Figuring out how to advance your art career can be difficult. Here are some ideas to get you started!

1. Create an Online Shop

Creating an online shop is one of the best ways to put yourself on the map as an artist trying to sell your work. An online shop allows you to both have a safe online environment in which to promote your products, and make your brand visible to search engines like Google. Sites like Etsy are popular starting places for your first online shop. Check out this article to help decide what site is best for you.

2. Submit Your Art to a Gallery Exhibit

Getting your art into a gallery can feel like a huge hurdle to overcome, especially for emerging artists. Thankfully, there are tools that can help. CaFÉ is an online service that allows artists to search for calls for artists by call name, organization, city, or description. The website also allows you to filter by call type, eligibility, entry fee, project budget, deadline month, and location. Locally, the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council maintains a list of current calls for artists here.

3. Create a Booth for Trade Shows

Trade shows and pop-up markets are great ways to create a recognizable brand for your art and to network with other artists and craftspeople. They’re especially popular in northwest Connecticut, with weekly events like the Franklin Street Farmers Market in Torrington, and yearly events like the Litchfield Makers Market or the Litchfield Hills Creative Festival dotting calendars throughout the warmer months. Learning how to effectively use these events to get the word out and sell your art can be a huge step for local artists and artisans. 

4. Apply for a Grant

Grants can give artists the financial freedom to work on larger projects, but learning how to find and apply to them can be difficult. Our Arts Funding page lists grants currently accepting applicants in the area. Our calendar lists free workshops by Assets for Artists and other groups that help to teach artists how to best take advantage of available grants. 

5. Make Your Digital Presence More Professional

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok - the list of important social media sites seems to get longer every day. Learning to use social media in a way that looks polished and professional can help you publicize your work and form relationships with customers and buyers. A variety of helpful guides have been made to help you utilize these tools as effectively as possible, including this article on our blog by Alyssa Archambault.