visual artist business plan

Artist Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Artist Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their artist businesses. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write an artist business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is an Artist Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your artist business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for an Art Business

If you’re looking to start an artist business or grow your existing artist company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your artist business to improve your chances of success. Your artist business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Artist Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for an artist business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for artist companies.

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How to write a business plan for an artist business.

If you want to start an artist business or expand your current one, you need a business plan in the proper business plan format . The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your artist business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of artist business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have an artist business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of artist businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the artist industry.
• Discuss the type of artist business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of artist business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of artist businesses:

• Antiques: This type of artist business may include the restoration, curation, and auction of antique furniture and other items.
• Art Consultant: This type of artist business involves helping clients find and select art pieces for their own collections.
• Tattoo Artist: Tattoos are a popular way for artists to earn money by tattooing permanent ink art onto their customers.
• Photography: Photographers may specialize in certain categories like wedding photography or nature photography.
• Graphic design: This type of business encompasses all kinds of design from creating logos and marketing materials for businesses to creating websites and designing products.
• Art teacher: This type of artist business involves art instruction and can include anything from teaching an elementary school art class to a recreational painting class, or an online art course.

In addition to explaining the type of artist business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of art pieces sold, reaching $X amount in revenue, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the artist industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes. First, researching the artist industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends. The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your artist business plan:

• How big is the artist industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your artist business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your artist business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of artist business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other art businesses. Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This may include other sources of art pieces, auctions, or resellers. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of artist business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you make it easier for your customers to engage with your product or service?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a artist business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of artist company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you sell paintings or sculptures, consult on various art pieces, instruct a painting class, etc?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your artist company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your artist business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your artist marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your artist business, including answering calls, meeting with clients, billing and collecting payments, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your artist business to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your artist business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing artist businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing an artist business or successfully running a small curation business.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you meet with 5 clients per day, and will you charge by the hour for art consultation services? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your artist business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a artist business:

• Cost of equipment and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a sample of your artist portfolio.  

Writing a business plan for your artist business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the sample template above, by the time you are done, you will have an expert artist business plan; download it to PDF to show banks and investors. You will understand the artist industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful artist business.  

Artist Business Plan Template FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my artist business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your artist business plan.

How Do You Start an Artist Business?

Starting an artist business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Artist Business
• Create Your Artist Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Artist Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Artist Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Artist Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Artist Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Artist Business Equipment
• Develop Your Artist Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Artist Business
• Open for Business

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How to Wrtie an Artist business plan + Free Template

Are you an artist—oil painter, singer, makeup artist, or writer ready to turn your passion into a profitable business?

If yes, and about to start your own art business; wait a moment!

You will need to think about resources and funding for navigating the ins and outs of an artistic journey.

Also, you need to specify if there’s a significant market for your business to be successful, what potential customers expect from you, and who are your competitors.

However, having a solid business plan is an essential tool to answer all these questions, and this artist business plan will surely help you!

It will guide you through all the important aspects of an effective artist business plan. It not only fuels your creativity but also paves the way for a sustainable and prosperous artistic venture.

But before diving right into the plan; let’s find some interesting facts about the creative art industry.

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• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

Creative Art Industry Outlook 2024

• The United States has been firmly holding its position as the leading global art market for the past few years, generating roughly 45% of the global sales value.
• The revenue of performing arts companies in the U.S. will amount to roughly $19,6 billion by 2024, while for independent artists, it will amount to approximately $23,1 billion .
• There are 71,828 people employed in the US musical groups and artists industry till 2023.
• The number of people increased 0.4% on average over the five years between 2018 and 2023.
• Zippia estimates that artists are 70% more likely to work at private companies as compared to public sectors.

Now, without further ado; let’s delve into the key components you need to include in your creative business plan.

Key Components of an Art Business Plan (w/ examples)

• Executive Summary
• Business Overview
• Market Analysis
• Product and Services
• Sales and Marketing Strategies
• Operations Plan
• Management Team
• Financial Plan

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the initial chapter intended to provide a quick overview of your entire artist business plan. It highlights the primary facts of your business, from art business ideas to financial projections.

Keep your summary concise and clear, use simple language, and avoid jargon as it quickly engages readers.

You can start by introducing the idea behind starting an art business and explaining what it does. For example, is it a startup, do you like to grow your business, or are you operating a chain of artist businesses?

Next, share a brief overview of how your art studio will be different from the rest. Provide a summary of each of the subsequent sections of your plan, such as:

• Describe the artist industry and the target market in brief.
• Represent the products or services you wish to offer.
• Give a snapshot of your marketing strategy.
• Name all the key members of your management team.
• Provide a summary of your financial projections.

After that, end your summary with a clear call to action, inviting potential investors or readers to the next meeting if they are curious about your business.

Generally, this section is written after the entire business plan is ready as you go through and draft all the important sections of your business plan.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section provides detailed information about your art business, including ownership, legal structure, office location, business history, and other business-related facts.

Initially, you can draft all the foundational facts like:

• The name of your art business and the concept behind it, for example: do you need a makeup artist business plan, music artist business plan, or painter business plan, and what is the actual idea behind your artist business?
• The legal structure of your art business whether it is a S-Corp, LLC, sole proprietorship, or some other.
• Location of your art gallery and the reason why you selected that place.

After that, describe the owners of your business and mention their roles in running it. Emphasize the percentage of shares owned, and how each owner helps in the business. For example,

You can add a memorable, clear mission statement that sums up the objectives and core principles of your art studio. Also, include an outline of the business’s history and how it came to be in its current position.

If you want to, include some personality and interesting details, especially if you have any achievements or recognitions till now for your creative art.

Convey your aspirations and your clear vision. Highlight future business goals and if you have any plans of opening an art studio or hosting an art gallery opening.

3. Market Analysis

Next, dive into the art world as this chapter provides a clear understanding of the art industry, along with the target audience, competitors, and growth opportunities.

So, take some time to go further and identify your target market and define your ideal target customer. It will guide your artistic choices and marketing strategies.

Know more about your customers and which type of services they prefer: customized painting, greetings, invitation cards, poetries, songs, or anything else.

After that, give an overview of the art industry. It unveils necessary information about the market size and growth potential of the art market in which your business will run. :

Also, conduct detailed market research to identify direct and indirect competitors. Evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.

You can perform a SWOT analysis to find internal strengths & weaknesses of your artist business and external opportunities & threats in the market.

Based on that, outline unique selling points and competitive edge. Accentuate how your art is different from the rest of the arts, and explain how you can offer qualitative services.

Try to analyze emerging market trends in the industry, such as changes in customer preferences and explain how your art business will cope with all those trends.

You can describe any regulations or licensing requirements that affect your art business, such as safety codes, contracts, taxes, or something else.

Here is an example you can refer to draft regulations for your art business:

Operating within the art industry entails adhering to several regulations. 

These encompass [specific regulations, e.g., “safety codes for installation arts, contracts ensuring the rights and responsibilities of both artists and clients and taxation structures specific to art sales”]. 

Our studio is committed to upholding all necessary licenses and continuously stays updated on regulatory changes to ensure full compliance.

4. Product and Services

The product and services section of an art studio business plan should describe the specific services and products you will provide. It should be detailed, informative, and customer-focused.

Start this section by introducing the artist first, along with the art form they will be using, for example, paintings, sculpture, photography, sketches, customized services, greeting cards, or something else.

Describe the artist’s distinct aesthetic and style and explain how it distinguishes them from other professionals in the field.

You can also include the specific items the artist produces, such as their original works, sell paintings or their limited edition prints, or any pieces they have been commissioned to create.

Try to describe each product’s advantages and characteristics as well as how they appeal to the target market. Also, emphasize the importance of quality by including all the details about the raw material you will use.

Here, don’t forget to explain how your business will ensure that all services and products are delivered with the highest standards of efficacy.

5. Sales and Marketing Strategies

A successful sales and marketing plan involves a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your potential customers.

Here are some key elements to include while writing your sales & marketing strategy:

Unique selling proposition (USP)

Clearly state the artist’s unique selling point, which should cover their taste, aesthetic, and the advantages of their products and services. Something needs to be said in a way that appeals to your intended audience.

Pricing strategy

Develop a pricing strategy that is competitive and affordable, yet profitable. Consider offering promotions, discounts, or packages for your products & services to attract new customers.

Marketing strategy

Draw out a marketing plan that can spread the word about your work and put yourself out there. You can include a mix of online and offline marketing channels.

Consider social media platforms, email marketing, content marketing, brochures, print marketing, and events.

You can take reference from the below example written using Upmetrics AI Assistant :

Sales strategies

Mention your sales strategy as an approach to turn potential buyers into clients by providing limited edition prints, discounts, and referral scheme discounts.

Customer retention

Describe how your art business will retain customers and build loyalty, such as through loyalty programs, special events, or personalized service.

6. Operations Plan

Next, you can craft a behind-the-scenes look into your artistic process and procedures.

This operations plan section paints a vivid picture of your creative endeavors, from your art studio setup to the tools and techniques you utilize.

First, you can explain how you go about creating your art, what tools and materials you require, and how long it takes to finish each piece.

If you collaborate with assistants or any other professional artist, provide details about their tasks and operational processes.

You can also describe your inventory management strategy, including your shipping, tracking, and storage methods. Mention how you’ll maintain track of your artwork and ensure that it’s transported and stored correctly.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides a brief overview of the individuals responsible for driving the art business and highlights that your business has the most suitable team.

You can introduce your team members including the artist, the artist manager, the booking agent, the publicist, the accountant, and the lawyer.

Even if you’re an unaccompanied artist, showcase the key individuals who support your creative journey.

Try to provide a detailed description of the experience and qualifications of each manager, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

You can also represent the organizational structure of the management team, including reporting lines and how decisions will be made. Here is an illustration of an organization chart using Upmetrics:

If you have a board of advisors/mentors who have contributed to your business growth, mention them along with their roles and experience.

Don’t forget to explain your compensation plan for the leadership team and staff, including salaries, bonuses, and other benefits.

8. Financial Plan

A well-structured and in-depth financial forecast is the most important section for potential investors, as it offers a clear insight into any capital or investment requirements, startup costs, projected revenues, and profits.

So, develop a precise summary of your financial projections for the initial years of operation. Highlight all the crucial facts investors require for informed, strategic decision-making.

For a successful artist business plan, you should include the following financial statements:

• Sales forecast
• Expense budget
• Profit and loss statement
• Cash flow statement
• Projected balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Business ratios
• Exit strategy

From the above, you can estimate how much finances you will need to start and operate your art business. Consider funding resources including bank loans, SBA-guaranteed loans, angel investors, or personal savings.

Here’s an example of a projected balance sheet for the next 3-5 years using Upmetrics:

9. Appendix

When writing the appendix section, you should include any additional details that support the main content of your business plan.

This may include financial forecasts, market research data, legal documents, and other relevant information.

• Enclose a table of contents for the appendix section to make it easy for readers to find specific information.
• Add financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets , and cash flow statements. These should be up-to-date and show your financial projections for at least the first three years of your business.
• Provide market analysis reports, such as statistics on the size of the art industry, consumer demographics, and trends in the industry.
• Include any legal documents such as business licenses, permits, and contracts.
• Provide any additional documentation related to your business plans, such as marketing materials, product brochures, and operational procedures.
• Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily locate the information they need.

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If you’re not good enough with financial formulas, Upmetrics helps you calculate accurate money forecasts for 3 years or more.

Whether you’re a beginner or trying to expand an existing one, Upmetrics is all you need to make a successful pro-business plan that matches your business goals.

Download our artist business plan pdf now and start writing a comprehensive plan in no time!

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Frequently asked questions, how often should the business plan be reviewed and updated.

Review and update your artist business plan at least once a year or more often if there are significant changes in your business. It ensures your plan remains aligned with your artistic direction, market conditions, or goals.

What should be included in an Artist’s Business Plan?

A comprehensive artist business plan should include below key components:

• Sales and Marketing Plan

What kind of financial information does a business plan include?

In an artist’s business plan, the financial part includes startup costs,  income statement, cash flow statement, balance sheets, and break-even analysis. It offers a clear idea of your financial health, enabling investors to estimate the potential success of your artistic business.

Is it necessary to have business experience to create an artist business plan?

Business experience is beneficial but not mandatory to create an artist’s business plan. Many artists successfully draft business plans with a passion for their art and a willingness to learn.

Can the template help in planning for long-term career growth?

Yes, a well-written business plan template can undoubtedly help you in planning for long-term career growth. Include your artistic goals, market strategies, and financial predictions, as the template can be a strategic tool for envisioning and working towards sustained success throughout your journey.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Artist Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Artist Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Artist business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Artist businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Artist business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Sean’s Scenic Creations is a startup artist company located in Baltimore, Maryland. The company is founded by Sean Hanford, who has experience in painting scenes throughout the globe. Now, with the expertise of knowledge and business acumen, Sean has determined he can confidently start and effectively grow a successful art studio company. Sean believes his experience of strategic growth, marketing skills, financial capabilities, and wide and deep knowledge of painting practices will provide everything needed for long-term growth and profitability.

Sean’s Scenic Creations will provide a select studio filled with scenic art for a wide variety of clients. Sean’s Scenic Creations will be the premier scenic artist studio, providing art works to each client while supporting the strategic goals of the company. Sean’s Scenic Creations will be the ultimate choice in scenic art for clients to ensure that every interest of the customer is fully and completely met.

Product Offering

The following are the products and services that Sean’s Scenic Creations will provide:

• Scenic oil paintings from global perspectives
• Scenic lithographs
• Custom reproductions of famous works
• Custom scenic oil paintings
• “Secrets of Creating Scenic Art,” small group painting classes
• Online sales and purchasing portal
• “Studio Wine & Cheese Night” for small audience settings

Customer Focus

Sean’s Scenic Creations will target former clients and patrons of the artist’s works. They will target first-time art buyers. They will target businesses seeking artwork for interior decor. They will target those individuals interested in learning how paintings are created. They will target those individuals who want to learn from the artist how to paint scenes.

Management Team

Sean’s Scenic Creations will be owned and operated by Sean Hanford. He recruited his former associate in art school, Jan Myers, to be his Studio Manager, to assist in teaching and demonstrating art and scenic art painting methods.

Sean Hanford is a graduate of the School of Visual Design in New York, where he studied multiple forms of art and artistic expression. Sean chose to devote the majority of his works in the area of oil paintings of iconic scenes and those environments that captured his interest. For the past ten years, Sean has worked as an associate in the Rockdale Art Studio, where he was well-known for his attentive interest in clients and his beautifully-created art.

Jan Myers has been an associate of Sean Hanford for almost eight years, working as the studio assistant in the art gallery. She is known for her dedication to customer care and service. She will become the Studio Manager, overseeing all customer interactions alongside Sean Hanford.

Success Factors

Sean’s Scenic Creations will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly-qualified team of Sean’s Scenic Creations
• Comprehensive selection of art and art-related classes
• Customized scenic paintings and paintings based on photography
• Corporate interior artwork
• Large scale art installations
• Sean’s Scenic Creations offers the best pricing in town. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.

Financial Highlights

Sean’s Scenic Creations is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch Sean’s Scenic Creations. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the studio space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Studio space build-out: $20,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph outlines the financial projections for Sean’s Scenic Creations.

Company Overview

Who is sean’s scenic creations.

Sean’s Scenic Creations is a newly established, full-service artist studio company in Baltimore, Maryland. Sean’s Scenic Creations will be the premier artist studio for collectors and aficionados to find scenic oil paintings from around the world. Sean’s Scenic Creations will be the primary choice for individuals who want to learn how to create scenic paintings in Baltimore and the surrounding communities. Sean’s Scenic Creations will provide a comprehensive menu of artwork, art classes and community gatherings for any customer to utilize. Their full-service approach includes an online option for customers to view and buy oil paintings.

  Sean’s Scenic Creations will be able to offer a wide array of oil paintings and painting classes to interested individuals. The team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in oil painting and artwork sales. Sean’s Scenic Creations will remove the headaches and issues of the art collector and art student who continually search for thoughtful assistance, and Sean Hanford and Jan Myers will ensure all clients are taken care of expeditiously while delivering the best customer service.

Sean’s Scenic Creations History

Sean’s Scenic Creations is owned and operated by Sean Hanford, a former graduate of the School of Visual Design in New York He has been in the retail art sales business sector for ten years and has amassed a significant amount of industry information and business acumen. His clients consider him to be their favorite artist and have already announced they will follow him when he opens his own studio in Baltimore.

Since incorporation, Sean’s Scenic Creations has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Sean’s Scenic Creations, LLC to transact business in the state of Maryland.
• Has a contract in place for a 10,000 square foot studio at one of the midtown buildings
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include Sean’s Scenic Creations in their portfolios.
• Began recruiting a staff of one and two studio personnel to work at Sean’s Scenic Creations

Sean’s Scenic Creations Products & Services

The following will be the products and services Sean’s Scenic Creations will provide:

Industry Analysis

The artist studio industry is expected to grow over the next five years to over $15 billion. The growth will be driven by the increasing interest by consumers in the art world and in the creation of one’s own artwork. The growth will also be driven by consumer travels globally that will increase the interest in recreating those iconic scenes via their own or an artist’s recreation in a large format oil painting. The growth will increase by individuals who work remotely and have access to their studios during short breaks from their profession, as well as those who have continual access to dedicated rooms in their own residences set aside for art studios.

Costs will likely be reduced as the increase in consumers drives retail prices down. For example, art supplies such as canvases and canvas-stretching services will probably be driven down due to an influx of new requests for services and products by the consumers. New technology in the art world will also allow the more mundane day-to-day operations of an artist studio or gallery more easily done by software designed specifically for the sector.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Sean’s Scenic Creations will target those individuals of all ages interested in scenic art in Baltimore, Maryland. Sean’s Scenic Creations will target former clients and patrons of the artist’s works. They will target first-time art buyers. They will target businesses seeking artwork for interior decor. They will target those individuals interested in learning how paintings are created. They will target those individuals who want to learn from the artist how to paint scenes.

Customer Segmentation

Sean’s Scenic Creations will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Individuals interested in purchasing scenic oil paintings
• Individuals interested in learning to paint or learning how paintings are created
• First-time art buyers
• Businesses seeking interior artwork for decor
• Former clients and patrons

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Sean’s Scenic Creations will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Gallery Serenity

Gallery Serenity is a contemporary art gallery featuring the artworks of five artists within the Baltimore region. The art is composed of oils, watercolor, mixed media and ceramic pieces, all held within a minimalist gallery. The gallery is broken into five distinctive areas, with one small studio tucked into the gallery that represents each artist. The sleek interior matches the contemporary feel of the artwork throughout. Tara Simmons, a long-time art patron of New York City, opened the gallery to encourage patrons of her five favorite artists to purchase their own works of art from the artists. Regular “Shop Talk” sessions are offered, featuring one of the five artists on a weekly basis. The contemporary art is often moved on loan to enhance a corporate venue or exhibition that needs an artistic touch to the environment.

Esther Savage Art Gallery

The Esther Savage Art Gallery is home to the art works associated with the early colonial settlers in the Baltimore area. Works are in black pencil or oil, with rudimentary line drawings included in the gallery offerings. Esther Savage has been a dedicated collector of early colonial artwork and decided to open the art gallery to both showcase and sometimes sell her extensive collection of colonial artwork. Most of the art collection is for sale; other, more valuable works, are not. The early art of the colonies mimics the European styles of the decades, with oils playing a large part in portrait works, along with a colonial view of still life art and the occasional landscape of the Hudson River Valley and other iconic areas.

Jameson ClayCraft Salon

The Jameson ClayCraft Salon is a small salon housed in a brick-lined building located in mid-city Baltimore. Thomas Jameson has owned and operated the salon for over fifteen years, where clay art creations are both created and sold on site. Customers enjoy the intimate environment, along with the expertise of Thomas and his staff of three associates, who assist in both the slab and wheel ceramic forms and encourage loyal customers with their compliments. The Jameson ClayCraft Salon has been the hub of classes, wine and appetizer evenings for patrons, city art talks and other intimate gatherings that offer community to all who join in. Thomas Jameson is currently in the process of selling the Jameson ClayCraft Salon to a national retail chain of consumer “make-it-yourself” studios.

Competitive Advantage

Sean’s Scenic Creations will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly-qualified team at Sean’s Scenic Creations
• Sean’s Scenic Creations offers the best pricing in town. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Sean’s Scenic Creations will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified and skilled employees who offer a comprehensive selection of art and art-related classes
• Customer appreciation evenings

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Sean’s Scenic Creations is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Sean’s Scenic Creations has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and art expertise to Sean’s clients. The contacts and clients will follow Sean to his new company and help spread the word of Sean’s Scenic Creations.

Professional Associations and Networking

Sean’s Scenic Creations will take an active role in regional and community art-related associations and non-profit groups with the goal of increasing the number of youth who learn to paint and exhibit artworks. They will also network at national trade shows to garner on-trend styles and types of artwork that may be as yet unknown to the staff.

Print Advertising

Before launch, direct mail invitations will be sent to every former client and contact of Sean Hanford and his associate, Jan Tyler, inviting them to the launch of Sean’s Scenic Creations. They will receive “preferred client” pricing within the first 60 days of business.

Website/SEO Marketing

Sean’s Scenic Creations will fully utilize their website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that Sean’s Scenic Creations provides. The website will also list their contact information and contain an online gallery of available artwork for sale. An online payment portal will allow customers to view and buy pieces from the convenience of their own home, if desired. The website will engage in SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “art studio” or “oil painting class near me,” Sean’s Scenic Creations will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Sean’s Scenic Creations will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive excellent value when purchasing their services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Sean’s Scenic Creations. Operation Functions:

• Sean Hanford will be the owner and President of the company. He will oversee all staff and manage client relations. Sean has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Kerrie Thomas will manage the office administration, client files, and accounts payable.

Milestones:

Sean’s Scenic Creations will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.

• 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease studio space
• 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Sean’s Scenic Creations
• 6/1/202X – Finalize contracts for Sean’s Scenic Creations vendors
• 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
• 6/22/202X – Begin moving into Sean’s Scenic Creations studio
• 7/1/202X – Sean’s Scenic Creations opens its doors for business

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Sean’s Scenic Creations are the fees they will charge to customers for their artwork and services..

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff Sean’s Scenic Creations. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Sean’s Scenic Creations is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its art studio. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the studio space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Artworks and Classes Sold Per Month: 290
• Average Revenue per Month: $48,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, artist business plan faqs, what is an artist business plan.

An artist business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your artist business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections. You can easily complete your Artist business plan using our Artist Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Artist Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of artist businesses, some examples include: Antiques, Art Consultant, Tattoo Artist, Photography, Graphic design, and Art teacher.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Artist Business Plan?

Artist businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start an Artist Business?

Starting an artist business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster. 1. Develop An Artist Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed artist business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast. 2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your artist business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your artist business is in compliance with local laws. 3. Register Your Artist Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your artist business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your artist business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 7. Acquire Necessary Artist Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your artist business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your artist business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

Business Plan Template for Artists

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

Are you an artist looking to turn your passion into a profitable business? Creating a business plan is the first step towards building a successful career in the arts. With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Artists, you can outline your goals, strategies, and financial projections in a structured and organized way.

This template will help you:

• Define your artistic vision and mission statement
• Identify your target audience and niche
• Develop a marketing and promotional strategy to reach your audience
• Set financial goals and create a budget for your artistic projects

Don't let the business side of your art hold you back. Use ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Artists to take your artistic career to new heights!

Business Plan Template for Artists Benefits

Creating a business plan as an artist may not be the most glamorous task, but it's an essential step towards building a thriving artistic career. With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Artists, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Clarify your artistic vision and define your long-term goals
• Develop a strategic roadmap to guide your artistic journey
• Identify your target audience and create effective marketing strategies
• Outline your financial projections and budget to ensure financial stability
• Secure funding and partnerships by presenting a professional and comprehensive business plan

Main Elements of Artists Business Plan Template

ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Artists provides a comprehensive solution to help artists and creative entrepreneurs succeed in their artistic pursuits. Here are the main elements of this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of each section of your business plan using statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields such as Reference, Approved, and Section to add specific details and categorize different aspects of your business plan.
• Custom Views: Access different views like Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide to visualize and organize your business plan in a way that suits your needs.
• Collaboration Tools: Leverage ClickUp's collaboration features, including document sharing, commenting, and task assignment, to collaborate with team members or seek feedback from mentors or advisors.
• Goal Tracking: Utilize ClickUp's Goals feature to set and track milestones and objectives, ensuring that your business plan aligns with your long-term artistic goals.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Artists

If you're an artist looking to create a comprehensive business plan, our Business Plan Template for Artists in ClickUp can help guide you through the process. Follow these six steps to get started:

1. Define your artistic vision and goals

Before diving into the details of your business plan, take some time to reflect on your artistic vision and the goals you want to achieve. What kind of art do you create? What impact do you want to make? What are your long-term aspirations? Clearly defining your vision and goals will help shape the rest of your business plan.

Use the Docs feature in ClickUp to brainstorm and outline your artistic vision and goals.

2. Identify your target audience

To effectively market your art, you need to understand who your target audience is. Consider factors such as demographics, interests, and purchasing behaviors. Knowing your audience will help you tailor your marketing efforts and connect with the right people.

Create custom fields in ClickUp to track key information about your target audience, such as age range, location, and preferences.

3. Research the market and competition

It's important to have a solid understanding of the art market and the competition you'll be facing. Research other artists in your niche, analyze their work, and identify what sets you apart. Additionally, study market trends, pricing strategies, and potential opportunities for growth.

Use the Board view in ClickUp to create cards for each competitor and track their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies.

4. Develop your marketing and sales strategies

Your business plan should outline how you plan to market and sell your artwork. Consider which channels and platforms are most effective for reaching your target audience. Determine your pricing strategy, marketing budget, and promotional activities. Also, think about how you'll handle sales, whether through online platforms, galleries, or exhibitions.

Create tasks in ClickUp to map out your marketing and sales strategies, assign responsibilities, and set deadlines.

5. Establish financial projections and budget

In this step, you'll need to create a financial forecast for your art business. Estimate your revenue streams, including sales, commissions, and potential partnerships. Calculate your expenses, such as art supplies, marketing costs, and studio rent. Set realistic financial goals and establish a budget to ensure your business remains profitable.

Use the Table view in ClickUp to create a financial spreadsheet, track income and expenses, and monitor your financial projections.

6. Review, revise, and implement

Once you've completed your business plan, take the time to review and revise it regularly. Your business plan should be a living document that adapts to changes in the market and your artistic career. Regularly assess its effectiveness and make adjustments as necessary. Then, start implementing your plan and take action towards achieving your artistic and business goals.

Set recurring tasks in ClickUp to review and revise your business plan on a regular basis, and assign tasks to yourself or team members to implement the strategies outlined in the plan.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Artists

Artists and creative entrepreneurs can use the Business Plan Template for Artists in ClickUp to create a comprehensive roadmap for their artistic pursuits.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a solid business plan:

• Use the Topics View to brainstorm and organize different sections of your business plan
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section, with statuses such as Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do
• The Timeline View will provide a visual representation of your business plan's timeline and milestones
• Use the Business Plan View to create a comprehensive document that includes your goals, strategies, financial projections, and more
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide step-by-step instructions on how to use the template effectively
• Customize the template by adding custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section to track additional information
• Update statuses and custom fields as you work through your business plan to keep everyone informed of progress
• Monitor and analyze your business plan to ensure you're on track to achieve your artistic goals.
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Art Business Plan Template & Guidebook

As aspiring visual artists, the task of creating a comprehensive art business plan can seem like an overwhelming process. Fortunately, there is now the #1 Art Business Plan Template & Guidebook that makes this process easier than ever before. This template and guidebook will provide visual artists with the essential tools and skills necessary to bring their artistic vision to life and create a successful business. With this customizable template and exclusive resources, artists will be able to confidently create a business plan that works for them and their creative goals.

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Art Business [11 Steps]
• 10+ Best & Profitable Art Business Ideas [2023]
• 25 Catchy Art Business Names:
• List of the Best Marketing Ideas For Your Art Business:

How to Write a Art Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your art business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your art business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a art business:

Our mission at ABC Art is to foster creativity and brighten spaces through our high-quality, handcrafted artworks. We want to provide pieces that people can hold onto for years to come, as well as pieces that evoke emotion and spark conversation. We hope to bring joy into the lives of those who view our art and give back to our community through donations of our work.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Art Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your art business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your art business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your art business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your art business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a art business?

Equipment, supplies, and permits needed to run an Art business may include:

• Art supplies (e.g. paints, canvas, brushes)
• Equipment for displaying artwork (e.g. frames, photo albums)
• Digital imaging equipment (e.g. scanners, printers)
• Computer hardware and software
• Business permits (e.g. zoning, tax)

5. Management & Organization of Your Art Business.

The second part of your art business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your art business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Art Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a art business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a art business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your art business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your art business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your art business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Art Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a art business.

A business plan for an art business is important to have because it will help you track your progress, clarify your marketing and financial objectives, and make sure you remain on track to reaching your goals. A business plan can also be used to outline your business strategy, including the steps you'll need to take to make your business successful. Additionally, having a written plan will help you attract potential investors and other stakeholders who may be interested in helping with financing or providing other resources for your art business.

Who should you ask for help with your art business plan?

It is best to consult with a business advisor or mentor who has expertise in the art industry. They can help you identify potential risks and strategies for a successful business plan. Additionally, you may benefit from joining an art-focused business network for advice, resources, and support.

Can you write a art business plan yourself?

Yes, it is possible to write a art business plan yourself. However, it is recommended to seek assistance from a professional to generate the most effective and comprehensive business plan. A professional can help you identify who your target market is and how you will reach them, as well as helping to create a budget for your business and developing a marketing strategy. Additionally, they can assist with developing a detailed financial plan which could include investment, income and revenue goals.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

• Intuitive Art Sales Podcast

Artist’s Online Business Plan

  In this epic article:

• Why do you want to sell art (hint: it's deeper than money)
• check See your dream come to life ​​ ​ ​
• check 5 decisions artists need to make for an online business plan
• Know the reasons people buy art

(click title to scroll)

*This post may contain an affiliate link, which means I will either make a small amount of money or receive free services if you decide to purchase my recommendation. I only recommend products or services that, at other times, I spread the word about whole-heartedly without compensation. 

One of the most powerful ways to create a thriving art business is to KNOW WHY YOU WANT IT. Sure, you want to earn money. But why???

Dig deep to figure out your core reason. It will give you the fuel you need to get through rocky patches, unsureness, and the problems that will inevitably pop up. 

How do you figure out your burning reason?

Ask “why” until the two year old inside you is satisfied with your answer. .

Like this...

Why do I want to sell art?   To make money. 

Why?   Because I want to relieve some of the bill pressure. 

Why?  Because I want to have extra money to travel.

Why?  Because I want to see the world.

Why?   Because different cultures make me feel alive. 

Why?   New art and food and people make me think more creatively. 

So you don’t just want to make money...  You want to feel alive by feeding your creativity with culture in countries you’ve never seen.

Are these reasons the same thing? ...yes, sort of. But the motivation goes waaay up when you break your reason down to its core. 

I started The Artist Market Co for many reasons, but one of my biggest motivators for keeping it in tip top shape is that I want my kids to grow up with their mom around.

I don’t want to stick them in daycare five days a week so I can go to a job and come home too tired to give them the attention they crave. Earning money at home guarantees that re ality . That’s one of my whys. 

(Not to mention, I truly love the work - if I can even call it that.)

I want to help you make your dreams come true. But they can’t come true if you aren’t 100% sure what they are. We’ll be working on that for the rest of the month - so get ready (and sign up for the emails below if you haven't already!).

How would your life look if you could make a good living selling art?

Last week we talked about WHY you want to sell your art . Not just “to make money”, but the deep down reason you want to make that money in the first place. (Or maybe it has nothing to do with money!)

I received so many good answers!! You said things like: 

• To be a little independent
• check To show others that when they connect to their creativity, they can change the world
• check To build a cabin in the woods and feel more alive
• check So that I can spend my days creating art at home in my studio rather than working for someone else full-time
• check To create a legacy
• Because I am ready for an adventure
• To help others heal and find their own creative dream

Now, here’s the deal. 

Maybe you’ll be able to hold on to that picture of a dream just by saying it out loud. 

But for most of us, to really KNOW something we have to see it. Artists are visually minded. Seeing it helps it become engrained in our minds. 

So here’s what I want you to do. 

Write down your reason(s) on a piece of paper. As you look at it, I want you to create a Pinterest board showcasing what your life would look like if your reason became everyday reality. 

One of my big reasons to earn money is stability, so even if my world gets turned upside down, I can give my two little ones a lovely life with their mother by their side.

My images reflect our idea of a perfect home life for that reason. Here’s a sneak peak:

(If you want to see the whole board for inspiration, click: “ I want to sell art so I can... ” )

Now it’s your turn!

If you need a plan for your business, but aren’t sure where to start, you’re in luck! We’re going to make one together, right now.

The last two weeks we covered  the vision of the dream life  and  why you want it . These make your big picture overview that will drive your motivation. Many people would tell you to get really detailed here about how you’re going to get to that big dream, break it down into five years’ worth of steps, and get to work.

I don’t think that works for us creative types.

Here’s why… we have a new idea, we pivot. New idea. Pivot. New, idea, pivot. Being tied down to a long term plan defeats the purpose of having a creative business for us. Yes, we need some structure, but having the next five years of your life mapped out will never do.

Instead, I recommend you know what you want and why you want it first, then make an itty-bitty short term plan. When you’re done with that plan, you make another one. This ties you down just enough to be able to make progress without skipping all over the place.

As long as your big dream vision is still in front of you, you’ll get there no matter what winding path you may take. You’ll enjoy the journey much more, and I believe you’ll get there faster for that reason.

How long do I make my plan?

Break the year down into four pieces, or quarters. (January 1 - March 31, April 1 - June 30, July 1 - Sept 30, Oct 1 - Dec 31)

What if I don’t want to stop when the next quarter rolls around?

Don’t! If it’s working and you’re still enjoying it, carry your plan over into the next quarter of the year.

There are five things you need to include in your artist business plan

If you want to go further and add more, great, but let’s start small.

1. What do you want to sell?

Pick one product or series (retro 8x10s from art school, signed prints of paintings you did inspired by your beach trip, or watercolor portrait commissions) to focus on. Less options = more clarity for you and the customer. Don’t worry, you can change directions next quarter if you like.

2. Why they’ll want to buy it.

Your ego probably says wait... they’ll want to buy it because it’s good art. They might. But there’s just as good a chance they’ll spend their budget on someone else’s equally good art. Without a plan here - you are gambling your art business. Many artists never get anywhere because they leave this part out. This is the stickiest issue so I’ll cover it in more depth next week . Write down your inital reaction for now.

3. One marketing tool to focus on

Do you need to get more peeps to your website? Focus on one specific part of a social media platform, like Instagram Stories or setting up Tailwind pin looping . Do you need to make more sales? Start writing emails to your list, even if it’s just your mom. (Then ask her to forward it.) You won’t want to drop your other marketing completely, but it should be bare-bones. Spend 80% of your marketing time on your focus, then 20% on maintaining the rest.

4. How much money do you want to make?

If you’ve never sold online, start small. If you have, add 15% to your average month. You’re always welcome to blow your goals out of the water, but having small goals will help you believe they are possible. This pushes your brain to find innovative solutions to make them a reality as opposed to just giving up when you start slow or feel discouraged.

5. How many do you need to sell to reach your goal?

Compare the price of what you are selling with how much money you want to make. You may need to adjust your goal or raise your prices based on this number.

That doesn’t sound too intimidating, right?! You’ve got this.

In real life, the artists who aren’t scared to talk to people, who accept the invitation when a local news show wants to interview them, who make it a point to make get to know gallery owners and collectors... those are the artists who are famous in your community... the ones who are “making it”.

Some people turn to online sales to get away from all that. But that’s why they don’t make it online either.  You can’t build a website, hide behind the pretty pictures and wait for the sales to roll in.

When people find you, you’ve got to be ready for them. You need to practice talking about your art… and yourself. Practice having conversations. Practice connecting with people.

If talking about yourself makes your skin crawl, take heart in the fact that online you don’t have to do it face-to-face in real time. But you do have to do it.

Why? There’s millions of artists who want to sell their art.

Your skill will be part of what attracts people to your art, but there’s so many who are talented. Skill isn’t enough to sell consistently. There are hundreds of artists I would like to purchase from - but there isn’t room in either my wallet or on my walls - so you’ve gotta stand out.

Easier said than done, right? Not if you’ve studied what makes people want to buy from you . (Or if you learn from someone who has!)

Recommended for you: Ideal Art Buyers Made Simple

Here’s the top four reasons I’ve learned that people buy art:

1. because they like you. .

They see something in you that makes them want to be your friend. That connection won’t happen if you always stay surface level (you like cats and tea). Have opinions (they don’t have to be hot button issues like politics or religion). Talk about what you believe in (is family more important than anything OR do you not want a family because self-identity is more important to you?). You’ll alienate some, but the people who stay will feel that much more attracted to you.

Imagine this... You’re on a date. Would you be more likely to go on a second if a) they talked openly, or b) if they stayed away from any conversation of substance for fear of having different opinions? You’d probably choose the first even if you didn’t agree with them - the second would be a yawn fest.

2. Your art reminds them of something they value. 

You can connect your art to their personal values through, again, talking about it. Why you made it. What it represents. Its message.

Even if you think your art isn’t “about anything”, there are thoughts going through your head all the time on repeat. That goes for when you are making art too. In my opinion, even your subconcious thoughts can and should be applied to your art’s message. 

Sometimes you don’t have the slightest clue where to start talking about your art. If that’s the case, spend some time learning about your own values and this method will start to click for you. For example, the ones that stand out for myself right now are “inspiration”, “efficiency” and “harmony”. If I was creating an abstract painting with no real mindful direction, I might do some journaling around those words and see how they might’ve influenced my painting on a deeper level. 

If you’re up for some self-expansion, try using Caroline Kelso Zook’s “Your Brightest Life Journal”.

3. Your art makes them feel an emotion they want to feel more often. 

Done right, this technique can be powerful. Help them connect your art to an emotion by talking about the feelings you associate with your art. If you are using this one without any success, try describing the feeling instead of naming it.

For example, instead of saying, “These flowers will make you feel happy everyday”, say “These crimson tulips remind us it’s finally the season to spread out your picnic blanket and daydream on your lunch hour.”

4. And lastly, you make art specifically for them. 

If you’ve studied marketing at all, you’ve heard of a niche. A niche is simply a small, targeted group of people - like bird watchers or skateboarders.

To use this one, you would focus your art or commission services specifically to them. For skateboarders, this might look like putting quotes from famous skateboarders on your art or doing commissioned art on skateboards.

Each of these methods require being able to convey a clear, compelling message.

You probably won’t get it right the first time, or even the second, but if you practice, you will get it.

Download the workbook below  to have this epic article for keeps so you can take action on it.

If you liked this article, sign up below to get more just like it in your inbox every week!

Do the work & create your luck,

About the Author

Jessica Craddock

I mentor intuitive visual artists who are sick of one-size-fits all formulas sell more work, more consistently, at higher prices — with better work/life balance. My clients regularly make 3x more in art sales within a year. Using my signature Consistent Income method, we’ll push you over the precipice of some really amazing growth so you can become the creator of your next chapter. My secret sauce is that we focus on not just the "doing", but also the "being". Affirmations, trusting yourself, knowing when to go slow and when to go fast, practicing getting out of your comfort zone and making room for the feelings that go with that... all this is equally as important as the action steps. For once, you'll be ahead of the game and understand what's right for you.

Art (displayed) is a visual legacy that the viewer enjoys viewing and sharing with others. A love of color, composition, subject, texture, and message are creative impulses recorded for the present and future. Stories, passions, images allow the viewer to connect long after.

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Artists Business Plan Template

Published Nov.10, 2021

Updated Apr.19, 2024

By: Jakub Babkins

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Table of Content

Artist business plan for starting your own business

In today’s world, an artist is a creative entrepreneur who is a self-employed business owner and uses his skill to earn a decent living. A professional artist is someone who knows how to make an impact with his work and make a living out of it. In case you want to make a business out of your art, a well-thought artist business plan can make a huge difference towards your success.

Whether you want music festival business plan , internet radio business plan , business plan for music industry , business plan for movie theater , karaoke business plan , or night club business plan , this model of business plan will help you in writing a well thought business plan to start a successful business.

If you want to know how to write a business plan for an artist, or you are looking for business plan for artists, you can continue to read as we will write down all the important points required in a good business plan for investors .

Executive Summary

2.1 the business.

In all the business plan examples for artists, the first thing you need to mention is the introduction of your business.

PixelCo will be a registered, licensed and insured art design business based in the Miami, Florida. This business will strive to cultivate meaningful and relevant connections between people and brands through our art designing services and unparalleled visuals.

2.2 Management of Artist Business

The success of any business heavily depends on its management and staff. That is why in your business plans for artists, make sure to plan everything in advance.

The management body of the company will include art artists, sales executives, animation and cartoon specialists, customer representatives and website developers. The team will be managed by the owner who will look into every matter himself.

Like in every artist business plan sample, you need to provide detail about the management. The staff will be hired one month before the launch of the company and will be trained by the owner.

2.3 Customers of Artist Business

At PixelCo, our customers will include following

• Insurance Companies and banks
• Sport Organizations
• Political parties
• Television Stations
• Real Estate Owners, Contractors and Developers
• Advertising agencies
• Entrepreneurs

Similar to a mobile app business plan , mentioning all the customers are required to make a strong business plan.

2.4 Business Target

Our primary goal is to become the best art design company in Miami within the next 6 years of our startup. We aim to provide the best and reasonable services to our customers. The main business targets that we want to achieve as milestones over the next four years are as follows:

• To cover the investment by the end of the first year
• To expand our company and open up two to three company offices by the end of 5th year
• To raise at least $10 monthly revenue by the end of the first year

Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

PixelCo will be owned by Julie Mark, a renewed art designer. She has completed her Masters of Art in art design from the University of London. After completing her degree, she worked with some leading digital marketing companies as a art designer. After gaining all the knowledge about how to start a small art business, she decided to start her own business.

3.2 Why the Artist Business is being started?

Julie continued to work as a art designer in some of the biggest art designer companies in the US. But soon she realized that she can start her own business and can establish her name in the art designing industry.

That is why she decided to start PixelCo completely by herself. Similar to writing a business plan for makeup artist, it is important to write down why and how the business will be started when writing a business plan for artist.

3.3 How the Artist Business will be started?

In business plan artist, you need to mention all the necessary steps to start a business. To start a art designing business, you do not need much investment as needed in other startups.

Julie has planned everything for her business including the required inventory and personnel.

Office Space

To start an art designing business on a small scale, you need a small set-up, and for that, a small space will be enough.

Office furniture

Next, to set up the space, you will need office furniture including filing cabinets, couches, chairs and work desks. You will also need some decent furniture for meeting rooms and waiting rooms.

The next and important thing is to buy all the art designing and other related software to start the work. These include Freehand, Illustrator, Photoshop, Quark and Microsoft project.

Internet Connection

You will need a strong internet connection to carry out the work without any distortion.

Start-up Expenses

When we talk about the expenses to open a art designing company, these include consultant fees, insurance, rent for the space, laptops and computers for the employees and interior expenses.

In this business plan for artist management company , you need to mention the services your company will provide. This is an extremely important part of any business plan for artist.

PixelCo will provide art designing services and visual communication services to small as well as established companies. We aim to compete with all the leading art designing companies in the US. As can be seen in our business plan template for artists, we will provide the following services:

Digital Designs

We will provide digital designs including logos, websites, and all kinds of arts to our clients. We will also provide cartoons and animations as per our customer’s requirements.

Hard Decorations

We will also provide hard form decorations, art pieces, and custom-themed paintings.

Print Designs

In addition to digital designs, we will also provide print media designs including books, magazines and newspapers.

Advertisements

We will also provide advertising services and corporate branding that will include infoarts, brochures, product packaging, and posters.

Marketing Analysis of Artist Business

Great service.

Great service. Good turnaround time and quality work. Thanks!

Similar to business plan for music artist, marketing analysis is an important component in abusiness plan for artists pdf. That is why Julie got the services of marketing experts to help her through this important phase. In anny artist development plan, the importance of this part cannot be ignored.

To start a successful business for artists, you need to do an accurate marketing analysis, as the planning and execution of many other components depend on it. It also serves as the basis of your business strategy.

5.1 Market Trends

The trend in the art designing industry is that the market keeps expanding with time. Anything that cannot be done verbally needs to be put into some design to communicate or to send the message. If we look around, we are surrounded by arts.

From your coffee mug to the magazine cover, the ads on the TV all are applications of art designing. These are the reasons why the art designing industry is growing fast and is one of the biggest and fastest-growing companies in the world.

In 2017, around 335,000 art design companies were working all over the world. These include both small and large companies and people working as freelancers. The art design business is popular because all other businesses require their services to appear professional and to reach out to people.

5.2 Marketing Segmentation

Market segmentation is another important part of the sample regarding how to manage an artist pdf available online. All top performing artist marketing plan example templates include the detail about marketing segmentation for art design business.

The target market for PixelCo will be the corporate sector located in the US. According to research, the US houses more than 500,000 businesses which include both local, multinational and national businesses. These businesses have revenue in millions of dollars each year. It makes it easy for them to spend a lot of money on their art designing needs to promote their brands and to reach out to people.

To develop a good marketing strategy and to run a business seamlessly, it is important to analyze the market segmentation. An efficient and successful marketing strategy can only be developed after knowing the potential customers of any business. The market segmentation for PixelCo will be as follows:

Corporate sector

One of the biggest consumers of PixelCo will be the corporate sector located in Florida. These include local, national and multinational businesses that need art designing services to expand their business. These companies include product manufacturers, real estate owners, distributors, developers, banks, hotels, IT firms, software houses and advertising agencies. These companies will need our services to update their brand logos, make advertisements and manage their websites and social media pages.

Institutes and Organizations

Our next target group consists of organizations and institutions located in Florida. These include public and government sectors such as schools, universities and colleges, sports organizations, political parties, non-profit and religious organizations.

Print Companies

Our third and important target group will be digital media and print companies. These will include publication companies, video production companies and television studios. Due to its nature, this target group is one of the biggest consumers of artist and designing services.

5.3 Business Target

Our primary goal is to balance the cost of investment in the first two years of our launch. Our secondary goal is to become the best art design company in Florida within few years.

5.4 Product Pricing

When writing a marketing plan artist, the pricing is extremely crucial. The service and product pricing should be determined with great care. We have considered the market demands, and have priced all our services in a comparable range with other companies. All of our prices are similar to other companies except for logo making prices which are 30 percent less than other companies to promote sales.

Marketing Strategy for Artist Business

PixelCo will make sure that we meet the clients’ expectations and deliver the service as per their requirements. Any good independent artist business plan like this business plan for artist example pdf should have a clearly defined marketing strategy.

Our goal is to achieve a 15% increase in website traffic every month and we will work to turn 70% of the visitors into our consumers. We will also work on increasing the engagement rates. Engagement rates show the frequency at which visitors interact with the post. We aim to increase our social media following so we can reach out to maximum people.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

To survive in artist and design industry, you have to be very creative and should have innovative ideas regarding designs. Only then you can survive and grow.

PixelCo has a team of dedicated and hard-working professionals. All of the staff is highly trained and has excellent qualifications. Our biggest competitive advantage is the leadership of our owner Julie, who has worked in world-renowned companies.

6.2 Sales Strategy

Julie has carried out a detailed analysis and along with her team, and came up with excellent ideas to advertise her company.

• We will reach out to people by advertising our company by using social media platforms, newspapers, magazines and TV stations.
• In the first three months of our launch, we will offer a 20% discount on our all services
• We will offer a 30% discount on all of our services on customer’s referral.
• We will send introductory letters and brochures to other organizations.

6.3 Sales Monthly

6.4 Sales Yearly

6.5 Sales Forecast

Personnel plan

In an artist business plan or artist development plan, personnel plan is important as it provides an idea of personnel cost. If the staff is not loyal to the company, the company cannot make progress. It is difficult to estimate the type and number of staff needed to start a business until a business is launched. So to get through this step, it is important to take the advice of HR experts.

7.1  Company Staff

The following people will be needed to run PixelCo. Also, note that Julie Mark will be the owner and CEO of PixelCo business. The list of staff is as follows

• 1 operation manager
• 1 social media marketing manager
• 3 sales executive
• 2 animation and cartoon specialists
• 5 website developers
• 3 customer representatives
• 1 reception clerk
• 1 accountant

7.2  Average Salary of Employees

Financial plan.

When writing a business plan for artist, a financial plan is the next important thing after personnel plan. Any good business plan for artists clearly lists all costs, such as the cost of startup, payroll, inventory, utilities and equipment.

The major expense/ costs include:

• The interior design of the office
• Office space rent
• Cost of inventory – furniture, chairs, tables and laptops
• Salary of employees
• Bonds, securities, registration costs, and insurance
• Cost of buying software

8.1 Important Assumptions

8.2 break-even analysis.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

8.3.1 profit monthly.

8.3.2 Profit Yearly

8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly

8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

8.6 business ratios.

• How can I start my own business as an artist?

To start a business as an artist, you need to use your skill. Make a business plan for artist and work on it to start your own business. You can easily start it once you have made a good business plan for makeup artist. After that, just follow the steps to start a successful business.

• How do I write a business plan for an artist?

You can use this business plan template for artist to write your own plan.

• Is an artist a business?

Not all entrepreneurs are artists but it is the fact that all artists are entrepreneurs. Being an artist you can polish your skill and then use it to make a living out of it. The business for artists is their skill through which they can earn money.

• How much does an art business make?

The amount of money that an art business can make depends upon the type of art you are selling. For example, if you are a graphic artist, you can make a lot of money as compared to an artist who is just a painter.

Download Artist Business Plan Template in pdf

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What Is An Artist Marketing Plan And How To Write One That Works For You (Step By Step Guide)

More and more people are opting to start businesses, allowing them a better work/life  balance.

And the world of Art is no exception. 

An Artist Business Plan (ABP) is a document that lays out your plans for success.

Whether you’re starting a new career, launching a side hustle, or expanding an existing one, having a clear set of goals and strategies laid out ahead of time helps ensure that you are making smart decisions along the way.

A good ABP includes three main sections: Mission Statement, Vision & Goals, and Action Plans.

These sections should each include specific information about your art, your audience, your skills, and your desired outcomes.

Let’s look in more detail about what to include in the business plan. (Also see: How to Build a Profitable ART Business )

Mission And Vision 

Your vision statement is a short description of how you see your art business growing over the next five years.

What are some of the things you hope to accomplish?

How much revenue do you hope to generate? Where do you think your career will take you? 

Your vision statement should include both long-term goals and shorter term objectives.

Think about where you’d like to be in ten years – perhaps you’re hoping to have a thriving studio and sell your work online.

Or maybe you just want to make enough money to pay off student loans.

Whatever the case, keep your vision simple and realistic. 

Don’t set impossible expectations for yourself.

Remember that your vision statement needs to be something that you believe in and can live up to.

If you don’t believe in it, why should anyone else?

Step 1 Understanding Your Art 

Artists often struggle with self-doubt. They wonder why they aren’t getting better, whether they’re good enough, whether anyone else likes what they do.

This isn’t just about being confident; it’s about understanding how you work and where you want to go. 

You’ll never know everything there is to know about art, but reading books, talking to people, watching videos, and looking at examples of great art can help you understand yourself and your art.

Step 2 Customers/Target Market  

The second part of our process is to understand what makes your customer tick.

This is where we start digging into the nitty gritty of your customer life and uncovering some interesting facts about your potential clients.

We want to know everything there is to know about your customer.

You can identify your target market once you know what type of art you’d like to create.

You need to understand who those people are, how they behave online, and where they hang out.

The best way to learn about your target market is to look at your existing customers and prospects.

Start by identifying your ideal customer. What does she look like?

Where does she live? How much money does she make?

Next, look at your current customers and prospects.

Who are they? Do they fit your ideal customer profile? Are there any gaps in your knowledge?

Finally, take some time to research your market.

Find out what types of artists are already doing well in your field, and who else is creating similar artwork.

Step 3 Seek Out The Rich

The best place to start is by following the money. What do rich people buy?

How does someone become wealthy? And what makes something expensive?

These questions help you figure out what types of customers you’ll attract.

If you’re looking to make a living selling paintings, you might want to target affluent individuals.

Why? Because those people already have the money to spend.

So why not give them something beautiful to hang on their walls?

Or maybe you’d rather focus on high-end items.

Find out exactly who your potential buyers are and what they’re willing to spend.

Then find a way to bring your artwork to them.

Step 4  Focus On Local

Social media is great for selling art, but it’s unlikely going to sell enough art for you to survive.

You’re going to have to start somewhere, and that somewhere is probably closer to home than you think. 

If you’ve been thinking about starting a blog, now might be a good time to start one.

If you want to post pictures of your artwork online, there are plenty of free photo sharing sites out there like Flickr and Instagram that allow you to upload photos without paying anything.

You can then direct them to local areas. 

If you’re looking for a way to market your art, don’t waste too much money initially on advertising.

Instead, spend your money finding ways to connect with people in your area.

There are many different kinds of communities where artists hang out online, including groups on Facebook, forums on Reddit, and blogs on Medium.

These are all excellent places to meet people interested in buying your art.

You may also want to consider joining a photography club.

Most cities have clubs that focus on everything from pet photography to sports photography to wedding photography.

They often offer workshops and seminars, and they’re a great way to learn how to take better portraits.

Some even provide memberships to professional photographers who teach classes, allowing you to practice what you learn under their watchful eyes.

Step 5 Writing Your Plan

The most common mistake entrepreneurs make is failing to write a business plan.

This is one of the most critical pieces of information needed to start a successful business.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter how great your product or service is — no one else does either. 

Your business plan lays out the vision, mission, and goals of your business.

You’ll want to include some of the following sections:

Executive Summary

This section presents the key points of your business plan.

Include the name of the business, the location where it will operate, the date it will open, the number of employees required, and the projected annual revenue.

Mission Statement

This statement describes the reason why you’re starting up the business in the first place.

For example, “I will provide unique artwork customized to your needs”

Product/Service Description

In this section, describe the products or services you offer.

Be specific about what you do, how you do it, and what makes you unique.

Market Analysis

Identify your target market. Where is there demand for your goods or services?

What problems are people having today that could benefit from your offering?

Financial Plan

Develop a budget for the next three years. Include projections for sales, expenses, and profit margins.

Marketing Plan

Describe your marketing strategy. Will you use traditional advertising methods such as newspaper ads, billboards, radio spots, etc.? Or will you focus on social media and online marketing?

(Check out: Creating an Art Marketing Plan for 2018 and Beyond )

Conclusion 

An Artist marketing plan can help you get started on the road to success.

It’s important to understand that an artist marketing plan isn’t just a list of tasks.

Rather, it’s a roadmap that helps you map out your entire journey.

The more detailed your plan is, the easier it will be to follow through.

With a positive mindset and plenty of hard work your Art selling business has the potential to grow and thrive.

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The Visual Business Plan Template for Artists

Give ‘business plans' a Google, and you’re going to find an extremely wide array of types of business plans. There’s so many different categories under each plan, and each category is supposedly ‘vital’ and ‘mandatory’.

Each business school teaches you a different way to write your business plan, and each article on the internet does the same. (This particular article on the internet offers up the best, most visual one, of course.) If we outlined our business plans according to what common reputable sources say that we need to include in it, it would be a 240 page dissertation that no one - not even yourself at a later date - would take the time to read.

What this confusion unfortunately results in is the skipping of writing a business plan altogether, because it all just seems... unnecessary. But a good business plan is incredibly advantageous - we just have to boil it down to the right elements first.

The point of a good business plan is clarification

Including everything under the sun about what your business currently is and does, and what it might be and do in the future is not clarifying a f*cking thing for you. However, if you're looking to raise funding, investors are going to want a thorough breakdown of metrics & projections. But if you just want to draw up your business plan for you yourself so that it can guide everything, then boiling it down to the basics so that you don't get stuck here makes sense. 

When you do a good job boiling your business plan elements down to what really matters to you and the type of future brand that you want to have, it does offer clarification.  Writing out super corporate-y details when it's just you doesn’t seem necessary, right?  Writing a 6 page wall of words when you’re a visual person just doesn’t make sense as well. Including a comprehensive marketing plan when you haven’t even figured out your main type of product or service that you want to offer also doesn’t make sense. So d on’t waste a bunch of time here.

When making a business plan, boil it all down to the elements that matter the most to you, and nothing more.

After being frustrated and uninspired with the available business plan templates out there in InternetLand, I made my own. (I'm a very visual person & absolutely loathe wasting time on unnecessary tasks.) I boiled everything down to the elements that meant the most to me, made it visual, and then I tweaked it over time. Then I merged my real-life business experience with what I learned from my business degree & years of corporate experience, and came up with a business plan template for other artists to use. So naturally, it's one that's visual & contains absolutely no time-wasting fluff. 

Get the Visual Business Plan Template for Artists emailed to you below, and then open it up and we’ll go over it right here and now:

This is interactive, so if you’re opening it up on your desktop, you can write directly into the boxes as we go along.  You can have your business plan written by the end of reading this article.

Let’s dive right in!

Mission Statement

This is top priority - it guides every single project and task that I do. Your mission statement is where you write out your brand’s main goal and how you achieve it. (Also a great thing to keep on your homepage or ‘About’ page.) A good example is one that explains what you do, how you do it, & who you help/who your audience is. 

In the age of the internet, we’re extremely distracted - your mission statement is how you stay focused. Shiny object syndrome is super real, and you might have even experienced it firsthand.   It holds so, so many of us back. ( This blog post on Shiny Object Syndrome is for you if any of that sounds familiar .)   When figuring out the next task or project to do , ask yourself ‘Does it align with my mission statement?’ If it doesn’t - save yourself some time and don’t do it. If you center your projects and tasks around only ones that directly align with your mission statement, your focus will be astronomically higher, and your productivity will benefit greatly.

Value Proposition

How do you propose value ? I’m not just talking about making your audience happy because they have an awesome painting in their living room - what else are you offering? Tutorials? Opportunities? A really important message that the world needs to hear? Collaborations that pull at the heart strings and evoke deep-seated emotion? If you’re not planning your business around the value that you offer, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Marketing is going to be tough, selling is going to be tough, maintaining your motivation to get through the grindy parts of business is going to be tough - unless you make it about value.

If you just want to be rich and have the freedom to work from anywhere - that’s cool - most of us want that. But I believe that the best brands factor in their value and overall contribution.  You can have wealth and freedom, and impact peoples’ lives in a positive way.

In your template, write in the value proposition box how you plan on contributing to the world - what are you offering people that's making their lives better? The stronger the value proposition, the stronger an impact you can make for us humans. (And the easier marketing will be.)

Product Description

T his doesn’t just have to be paintings or sculpture. Maybe you also sell consulting services, offer art licensing & brand partnerships, use affiliate marketing, or teach a course or video series on techniques or art business strategies - put all of these into the box.

Competitor Descriptions

Competition tends to makes us all better. Whether you try to make your product better than theirs, model your strategy after them, or approach them for collaboration opportunities - you need to know your competition so that you can understand where you fit into the market place from your clients' perspective. 

This requires a lil’ research. When I was first filling out one of these competitive analysis boxes for an entrepreneur competition, I thought ‘Ugh! Why do I need to do this? No one does what I do, and no one offers what I’m offering’.  Type in adjectives describing the type of work that you do into any search bar (Google, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok, etc.) or ask friends/family/colleagues about similar types of work to yours & I bet you'll find something close. 

Your greater audience isn't going to delve deep into your specific offerings - they're probably just going to lump you in somewhere, and you need to be aware of what that 'lump' is. (And it's not anything personal when you get 'lumped' in somewhere - it's just how our human brains seem to work.)

Understanding your competitors is imperative if you want to be able to explain what makes you different from other brands in your marketspace.

And not only that, but you can figure out how to strategically position yourself inside your market so that no one is offering what you’re offering. For example, some of Evergray’s competitors have a monthly membership subscription for artists, or they teach you how to master a specific social media platform like Instagram - I need to know all of these things if I’m to make sure that I’m not positioning my company in a way that someone else already has.

(Heads up - jargon coming your way!) Once I'm aware of my competition, I  can identify my  market differentiators & be sure to include these differentiators in my overall marketing so that my audience knows how my offerings are different.

Marketing Plan

Ok - don’t overthink this part . (I totally did!) Just list out the platforms and strategies that you plan on using. These could be everything under the sun - Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, social media advertising, SEO, a word of mouth strategy, webinars, Linkedin, Facebook groups, writing articles for features, job posting sites, collaborations with other artists or influencers and other brands, etc.

With marketing, it’s going to be pretty difficult to immediately know if something is going to work for you and your particular setup. (With ‘setup’ being the market, your product, your branding, current social media algorithms, etc.) Instead, what makes more sense is to keep an open mind and have a marketing plan that you’ll test out and tweak with little optimizations here and there until you see some success. Some things will work and some will not - just keep up with it because in the age of the internet, successful marketing can have many different faces. And make sure that you tackle only one strategy or social media platform at a time - it’ll be very difficult to make actual progress if you’re chasing a bunch of shiny objects all at once.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Threats, and analyzing all of this is INVALUABLE . You’re basically defining your business for what it is at its core, and you can use this to determine which marketing strategies are going to work best.

If you actually know all of your business’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, & threats when you’re writing out your business plan, you’re a f*cking genius. It’s so tough to know how exactly your business is going to stack up in the first stages (which for me, those stages lasted about 3 years). But just do a little research, and make your best guess as to what your business’ actual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are. 

Vision/Long-term Goals

This differs from your mission statement because the mission statement is more practical and current, whereas the vision is more like your hopes and dreams for the business. Maybe right now, your mission statement is ‘a visual artist devoted to empowering self-confessed, non-creative people via workshops and tutorials’, but your vision and long-term goal might be ‘establishing a strong, supportive community that fosters creativity cultivation’. Are you pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

Putting the Visual Business Plan Template for Artists to Use

If you fill in the whole business plan template, and it doesn’t seem all that doable or enjoyable to you - pivot , which just means adjust your strategy a bit .  ( Here's where 'pivot' comes from ) If there’s too much competition and not enough value that you're able to offer in comparison - pivot to offer a different type of value that other competitors aren’t. If your competitors all have pretty much the same mission statement as you, pivot to help a slightly different group of people who don’t have as much options or support.

I know that we're still talking about art here, and for most people, it's easy to say  'What do you mean 'pivot' to offer more options or support to a different group of people?'  'How are all artists not out to just make art & make a living doing it?'  But you & I know that artists can serve many different types of experiences, products, & services to many different types of people.

If you look at your SWOT analysis and your strengths are pretty unique compared to your competitors - pivot and make sure that the rest of your business plan is focused on playing up your strengths because that’s where you have the most to offer.

Use your business plan to review your current ideas for what you’re going to do next, and don’t be scared to pivot so that your business is positioned in the best possible way.

Not sure what to even put in this business plan looking for a concrete framework to take your art brand to the next level  the 7 day online artist plan has your back., what is the 7 day online artist plan.

It's an online course that eliminates distractions & gives you the blueprint for being an artist with a powerful online brand. And you'll be able to create that powerful online brand foundation  in 7 days.

Why is it so special?

The 7 Day Online Artist Plan  is affordable, straightforward, cuts to the transformation part really fast,   and there's nothing like it in the market today.  This is  not  a smorgasbord of advice wrapped up with a bow - it's a journey that moves the needle in a MASSIVE way because the strategy  behind it is coming from someone who has both the business chops  and  the artist perspective. And it's set up to happen so fast that you can't get distracted.

So excited about the SWOT, especially where you said about pivoting; playing up one’s strength if one finds it different from other competitors. Makes one stand out😁

Thank you Evergray

This definitely shows me where I am at from a visual perspective and for once there is something that is easy for me to understand and grow from. Thank you:)

Most excited about our Value Proposition.

Most confused about our SWOT.

Marketing plan

I’m most excited about SWOT! :)

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The Beginner’s One-Page Art Business Plan

Do you have a plan for your art business?

A business plan can help you strengthen your focus , identify your strengths and weaknesses, figure out how to get where you want to be, and understand what other artists are doing. (Check out our interview with artist Ann Rea on how to start your art business with a bang .)

We received some feedback that the business plan shared in the original post linked above felt too overwhelming for artists just beginning to think about turning their passion into a business.

The last thing we want is for anyone to be scared away from following their dream of selling their art, fearing perhaps that they must have an MBA to successfully craft a coherent business plan.

So let’s take a step back! We’ve broken the business plan down to its most essential parts. Rather than four pages, it’s a single page with the key elements you need when just starting out to give your art business a strong foundation and a competitive edge.

You can fill the form out and then save it to your computer, or print and fill it out the old-fashioned way. Let us know what you think!

Download the One-Page Art Business Plan

January 25, 2018 at 12:43 PM

Thank you. This helps “step it down” from the four pages (which mightily steps it down from 40 pages!); this makes a smaller *first* step in trying to get one’s head wrapped around a business plan as an artist, especially for artists who may not necessarily see themselves being sponsored by another’s gallery anytime soon, or ever. There is already too much head-game-playeth as a struggling/starving/naive artist to get mixed up in a gallery where everyone else certainly seems a “whole lot more talented” than one currently arts upon. Oh, such criticality from one’s own head!

July 6, 2019 at 3:11 PM

This will make a great single page, rough draft, for my business plan. One that I can expand into the larger format. thank you for the resource!

April 10, 2020 at 11:31 PM

Thanks for this plan style

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