making Their Own Paints

Owning a Printing Press

Art Materials Information on the Line

Trying Out Newer, Less Expensive Materials

The Changing Relationship of Sculptors and Foundries

Selecting a Print Studio or Foundry

Print Studios

Foundries

Chapter 10 Getting Ready to Handle the Pressures 283

Post-Exhibition Blues

Changing One's Style

Changing One's Media

Handling Criticism

Rejection Letters

Handling Art World Publicity

Love and Marriage

The Benefits and Pitfalls of Censorship and Controversy

Out of the Spotlight

Thomas Hart Benton Has a Message for Artists

Chapter 11 Contests and Commissions 317

Commissions for Percent-for-Art Projects

The Commissioning Process

General Services Administration

State and Municipal Agencies

Thin Skins and Strong Stomachs

The Efforts to Contain Public Art Controversy

Private Public Art Commissions

Damage and Neglect of Public Art

Who Decides Artistic Merit?

Jurying Art-Descending from the Ideal

When Jurors May Not Seem Fair

Jurors with Clear Biases

Chapter 12 The Search for Grants and Gifts 343

Applying for Loans

Applying for Emergency Assistance

Artists' Foundations

Applying for Grants and Fellowships

Fiscal Management

So Who Will Provide the Funding?

Foundations

Corporations

Corporate Foundations

Government

Local Arts Agencies

State Arts Agencies

Regional Arts Agencies

National Endowment for the Arts

Individuals

Miscellaneous Funders

Asking for Money

The Proposal Package

Reporting Requirements for Grant Recipients

Keeping Perspective

About the Author 385

Index 387

What People are Saying About This

Dore Ashton

Daniel Grant has been a sympathetic witness of the art world for a long time. His observations in this book go far beyond a 'how-to' approach. It is an intelligent and selective overview of the art world and its specialized mechanics, highly suitable for younger artists on the threshold of professional life. (Dore Ashton, critic, author of The New York School)

Stephen Doherty

Daniel Grant is one of the best-informed and most resourceful writers in the field, and this book will certainly prove to be a valuable guide to the visual arts. (Stephen Doherty, editor-in-chief, American Artist)

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