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Crafting an Artist Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2024

Jan 24, 2024

Every artist dreams of turning their passion into a successful career, but navigating the business side of the art world can be daunting. Creating a comprehensive artist business plan is the key to transforming your passion into a thriving and sustainable art business .

This step-by-step guide for 2024 will walk you through the process of crafting an effective business plan that will help you achieve your artistic dreams and financial goals. Plus, get instant access to our free guide for creating art that sells so you can grow your business.

This article shows you how to create a business plan for your artist business, including these highlights:

Essentials to include in your artist business plan, such as your artistic vision and goals, your target audience (or ideal collector), and your unique selling proposition (artistic voice)

How to research and analyze the art market to help you price your artwork effectively, and how to manage the financial aspects of your artist business

Marketing and promotion strategies for artists and the value of building an effective team to help you achieve the goals of your artist business plan

The Essentials of an Artist Business Plan

artist hub business plan

An artist writing a business plan in a creative workspace. Photo by Surface on Unsplash

An effective artist business plan is more than just a document outlining your goals and strategies—it’s the foundation of your art business and a roadmap to success. It helps you gain a better understanding of your artist business, identify your target audience (or ideal collector), and establish your unique selling proposition (or artistic voice). A well-crafted art business plan is essential for attracting clients, securing financing, and expanding your art career.

Your artist business plan should include:

Your artistic vision and goals

A description of your target audience or ideal collector

Your unique selling proposition (USP)

Information about trends in the art marketplace and your competitors

A detailed description of your products and services

A marketing plan

A comprehensive financial plan

Key roles to build your artist business team

A business plan is essential for the success of your venture because it's your guide to achieving your artistic and financial goals.

Define Your Artistic Vision and Goals

The first step in creating a business plan is to define your artistic vision and overall objectives. Understanding your artistic vision and goals equips you to steer your art business toward success. Your business plan will serve as the guiding principle for all the decisions you’ll make moving forward.

Your vision statement should outline what you want to be known for, the venues where you’d like to showcase your art, and potential collaborators essential for a successful creative art business. By asking yourself why you chose this path and what you hope to achieve, you can stay on course even during tough times.

Along with a clear vision, detail your goals. Break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps to make the process less overwhelming and more achievable. When formulating your artist business plan, consider the resources you have at your disposal, such as your skills, connections within the art industry, and the funding required to bring your vision to life.

Identify Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience (or ideal collector) will enable you to customize your marketing strategies and establish a connection with potential customers. To help you identify your ideal collector, ask questions like, “What age group or income level could possibly access your art pieces?” or “Which kind of buyers understand your work?” In your business plan, include demographics, geographic location, and psychographic attributes of the collector in the description of your target market.

Assess Your Unique Selling Proposition

Your unique selling proposition (USP) is a statement that outlines the distinguishing features of your art, including your style, visual appeal, and the benefits of your products and services. The USP can help you stand out from other artists and showcase the distinct qualities of your offerings. Include a well-crafted USP in your art business plan to highlight the uniqueness that will help you leave your mark in the art world.

Market Research and Analysis

artist hub business plan

An artist looking at industry trends and analyzing the art market. Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash

Researching and analyzing the art marketplace are fundamental for understanding the art industry, formulating a competitive strategy, making informed decisions, and adjusting your business strategies as needed.

A SWOT analysis evaluates s trengths, w eaknesses, o pportunities, and t hreats so you can develop effective strategies to grow your artist business. This comprehensive evaluation helps you identify opportunities and threats in the market, assess your own strengths and weaknesses, and develop strategies to address those opportunities and threats by capitalizing on your strengths.

Consistently revisiting your SWOT analysis allows you to monitor progress, identify potential improvement areas, and make strategic adjustments as required.

Analyze Industry Trends

Examining industry trends is crucial for staying relevant and adjusting your business strategies accordingly. You can stay informed about industry trends by following or subscribing to art publications, participating in art events, and networking with other art professionals.

Maintaining an awareness of trends and openness to innovative approaches ensures your art business sustains its competitive edge in a swiftly evolving market.

Evaluate Competitors

The knowledge you gain from in-depth market research helps you identify direct and indirect competitors in the art world and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Understanding your competitors is essential for identifying your own strengths and weaknesses and creating a competitive advantage.

In your business plan, provide an overview of your competitors and insight into their strengths and weaknesses. This enhances your market positioning and fosters a unique advantage to help your art business flourish.

Product and Service Offerings

artist hub business plan

An artist diversifying their portfolio with different art pieces. Photo by Antonio Francisco on Unsplash

Diversifying your artist portfolio, offering various products and services, and developing pricing strategies are essential for sustaining profitability and communicating the value of your art business to potential investors and collectors. Your business plan should include a detailed outline of these aspects of your business.

Offering a diverse range of art products and services enables you to accommodate a wider audience, increase your revenue streams, and secure the success and sustainability of your art business. Consider showcasing your artwork in physical galleries, online sales, artist associations, or a combination of these options.

Pricing Strategies

When it comes to pricing, consistency is key. Your strategy should be to increase your artwork's prices and value gradually over time. There are two primary pricing models to consider—one for the established market and another for creating your own market niche.

In the established art market, a common approach is to assign a set price per square inch, with canvas pieces typically starting at $2-$3 per square inch. Works on paper may be priced 20-50% lower to reflect market standards. These figures represent starting prices for emerging artists within gallery spaces. When dealing with dealers, designers, or wholesalers, you must present your retail prices upfront and negotiate from there, ensuring transparency and maintaining value.

Alternatively, crafting your own art market affords greater flexibility. Here, you can opt for lower pricing to sell more pieces rapidly, relying on volume. However, if you aim to position your work at a higher price point, you may sell less frequently but can offer prints as a more accessible option to your audience. You might set prices based on size, the effort involved, or the uniqueness of each piece. Starting at $1 per square inch could be viable, particularly as it allows you to retain most of the earnings, unlike gallery sales, where commissions are involved.

Regardless of the market you choose to engage with, it's crucial to justify your prices and understand their rationale. Consistency in pricing not only helps in building trust with your collectors but also aligns with supply and demand dynamics, considering the financial climate of your target market. Your artist business plan should include a detailed outline of your diverse offerings and a thorough pricing strategy that reflects these considerations, setting the stage for a thriving artistic enterprise.

Marketing and Promotion Strategies

artist hub business plan

An artist building an online presence with social media platforms. Photo by Josh Withers on Unsplash

Your business plan must detail your marketing and promotion strategies, which are critical for reaching your ideal collectors and enhancing sales. A well-planned marketing strategy helps you effectively communicate your unique selling proposition to potential customers and establish a connection with them. Use diverse marketing channels, including:

Social media

Email marketing

Content marketing

Building an online presence, networking with art professionals, and participating in art fairs and galleries are essential to a successful art marketing plan. Employing these strategies effectively displays your work, builds connections with potential buyers, and expands your artist brand.

Build an Online Presence

A strong online presence lets you showcase your work, connect with potential buyers, and grow your brand. Creating an artist website featuring a portfolio of your work and a compelling artist statement can help you attract collectors and establish credibility. Design your artist website with care and attention to detail to ensure success in the competitive art world.

Furthermore, leveraging social media platforms such as Instagram, as well as online marketplaces like Etsy, can help you monetize your work and reach a broader audience.

Network and Collaborate

Networking and collaboration are vital for building relationships, gaining exposure, and learning from others in the art industry. Here are some ways to connect with fellow artists and industry professionals:

Attend art events

Join professional organizations

Engage in online forums

Utilize social media

These activities can help you build valuable connections and expand your network. By fostering these relationships, you can gain valuable insights, identify potential collaborators, and stay informed about art industry trends and opportunities.

Participate in Art Fairs and Galleries

Art fairs and galleries offer excellent opportunities for artists to gain exposure, sell their work, and establish credibility in the art world. By participating in art fairs and showcasing your work in galleries, you can reach a wider audience and attract potential buyers.

Researching and connecting with local, national, and international art fairs and galleries can help you identify the best venues for showcasing your work and growing your art business.

Financial Planning and Management

artist hub business plan

An artist creating a budget and financial projections. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Financial planning and management are critical for ensuring the success and sustainability of your art business. Formulating a budget, generating financial projections, and overseeing your financial performance empower you to make informed decisions and proficiently manage your finances. Including a well-structured financial plan in your business plan will also help you attract potential investors and secure financing to grow your art business.

Managing your finances involves tracking your income and expenses, establishing financial goals, and adjusting your expenditures accordingly. Regular reviews of your financial statements and necessary strategy adjustments guarantee your art business sustains its financial health and viability.

Create a Budget

Creating a budget is essential for managing your funds, allocating resources, and planning for growth. It helps you set financial objectives, monitor your income and expenses, and adjust your spending accordingly.

To effectively track and adjust your budget, review it regularly and identify potential areas for cost reduction. For example, can you find a more affordable source for your paints or canvases? Are you wasting art supplies, and can you adjust your techniques to maximize what you have for greater profitability?

A well-managed budget enables you to make better decisions and achieve your financial goals without spending money carelessly.

Establish Financial Projections

Financial projections are estimates of future income and expenses that help you make informed decisions about your business. By gathering data, constructing a budget, establishing a timeline, and predicting future income and expenses, you can create a roadmap for your art business’s financial future. For example, what art pieces do you plan to create over the next few months, what will the supplies cost, and at what price do you plan to sell each piece?

These projections will enable you to plan for growth, manage risks, and ensure the achievement of your short-term and long-term goals for the success of your business.

Monitor Financial Performance

Monitoring financial performance is essential for identifying areas for improvement and adjusting strategies accordingly. To gain a comprehensive understanding of your art business's financial health, review your:

Regularly updating your financials and comparing them to your projections will help you evaluate your progress and make informed decisions.

Building an Effective Team

artist hub business plan

An artist recruiting and retaining talent for their team. Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

All artists need support and encouragement, and a robust team can become the cornerstone of your business, facilitating the achievement of your artistic and financial goals. A team lets you focus on your core competencies (the things you’re best at) and ensure tasks are completed efficiently. Furthermore, a strong team can provide valuable guidance, assistance, and expertise to help you make informed decisions and drive your business forward.

Identify Key Roles

artist hub business plan

A person holding a pen and writing on a notepad, with the words artist business plan written on the top of the page. Original photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Identifying key roles in your art business is crucial for delegating tasks and focusing on your core competencies. Roles to consider in an artist business plan include:

The manager

The accountant

The marketing team

As a hard-working artist, delegating tasks to a team of skilled professionals allows you to concentrate on your strengths—like creating art that changes the world—and ensures that your art business runs smoothly and efficiently.

These roles may not require full-time personnel, but knowing who you can trust to help with various aspects of your art business frees you to focus on the work you enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

artist hub business plan

An artist in an art studio creating a business plan for a successful art career. Photo by Surface on Unsplash

How do I write a business plan for an artist?

To write a business plan for artists, begin by defining a vision statement and setting realistic goals. Define your target customers or ideal collectors, research your competitors, and detail your unique sales proposition—the qualities that make your artist business stand out. Be sure to include marketing strategies, financial plans and projections, and descriptions of your products and services in your business plan.

How can I identify my target audience or ideal collectors?

To identify your target audience or ideal collectors, consider demographics, geographic location, and psychographic attributes of potential buyers, such as age group, income level, and preferences. Doing so will help pinpoint who will most likely be interested in your art and help you connect with potential buyers.

What should be included in my online portfolio?

Your online portfolio should feature a selection of your best work, a professional artist statement, and biographical information to paint a clear picture of your artistic vision. Include testimonials from past customers to add credibility to your work.

How can I effectively price my art?

A consistent pricing strategy is the key to building trust with your collectors and aligning with the financial climate of your target market. When pricing pieces for the established art market, the most common method is to set a price per square inch. To craft your own art market, opt for lower pricing to sell more volume. You might set prices based on size, the effort involved, or the uniqueness of each piece.

A Business Plan for Artists to Change the World

Creating a comprehensive artist business plan is the key to transforming your passion into a thriving and sustainable business. By defining your artistic vision, identifying your ideal collectors, researching the art market, and developing marketing and financial strategies, you can set your art business on the path to success. Building an effective team can provide valuable support and guidance along the way. With dedication, hard work, and a well-crafted business plan, the world of art is yours to conquer.

Download our free guide on How to Create Authentic Art that Sells to learn what’s trending and help you ensure more art sales while staying true to your own artistic voice.

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Artist Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

artist business plan template

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 and art galleries . 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 a 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

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.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

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

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Artist business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how Growthink’s business planning advisors can create your business plan for you.

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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.

Sean’s Scenic Creations Pro Forma Projections

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.

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How to Wrtie an Artist business plan + Free Template

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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,

Business overview example for artist business

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. :

Market Analysis Example for Art Business

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.

inventory management strategy

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:

organization chart example of art business

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:

example of a projected balance sheet for art business

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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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

artist hub business plan

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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Download How to Wrtie an Artist business plan + Free Template

How to Write a Business Plan for an Artist’s Business

Female entrepreneur working on a piece of clay pottery within her shop. Considering if she needs to write a business plan for her art business.

7 min. read

Updated January 24, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Arts and Crafts Business Plan Templates

“But how can I write a business plan? I’m an artist.”

He was one of my favorite students in the class I used to teach on starting a business. He had a delightful way of challenging assumptions, occasionally on the basis that art, by its very nature, was above—or perhaps immune—to cash flow. As a student, he was engaged, intelligent, and eager to learn; so yes, he was one of my favorites.

“What, you aren’t going to sell paintings?” I responded. “You don’t plan to pay your rent and other expenses? You don’t care if checks bounce?”

How you make money is at the heart of an artist’s business plan

He agreed, somewhat begrudgingly, that maybe an artist wanted to survive in the world like anybody else.

On reflection, he decided that he liked the idea of making a living without abandoning his art. In the end, he saw himself in a condition similar to the professional, like a bookkeeper or consultant, faced with the idea of doing what he loved, in conjunction with a plan.

In this case, being an artist meant creating paintings to be hung on walls. But “artist” can mean a broad range of related things, from fine art and (ugh, so crass) commercial art, to design, writing, acting, stand-up comedy, and even live art. I’m in favor of whatever works for you and in awe of people who actually manage to combine talent, passion, and hard word to make that work for them as a way of life. Hats off.

So how do you make a business plan and use it to optimize the business side of your art? Here are some suggestions.

The big idea—making money

The first big hurdle for the artist business plan is what they call the business model, or, if you don’t like the trendy buzzword, how you make money.

If you’re a performer, I assume it’s about gigs, managers, and that stuff. Or, it’s about selling your paintings, sculptures, or photographs. Maybe you’re okay with being the starving artist, but if not, it’s “show me the money.” Don’t discount the obvious—take a look at the results of a quick web search, in the illustration here, for  “where to sell my paintings.”

Don’t completely discount the related businesses. Writers teach literature, painters teach fine arts. There are galleries. There are websites buying, selling, and collecting art. You can be as creative with the business model as you are with your art. Stand-up comedy is a tough career, I hear, but there are people getting around the gatekeepers using YouTube and downloads.

One of my personal favorite artist-with-a-plan stories is the story of  Paul Anthony and Rumblefish.  He was a talented musician—a drummer who built a business around selling music rights for films and ads. He started from his dorm room at the University of Oregon in 1996; he sold his company, Rumblefish.com, for $27 million in 2015.

Eventually, you settle in on how you hope to make money. Talk to people about it, search the web, sample websites, ads, displays, prices—get as much how-to information as you can and settle in on what you’re going to try.

That is the heart of your artist business plan: how you make money.

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  • Strategy and tactics

Strategy is focus. It’s as much about what you don’t do as what you do. Figure out where you are going to concentrate your business efforts. It could be as simple as what kind of work you sell, to whom, through what channels. Or it might be what kind of performance, and how you reach the gatekeepers. Think about what makes you different, who will buy from you, and what you sell to them.

With strategy set, you need tactics to execute. Tactics are decisions you make about pricing, channels, websites, social media, managers, agents, stores, overhead, allies, and so forth. Make sure your tactics match your strategy.

For more on strategy and tactics, check out  Strategy Is Useless without Execution  and  Strategic Plan for Your Business,  also here on Bplans. If you’re a  LivePlan  user, determining your strategy and tactics can be as simple and direct as filling out the pitch page in LivePlan, which defines market, strategy, tactics, and so forth. If not, strategy and tactics can be as easy as a few bullet points you set down and keep track of. You don’t have to include long eloquent texts to make a business plan for yourself. Just include what you need, and will use.

  • Milestones and metrics

Think through some manageable and measurable milestones—goals—you’re going to meet along the way. It might be your first gig; your first painting sold; your first painting available through some website; your first YouTube video posted, or the 100th; or maybe reaching 500 likes or 1,000 followers; or getting on the Jimmy Fallon show. Try to spell it out, though, so you can aim for it and work toward it.

The metrics help you track progress. Units sold, gigs, unique visitors, conversion rates, viewers, likes, follows—avoid having a plan full of generalities only. Keep it concrete and specific so you can use it to guide yourself and optimize your business.

For more on that, read  Milestones Make Your Business Plan a Real Plan.  For a personal view of metrics, with some suggestions, read my post on my blog here at Bplans:  Magic of Metrics, Tyranny of Metrics.

  • Essential business numbers

Although a lot of people fear forecasts, don’t. It’s easier to do essential forecasts than to run a business without them. A simple sales forecast can be extremely helpful for your business later, as you track actual results, compare them to the forecast, and analyze the difference. What went right? What went wrong? Where were you off? If you don’t lay out a  forecast  first, you lose the opportunity to follow up with the management of it.

And yes, I know, you’re an artist, that’s not what you do. It’s hard on the self-image, but it’s good for the bank balance. You can do it, and it will help you succeed. Consider this previous post:

Do a spending budget linked to the sales forecast. A lot of your spending—marketing activities, for example—ought to have a direct connection with the projected sales that will result. For more on that, try my recent post on my blog here at Bplans:  How to Do a Spending Budget.  That’s part of a whole series I finished recently, on  standard business plan financials.

And, most important, plan your cash flow. Make sure you have enough cash in the bank to pay your rent and other bills. Having enough sales is a critical first step, managing spending is next, and then make sure you have the full cash flow including things like loan repayment, buying inventory, and supplies. For more on cash flow, try this post:  How to Forecast Cash Flow.

Remember: It’s planning that matters, not just the plan

The point of the business plan for most artists isn’t just having the plan; it’s using it to optimize your business. Expect your plan to change often. It’s a cycle that starts with the first plan and continues from then on, as long as you are in business. I call it P-R-R-R, as in the illustration here on the right.

Use it like a dashboard, a tool for checking your progress against goals, for tracking results, and doing regular course corrections. Think of it as a business navigation system, which includes destination, route, and—with regular review and revisions—real-time information to adjust the route as you go.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Content Author: Tim Berry

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

Check out LivePlan

Table of Contents

  • The big idea—making money
  • Remember: It’s planning that matters, not just the plan

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Artists Business Plan Template

NOV.10, 2021

artist business plan

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

Artist Business Plan - 3 Years Profit Forecast

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.

Artist Business Plan - Startup Cost

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:

Artist Business Plan - Marketing Segmentation

UK Start-Up Visa Business Plan

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

Artist Business Plan - Sales Monthly

6.4 Sales Yearly

Artist Business Plan - Sales Yearly

6.5 Sales Forecast

Artist Business Plan - Unit Sales

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.

Artist Business Plan - Break-even Analysis

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

8.3.1 profit monthly.

Artist Business Plan - Profit Monthly

8.3.2 Profit Yearly

Artist Business Plan - Profit Yearly

8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly

Artist Business Plan - Gross Margin Monthly

8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly

Artist Business Plan - Gross Margin Yearly

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

Artist Business Plan - Project 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

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

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Record Label Mavericks Logo Design

How To Write a Winning Artist Management Business Plan + Template

Record Label Business Plan Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for artist management businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective record label business plan , you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every artist management business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is an Artist Management Business Plan?

An artist management business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write an Artist Management Business Plan?

An artist management business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Artist Management Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful artist management business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of an artist management business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

  • Start with a one-line description of your artist management company
  • Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your artist management business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your artist management firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen artist management business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of an artist management business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

  • What part of the artist management industry are you targeting?
  • How big is the market?
  • What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the clients of an artist management business may include record labels, concert promoters, and other businesses in the music industry.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or artist management services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your artist management business may have:

  • Comprehensive artist management services
  • Proven track record of success
  • Extensive industry experience
  • Strong relationships with key industry players
  • Innovative business model

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

  • Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
  • Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
  • Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
  • Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your artist management business via word-of-mouth or by exhibiting at trade shows.

Operations Plan

This part of your artist management business plan should include the following information:

  • How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
  • What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for an artist management business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include signing on X number of clients, or booking Y number of shows.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific artist management industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

  • Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
  • Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
  • Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Artist Management Firm

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

  • Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
  • Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
  • Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Artist Management Firm

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

  • Cash Flow From Operations
  • Cash Flow From Investments
  • Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup artist management business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Artist Management Firm

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

  • Your complete financial projections
  • A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
  • Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your artist management company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Remember to keep your business plan updated as your company grows and changes. Review it at least once a year to make sure it is still relevant and accurate.  

Finish Your Artist Management Company Business Plan in 1 Day!

How to Sell Art Online | Online Marketing for Artists

Helping artists sell their art online since 2009. Blog, guides, courses, and coaching for artists.

Business Plans for Artists: Here, I Did It for You!

artist hub business plan

Also, check out Jennifer’s book!

You’ll want to see her Right Brain Business Plan home study course .*

Not Ready for A Full Right Brain Business Plan?

Here’s a simple 4 page example plan that will help you get started.

Example Business Plan for Artists (pdf)

Example Business Plan for Artists (Word doc)

The first thing I ask every artist when we start working together is if they have a business plan. Most of the time the answer is no. Why do you need a business plan, you ask? Great question.

You will become focused. As you start planning, that shotgun approach to marketing that most artists take will start to thin itself out and you will learn how to put a system in place. Also, establishing your unique selling proposition is really important. Sure, you’re a painter, but what makes you stand out from all of those other painters out there? There’s a lot more to being an independent artist than just creating your art.

You’ll know where you stand. Your strengths and weaknesses will become apparent to you as you start to create a business plan. What aspects of your art do you excel at? What do you tend to put off because you don’t know how to finish ? Once you know where you stand, you’ll know what your weaknesses are, and this is really important. Most artists have no idea that they’re not good at accounting, or they don’t want to admit it so they run around in circles. A business plan will help you eliminate this.

You’ll know how to get where you want to be. Once you write down a business plan, it’s easy to refer back to it often to get re-focused on your goals. Carefully analyzing what you really want out of your art business is a good way to stop doing what is getting in your way.

You’ll know what other artists are doing. Do you want a competitive advantage? Are you afraid of really pushing your business because you don’t know what will make you different and make people want to purchase your art?

Does 4 pages feel like too much?

Get started with our beginner’s one-page business plan and work your way up.

This post has been updated since its 2009 original publish date.

*affiliate link

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November 20, 2009 at 11:46 AM

This is fantastic! Many thanks!

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November 21, 2009 at 9:45 AM

You’re welcome!

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November 22, 2009 at 5:32 AM

This is a really great resource that I’ll have to share with my readers. It’s always wonderful to find other people putting in the hard work and dedication that goes into doing what you do. .-= Damien Franco´s last blog ..Photographer’s Intro to Twitter =-.

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May 19, 2010 at 3:26 PM

This is great. Thank you for doing this. It’s really something I’ve always known I needed to do. I will definitely do it now.

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April 27, 2011 at 8:21 AM

Do you have a business plan for dummies and beginners? This is kind of advanced. I have nothing but 5 good paintings right now.

This is my first time coming to this website. I was very confused by the business plan. Who is “I”? As in, “I help artists dispel the starving artist myth”? It took me 15 mins to finally understand who “I” is, and who Cory and John Smith is.

January 7, 2016 at 12:24 PM

I agree, this business plan is completely confusing and way too advanced and overwhelming. I really want to like it, but after reading it a few times, I’m still lost.

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October 27, 2011 at 11:10 PM

Creating a business plan was one of the smartest things I ever did. I wrote down all the ideas that had been spinning around in my head but had never been inserted into my business as a whole. Just the process of writing everything down becomes a way to clear your head and see the way forward. It’s great to see an honest, physical example of a business plan – thanks Cory!

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March 11, 2012 at 4:25 PM

Wow!  I’m so glad I stumbled onto this!  Just what I needed!

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June 4, 2012 at 6:16 AM

Thanks for posting the examples.  I didn’t realize that I already had lists covering most of the sections.  This really helped me put everything together in one place.  Now as I get new ideas, I have one document that I can go to.  I can quickly jot it down and properly categorize the idea right away knowing that I will have it on hand for when I have time to review the bigger picture over time.  Thanks again!

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June 4, 2012 at 8:01 AM

 @figmentations Glad it helped!

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January 13, 2013 at 2:57 PM

Thanks Cory. A Breath of Fresh Air!!! For the first time at last…with drudgery behind me, I can now pursue my business plan in JOY!!! In full celebration of all right brainers…here’s to your unlimited success:-)

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February 23, 2013 at 11:43 AM

Hi Cory & Jennifer, I totally agree with having a business plan, writing down all the ideas & growth you have in mind for your business.

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July 1, 2013 at 5:20 AM

thanks for everything. i like this site so much…

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August 19, 2013 at 7:55 AM

Thank you this was very helpful 🙂

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December 17, 2013 at 8:32 PM

Thank you for sharing this information, it can be difficult finding business resources for the artist/entrepreneur.

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December 20, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Just need help starting a creative business. CB

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September 25, 2015 at 3:07 PM

hello jennifar, i a cross this because am a starting artist. gama arts in Rwanda but i realy want a bussiness plan because i know success business needs a plan. thank you.

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February 26, 2016 at 4:12 PM

I’m looking forward to doing the seminar on how to sell your artwork online. I am not computer literate, so this is going to require some intensive learning on my part. I am retired and can finally dedicate my time to doing the thing that I love the most, painting watercolor illustrations. I know nothing about blogging, or setting up my own web site. I hope this is the kind of information I can access from your seminar.

Thank you for showing me my first step toward creating a business out of my artwork…

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May 16, 2016 at 4:35 PM

Thanks Cory and Jennifer, for sharing this information, it’s always good to know more about how I can do more on my art business.

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November 25, 2017 at 3:06 PM

It helps me a lot to have specific, measurable goals. I’m just starting to turn art into a business for myself, so I’m trying out a few different things to see what works for me, but concrete numbers and plans and dates really help.

I’ve put together a list of business books for artists: http://jacquelineboss.com/2017/11/25/10-art-business-books-learn-how-to-sell-your-art/

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January 22, 2018 at 12:01 PM

I had no idea how to get this started. This is super super helpful! Thank you!

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artist hub business plan

Learn How to Sell Art Online – Art Storefronts Blog

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.

artist hub business plan

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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Business plans: tips for arts, culture and the creative industries

Experts and entrepreneurs offer their insights and top resources for writing a successful business plan

Vikam Modhwadia, programme coordinator, School for Creative Startups

Before you think business plan, think business model A business plan is a smart and sassy document you write for investors, lenders or potential partners to give them an understanding of your business, so they can make a decision to support it. A business model, on the other hand, is the practical understanding of how it will work. The School for Creative Startups has developed some key questions that will help you create your own:

  • The proposition: What do you do that people want? How do you know that your product is answering a need or fulfilling a desire?
  • The customer and market: Who are your customers and where do you find them? What are their attributes and what are your market segments?
  • The competition: Who are you up against and what can you learn from them?
  • The industry: What do you have in common with your competition? Which trends are impacting your industry? How can you predict future trends?
  • The channel: What are the different routes to finding customers?
  • The relationship: What financial relationship do you have with your customers? Do you want to sell your product by subscription, via a payment plan or as a product people buy at a fixed price?
  • The pricing model : How much should you charge for your product or service? What are your customers willing to pay? What are the other business costs to factor into your pricing model?
  • The key partner: Who is your key partner? How can suppliers, distributors and marketing companies become one? Who can you bring on board to help you deliver your product or service?
  • The asset: What is you key asset? What do you have to your advantage, to help you win customers? Is it physical, intellectual, human or financial?
  • The key competency: What activities must your business be good at in order to prosper? What skills and experience do you bring to the business?

Pip Jamieson, founder and CEO, The Dots

Collaborate Getting your team excited about the business plan is key to its success. Before getting into the detail, a great first step is to spend an afternoon with the team and key stakeholders to work on the business model canvas : a useful visual collaboration tool that helps teams understand at a much deeper level the business’ relationship with customers, distribution channels, partners, revenue streams, costs and its core value proposition. This will help you consolidate your thinking before diving into the detail of the plan.

Keeping it visual can help My first business plan was a whopping 54-page word document, which was a big mistake. If you can’t articulate your plan over 10 to 15 well-designed presentation slides, you will lose your audience. The key is getting the structure right from the get go, with a slide for each key component of your plan including business overview, target market, unique selling point (USP), market conditions, marketing plan, competitor analysis and so on. Keep text to a minimum and use graphs and visuals to explain some of the trickier bits. A good rule of thumb is that if someone can flick through your business plan in 10 minutes and get it, you’ve done a cracking job.

Andrew Harding, managing director, CIMA

Structure your plan A challenge for anyone who is passionate about their business is to explain it in terms others can understand. A structured way of doing this is to articulate your business model in terms that lead to financial outcomes.

Start with your customers or the market segments you serve. Explain what assets, resources and relationships you have (or need) to serve them. Next, outline the processes and intangibles (specialist knowledge, skills, reputation etc) that enable you to meet customer needs competitively. Finally, you can explain what costs you will have and how you will generate income. Thinking about your business in this way will help you identify how to manage its performance and what strategies you will need to develop your business model. A business plan is simply a means of telling this story.

Sarah Wood, co-founder and COO, Unruly

People power Remember that the point of the plan is to help you and your team focus. It should be an operational plan of action, not a bunch of theoretical concepts, notional market sizes and fanciful financial projections.

The people who you put in the plan are more important than the numbers you submit: who will you hire, when will you hire them and how will their success be measured? What alliances and partnerships beyond employees do you need to succeed? Although it’s good to be ambitious, the most useful business plans don’t look five or three years ahead. Things change too quickly for that to be much use. You want to have an agile, flexible mindset and a business plan to match so you can change direction if necessary.

Stuart Rock, editor-in-chief, Business is GREAT

Sift, aggregate and test Don’t just read one guide to writing a business plan; sift and aggregate the advice from several. None of them will provide you with passion, creativity and vision – that’s down to you – but you’ll have the all-important structure of a valuable business plan. Then test it with that most important constituency: the people who you believe will buy from you. Also, test it with someone who you can trust to be objective. Your plan will rarely survive contact with reality, but it’s a challenging process and an important discipline.

Scott Phillips, founder, Rise Art

Revisit your plan We continue to iterate and improve on our business plan each quarter. I’m constantly looking at the latest research and speaking with our customers to see how we are doing in the real world. Our business plan always changes based on what we’ve seen that has worked and what’s not. We revisit it and modify the assumptions accordingly. Setting the business plan and agreeing regularly on the key indicators with the team also helps keep everyone honest. We know what is working and what is not, and we can measure our success or lack thereof accordingly. We also know where we need to focus our energy.

A really handy way to see if your product resonates with customers is to routinely survey your customers and establish net promoters scores . You’ll see how over time customers view and will recommend your brand.

Bernadine Bröcker, CEO, Vastari

A business model isn’t just a box-ticking exercise It needs to ooze passion, drive, inspiration, as well as ticking the boxes. Make sure you think of all commercial and strategic angles, but also make sure that any potential investor or partner can also read how inspired you are in making this business a reality.

Arts Council England: Starting a business (pdf)

Barclays: Writing a small business plan

Business is GREAT: Writing a business plans

Chartered Global Management Accountant essential tools booklet (pdf)

Creative Industry Finance business planning workshops

Gov.uk: Write a business plan

ICAEW: Writing a business plan (pdf)

Nesta Creative Enterprise Toolkit

Peter Thiel: sample pitch deck

The Prince’s Trust business plan pack (pdf)

RBS online business planner

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12 Creative Business Ideas for Artists

Jacqueline DeMarco

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If you want to combine your creative skills with your entrepreneurial savviness and start a business to leverage your artistic skills, then you’re in luck. In this guide, we’ve rounded up 12 of the best art business ideas for you to consider.

artist hub business plan

What is a creative art business?

A creative art business can take many shapes, but typically when one thinks of a creative business, they think of creation. Writing, music, design, fashion, and food are just the beginning of the countless creative business options out there. Artists, however, will likely want to focus on small art business ideas that make use of their talents in mediums such as photography, graphic design, calligraphy, and textile creation.

What makes a good art business idea

There are plenty of creative art business ideas out there, but some have more potential to be more lucrative than others. For example, while there is an audience for custom mailboxes that resemble your dog, chances are they don’t hold enough universal appeal to make for a booming business. To find good creative art business ideas, you’ll need to be able to apply your artistic skills to a business that has some legs. You should ask yourself the following questions when considering in-person or online art business ideas.

Is there an audience for this business?

Can I make a profit and provide an affordable service or product?

Does this business capitalize on trends without being a passing fad?

How saturated is the chosen market?

Who are my competitors?

12 art business ideas

Before you launch your creative business, consider these ideas. For some artists, deciding on a business idea will be a no-brainer, but others may need to take some time to figure out how their skills can translate to a successful business model. Either way, this list should give you some entrepreneurial inspiration.

1. Painting and sculpture

Let’s start with an artistic business almost as old as time. Painting and sculptures are two very traditional art forms for which there will always be a market. After all, we all have blank walls and empty mantels that need a bit of decoration. In today’s day and age, it is easier than ever to sell your art to the masses. Expensive gallery and studio spaces can be swapped for a savvy social media presence or online portfolio, for example. Thanks to the internet and global shipping options, you can easily sell your art online to anyone—which means your potential customer base is truly limitless.

2. Greeting cards

With the right design and copy, greeting cards can be a work of art. Not to mention, the average person buys multiple cards throughout the year for a myriad of occasions. Take your flair for design and your sharp wit and create a line of unique and special greeting cards. Not to mention, starting a greeting card business can be very cost-effective too, as your supplies will be on the cheaper side compared to other art forms. Depending on your business model, you may not need to create them until the order comes in, so you don’t run the risk of unsold inventory. If you can make your customers feel something when they look at your cards, you’ll have them clamoring for more.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

A true artist can appreciate the beauty in all of our five senses. Smell is just one way you can contribute creatively. Consider starting a candle business that combines beautiful glassware with irresistible scents. A good candle expertly mixes style, design, and scent in a way that can transport a customer. Be warned, this is a saturated market, so you’ll really need to tap into your creative side if you want to stand out amongst the crowd.

4. Antique curation

Technical skill is not the only way to make use of your creative side. If you don’t want to create art yourself, why not use your taste to your advantage? There are always customers looking for special vintage decor and art pieces, but not everyone has the time or resources to uncover antiques. By starting a business that curates antiques, whether in a store or online, you can do the fun, but sometimes dirty, work of digging through thrift shops and estate sales to find the best pieces. Your customers will be willing to pay for the convenience of you using your good eye to find the right styles.

5. Art consultant

Similar to curating antiques, you can use your taste to build a business while pursuing your passions. Art consultants help customers find the right art pieces for their personal collections. They have to be art experts (we’re looking at all you art history majors) and have a pulse on what’s happening in the art market. Word-of-mouth marketing will be an important aspect of promoting this type of business, but once you have a few happy customers, you can look forward to your business gaining momentum from there.

6. Graphic design

We live in a digital world, which means digital art is equally important. Starting a graphic design business is a great way to flex your creative muscles while also providing a valuable service to businesses. You can work on branding campaigns by creating logos or social media graphics for businesses, help design products, refresh websites, or sell design templates you create. From super fun and creative projects to B2B focused sales materials, there is no shortage of work for graphic designers to apply their creativity to.

7. Calligraphy

Beautiful penmanship is one thing, but calligraphy is a next-level skill that not many people have bragging rights to. Calligraphy is used in many art forms, as well as products such as wedding invitations and place cards. Both consumers and businesses alike need beautiful calligraphy services, so consider starting a freelance calligraphy business to serve these various needs.

8. Tattoo artist

Did you know that the tattoo industry brings in $3 billion dollars a year? Tattoos continue to gain popularity and people are willing to spend a good chunk of change for a high-quality tattoo. Of course, being a tattoo artist requires some major skills and a very steady hand—it’s an art form through and through. So, if you have the skills and want to create artwork that will stay with a person for their entire lives, this may just be the art business idea for you.

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Start Your Dream Business

9. Art director

The title art director can encompass a variety of jobs. Some art directors help create films, others design magazine layouts, some plan massive marketing campaigns, and others oversee the entire branding for a company. These are just a few of many examples of jobs that art directors do, but what most have in common is they plan the overall design for a project, whatever that may look like. If you have a passion for styling, photography, graphic design, and typography, then being an art director may just help you combine all of your creative interests.

10. Photographer

Photography has long been considered an art form and it’s one that is increasingly appreciated in our social-media-obsessed age. If you’re interested in starting a photography business, you have a range of options. You can sell nature or travel photography to media outlets or tourism boards; photograph events, such as weddings, birth announcements, parties, and more; or you can work for a product-based business to photograph their wares to use on their website or promotional material. Your options are varied, so this creative business can be a great fit for many types of artists.

11. Branding consultant

Every business needs strong branding if they want to send a clear and memorable message to their customers. While many larger businesses have branding experts in house, smaller businesses may need a little help in the branding department. Like many creative business ideas, branding consulting can combine design, photography, and copy skills—so this is the perfect career for someone who likes to work on the complete picture of a creative project. By helping businesses make a name for themselves, you can make a lucrative career in the arts.

12. Art teacher

If you have any of the creative skills mentioned previously in this list, then you can also consider spreading your knowledge by teaching them to others. Whether that be hosting a still life painting class with 30 pupils or tutoring students one-on-one in the art of calligraphy. You could offer digital art classes or create educational social media content. You may also create courses that other teachers can use in their classes. Find the teaching method that works for you and spread the word about your new business.

On a similar note...

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Music artists, agencies, and their teams have diverse needs, from basic tools to optimize growth to comprehensive solutions that cater to an entire roster. Our tiered pricing plans are designed to meet these needs, ensuring everyone finds the right fit for their aspirations.

Pro: All You Need to Get Started

Price: $19/mo per artist

Bio, Release & Pre-Release Links

Email and SMS Capture

Pixels & API Integration (Including platforms like Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Google)

Unlimited Drop Email Reminders

Deeplink Support

The Pro plan provides all the essential tools to help budding artists make their mark in the music industry.

Max: For Artists Ready to Optimize Their Growth

Price: $29/mo per artist + SMS Pricing

Everything included in the Pro plan

SMS Capture

SMS Messaging

Dedicated Phone Number

The Max plan is geared towards artists who are ready to step up their engagement game, offering a suite of tools that go beyond the basics.

Enterprise: Cover Every Artist on Your Roster

Price: $249/mo per agency

Everything in the Pro plan

Unlimited Artists

Unlimited Custom Domains

Dedicated Support Team

SMS Integration Options

For agencies looking to provide the best for all their artists, the Enterprise plan offers extensive features and personalized support to ensure every artist gets the spotlight they deserve.

Understanding SMS Pricing:

Messaging fans directly can amplify engagement and retention. However, it's important to understand the associated costs:

Domestic Messages (US and Canada): $0.016/message

International Messages: $0.05/message

What is an SMS Segment?

Each SMS message is divided into "segments." Depending on the length and content of your text, one message can span multiple segments. This segmentation is based on character limits set by carriers. For instance, a standard SMS in English has a 160-character limit. If a message exceeds this, it's broken into segments and each segment is priced individually. So, if you send a text that's 161 characters long, it's billed as two segments.

Keep in mind that character limits can vary based on the language and special characters used in the message, potentially impacting the number of segments.

In conclusion, each plan and its pricing are meticulously designed to serve the diverse needs of the music industry. From individual artists to large agencies, there's a plan to help you engage, grow, and shine.

artist hub business plan

How to Develop an Independent Music Artist Business Plan

Independent Music Artist

Most independent music artists are not very good at business planning . Yes, most popular indie artists are creative and talented. But the ability to create a business plan is often outside their wheelhouse.

And every Independent Music Artist needs a plan, whether they know it or not. A business plan is a document that outlines the goals of your music career and how you plan to achieve them. It will help you stay focused and keep moving in the right direction.

You may have heard that artists don’t need to worry about money because they “make art” instead. This couldn’t be further from the truth. All musicians must understand  basic financial concepts  to keep their businesses running smoothly.

So, this article will help you create a simple yet effective music business plan. Are you an upcoming Independent Music Artist who wants to make a living from your music? If so, then read on.

Elements of a Good Business Plan

Every good business plan should include the following elements.

Vision Statement

A “vision statement” is a brief paragraph describing your business’ purpose. It should be no more than one or two sentences long. But this is the most crucial part of your plan because it sets the tone for everything else.

The vision statement serves as the anchor for your business. Many popular indie artists have powerful vision statements. They usually showcase them on their websites and social media profiles. It shows  potential investors  that the artist has a clear vision of where they want to go with their career.

Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives are quite different from the vision statement. Goals are specific and measurable and will help you determine where you want to go with your career. For example, if you want to  sell a particular number of albums  next year, that’s a goal.

Objectives are vaguer than goals. They’re things that will help lead you toward achieving your goals. For example, putting together a press kit is an objective. Your objective will help you sell more albums (your goal).

Defining your goals and objectives as an Independent Music Artist is essential to your success. Goals will help you focus on what you want out of your career. On the other hand, objectives will help you achieve those goals.

Target Audience

Popular indie artists already know their target audience. But it’s important to revisit this information every once in a while. Re-evaluating your target audience can help you better connect with them. It’ll give you an idea of how to create music that will appeal to them.

And an upcoming Independent Music Artist must define their target audience. This will help them figure out who they should be creating music for. To do this, you’ll need to know where your fans are and what they like about your music.

You can do this by looking at the data from your social media accounts. You’ll see which songs have the most likes and shares (or comments).

Marketing Strategy

The next step in your business plan is to develop a marketing strategy. This is how you’ll get your music out there, reach new fans and grow your audience.

You can create an online presence on social media sites. You can also post updates about new songs or videos as they are available.

However, remember that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy. You’ll need to adapt your approach depending on where your fans are and what they like about your music.

That’s why this stage is crucial. You’ll be wasting time and money if you market to the wrong people. The same goes for being too generic in your marketing efforts—you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd.

Finances are integral to any successful business. And the music business is no different. You need to plan for your financial future and your artistic one.

One of the most important things you can do is ensure that you have enough money saved. This helps because you won’t be left in the lurch if something goes wrong.

Don’t forget about taxes, either. Ensure you have all the information on how much each gig pays and what percentage goes toward taxes.

Another aspect of finances for an Independent Music Artist is attracting investors and sponsors. You may  need extra money  to get your business off the ground or want to expand your brand. If this is the case, look at how you can attract investors and sponsors. Look for those who want to see their name associated with yours.

Organizational Chart

“Why do I need an organizational chart? Isn’t it just for popular indie artists?” We understand your sentiments. And on the surface, you might think you don’t need an organizational chart. After all, you don’t have a big team or many employees.

But if you have big dreams and hope to grow your brand, you may need an organizational chart to help you plan.

An organizational chart is a visual representation of the structure of an organization. It shows who reports to whom and how many levels there are between them. It’s also helpful in portraying how responsibilities overlap and what each person handles.

Don’t worry if you’re an upcoming independent artist. You don’t need a big team or many employees to benefit from an organizational chart. You can use it to keep track of your creative process and ensure that you’re spending your time on the right things.

And when you eventually have a team, you’ll be glad you thought ahead and prepared.

Products/Services

“Products and services?” you may ask, “What do they have to do with being an independent musician?” Firstly, you need to define what you do. How can anyone else if you don’t know what your business is about?

This is essential because it helps you decide where to focus your efforts. If you’re starting as an Independent Music Artist, you don’t want to waste time and money on things that don’t create value.

For example, let’s say you plan to make a living off live shows. Then it’s more vital to focus on playing in front of people. You don’t need to spend lots of time perfecting your website or social media presence.

Popular indie artists might have their products and services as merchandise, talk shows, or songs. You might be an artist who offers lessons, workshops, or master classes. Are you a singer-songwriter? Then you could  sell your songwriting skills  as a service to other artists.

Whatever your product or service, you need to know what it is and how it adds value to your audience. This allows you to focus on those things that add the most value and leave out the rest.

As you can see, a business plan isn’t exclusive to large corporations and popular indie artists. An indie artist business plan can help you focus on the most critical aspects of your career. It’ll help you make better marketing, promotion, and distribution decisions.

If you’re an independent music artist just starting, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Many online resources can help you start a new business plan or update an existing one.

Need help? Contact our award-winning support team 24/7 at [email protected]

artist hub business plan

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Lloyds sets aside £450m for car finance probe

  • Published 1 day ago

Car sales

Banking giant Lloyds has set aside £450m to cover the potential cost of an investigation into car finance deals by the UK's financial regulator.

A probe into whether people had been paying too much for cars was launched by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) last month.

Brokers who arranged car financing earned commission on the interest rates that they set for customers.

Lloyds revealed the provision as it announced a big rise in annual profits.

The bank said pre-tax profits jumped to £7.5bn last year, which was higher than expected and up 57% from the year before.

Watchdog to investigate compensation over car loans

The FCA announced last month that it would investigate whether people who believe they were charged too much for car loans were owed compensation.

Meanwhile, the Financial Ombudsman says it has received 17,000 complaints to date about motor finance commission.

Lloyds is seen as the most exposed of the major banks to any claims, as it owns one of the UK's largest motor finance providers, Black Horse.

Under what were called discretionary commission arrangements, some lenders had allowed car dealers to adjust interest rates on loans, which would improve the commission they received. In short, the higher the interest rate, the higher the commission.

As a result, these deals created an incentive for brokers to increase how much people were charged for their car loan.

In 2021, the FCA banned these arrangements, saying it would collectively save drivers £165m a year.

Last month, the regulator said that about 10,000 people had made complaints to an ombudsman, with "many more waiting in the wings".

"If we find widespread misconduct, we will act to make sure people are compensated in an orderly, consistent and efficient way," the FCA said at the time.

The amount that Lloyds eventually pays to cover compensation could be higher or lower than the initial amount it has set aside.

The potential cost of compensation has raised comparisons to the amount paid out during the payment protection insurance (PPI) mis-selling scandal, which cost banks tens of billions of pounds.

But Lloyds' chief financial officer, William Chalmers, told reporters that the car finance probe was "not like prior remediations".

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Lloyds chief executive Charlie Nunn said: "The extent of any misconduct or loss on behalf of customers, if any, remains very unclear so we welcome the FCA's announcement a few weeks ago to look into this to provide clarity for customers and the industry."

Matt Britzman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the £450m set aside by the bank was "less than some had feared but there will be question marks around how Lloyds has come to that figure".

"Lloyds has been honest in saying the outcome of the review is largely unknown," he added. "What we do know is that Lloyds is one of the more exposed banks should the FCA deem there was misconduct and customer loss."

Lloyds also said in its annual report that it was the subject of another investigation by the financial watchdog, looking at the group's compliance with money-laundering rules and regulations.

It said it was fully complying with the investigation, although it could not say whether or not it would have an impact on its finances yet.

The FCA declined to comment on the investigation.

Separately, Mr Nunn also said that Lloyds - which also owns the Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows brands - was predicting the UK's economy would see "lowish", but positive, growth this year

While he said the economy was resilient, he added that some customers were "struggling to make ends meet, whether it's those who are struggling with some of the cost of inflation or alternatively the higher mortgage costs".

Like other UK banks, Lloyds' profits have been helped by the increase in interest rates over the past couple of years, which have allowed lenders to charge more on loans while not significantly increasing payouts to savers.

Lloyds said its underlying net interest income, which is the difference between the money it charges for loans and pays out for savings, rose 5% to £13.8bn.

Cost of living: Tackling it together

What to do if you think you are owed compensation for your car finance

Claims for compensation can be made if you bought a motor vehicle on finance before 28 January 2021 and the finance provider and car dealer had a discretionary commission arrangement.

  • The Financial Ombudsman service advises that you should first talk to your car dealer or finance provider, so they have a chance to put things right
  • If you are unhappy with the response, then you can complain to the Ombudsman
  • Your complaint can be about finance providers, credit brokers - such as the car dealership - or other credit intermediaries
  • If the Ombudsman decides to handle your case, it says its aim is to put you back in the position you would have been in if the problem hadn't happened

You can read guidance on motor finance complaints on the Financial Ombudsman site here , and guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority here .

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Have you made a complaint about car finance brokers? Do you think you have been overcharged? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected] .

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

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'Outrageous' car loan commission banned

  • Published 28 July 2020

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AT&T Says Service Is Restored After Widespread Cellular Outage

White House officials said the incident was under investigation, but it did not appear to be a cyberattack. Verizon and T-Mobile said their networks were operating normally.

The AT&T logo.

By Jenny Gross and David McCabe

Jenny Gross reported from London and David McCabe reported from Washington.

AT&T said on Thursday that it had fully restored service to its wireless network after a widespread outage temporarily cut off connections for users across the United States for many hours, the cause of which was still under investigation.

The outage, which affected people in cities including Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York, was first reported around 3:30 a.m. Eastern time, according to Downdetector.com , which tracks user reports of telecommunication and internet disruptions. At its peak, the site listed around 70,000 reports of disrupted service for the wireless carrier.

Multiple government agencies said they were looking into the incident, although the Biden administration told reporters that AT&T said there was no reason to think it was a cyberattack.

AT&T did not disclose the scope of the outage, nor the reason for it. When the outage first began on Thursday morning, the company listed the cause as “maintenance activity.”

Jim Greer, an AT&T spokesman, apologized in a statement confirming service was restored and said the company was “taking steps to ensure our customers do not experience this again in the future.”

The outage underscored the importance of connectivity to daily life as individuals and businesses were cut off from communications and the ability to use mobile apps. AT&T advised consumers they could make calls over Wi-Fi and sought to respond to angry customers online. Many phones showed an “SOS” symbol on their screen, signaling they could only make emergency calls, while local governments offered alternate ways to reach 911.

Reports of outages on Downdetector began to fall midmorning, and at one point AT&T’s website showed that outages were limited to users in California , though users in other states were still reporting issues. Cricket, which is owned by AT&T, also reported that its users were experiencing wireless service interruptions and said it was working to restore service.

Reports also surfaced early Thursday that FirstNet, the network AT&T maintains for emergency services personnel, had experienced outages, but AT&T said around 10:30 a.m. that the network was fully operational.

Verizon experienced 3,000 reports of outages at one point on Thursday and T-Mobile about half that. Both companies said in statements that their networks were operating normally.

“Some customers experienced issues this morning when calling or texting with customers served by another carrier,” Verizon said. “We are continuing to monitor the situation.”

In an email, T-Mobile said that it did not experience an outage. “Downdetector is likely reflecting challenges our customers were having attempting to connect to users on other networks.”

Officials in Washington said they were working to understand the cause of the outage. A spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission said its inquiry was being handled by its Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, which was in touch with AT&T as well as other providers.

John Kirby, a National Security Council spokesman, said on a call with reporters on Thursday that the Biden administration was told “that AT&T has no reason to think this was a cybersecurity incident,” although he added that they would not be certain until an investigation had been completed.

Mr. Kirby said that, in addition to the F.C.C., the Department of Homeland Security and the F.B.I. were collaborating with technology companies to investigate the outage.

The F.B.I. said in a statement it was in touch with AT&T and would respond accordingly if any malicious activity was found.

Throughout the day, cities urged residents to find alternate ways of reaching emergency or municipal services, like landlines or phones connected to Wi-Fi. The City of Upper Arlington, Ohio , said the fire department might not be notified of fire alarms because of the outage. It urged that any fire alarm be followed up with a 911 call.

The San Francisco Fire Department said on social media that it was aware of an issue affecting AT&T users who were trying to call 911. “We are actively engaged and monitoring this,” the fire department said. “If you are an AT&T customer and cannot get through to 911, then please try calling from a landline.”

The Massachusetts State Police said on social media on Thursday morning that 911 call centers across the state had been flooded with calls from people checking to see if the emergency service worked from their phones. “Please do not do this,” the police said. “If you can successfully place a non-emergency call to another number via your cell service then your 911 service will also work.”

Even in less extreme circumstances, the outage complicated the many elements of life that have come to rely on a reliable connection to the internet.

Staff at the First Watch restaurant in Dania Beach, Fla., had to turn away breakfast customers for a time while the outage prevented them from processing payments.

Debra Maddow, who lives in southwest Houston, said that she first noticed something was off after 7 a.m., when she went to check traffic and Google Maps was offline. Later, she visited a Starbucks to make an urgent call through its free Wi-Fi, she said.

“I’m really frustrated that they’re not telling us anything,” Ms. Maddow said in a phone interview over Wi-Fi. She said she tried to call AT&T for an update, but after a long time on hold, the call was dropped.

Victor Mather , John Keefe , Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Adam Goldman contributed reporting.

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times in London covering breaking news and other topics. More about Jenny Gross

David McCabe covers tech policy. He joined The Times from Axios in 2019. More about David McCabe

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IMAGES

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  6. Business Plans for Artists: Here, I Did It for You!

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COMMENTS

  1. Crafting an Artist Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2024

    Jan 24, 2024 14 Every artist dreams of turning their passion into a successful career, but navigating the business side of the art world can be daunting. Creating a comprehensive artist business plan is the key to transforming your passion into a thriving and sustainable art business.

  2. Artist Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

    Your artist business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes. With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for an artist business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors.

  3. Artist Business Plan Template (2024)

    Dave Lavinsky 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. You can download the Artist business plan (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here <-

  4. A Guide to Crafting an Impressive Artist Business Plan

    An Artist Business Plan (whether it's for a fine artist, photographer, interior designer, freelance videographer, etc.) is a document that sets out your future objectives and strategies for achieving them, usually within 1-5 years.

  5. How to Wrtie an Artist business plan + Free Template

    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.

  6. How to Write a Business Plan for an Artist Business

    7 min. read Updated January 24, 2024 Free Download: Sample Arts and Crafts Business Plan Templates "But how can I write a business plan? I'm an artist." He was one of my favorite students in the class I used to teach on starting a business.

  7. An Artist's Guide to Making a Business Plan (In Just 6 Steps)

    Art Marketing Business & Money Pricing & Selling Art Resources Being a professional artist involves more than being skilled with paints or clay—you actually become a small business owner! So, where do you begin? By creating a business plan, of course!

  8. How to Craft a Powerful Business Plan for Artists to Generate More

    The Key Components of a Business Plan for Artists A comprehensive business plan for artists typically includes the following sections: Executive Summary: This is a brief overview. It should be compelling and concise, providing a snapshot of your business and your plans for the future.

  9. A Guide to Creating an Artist Business Plan

    How to Create an Artist Business Plan An artist business plan sample page by Jamie Smith. Step 1: Create a Vision for Your Business and Set Goals Before you put pen to paper or start crunching numbers, it's important to create a vision for your business.

  10. The One-Page Guide To Creating An Art Business Plan

    By Crista Cloutier / 29 October 2021 Creating a business plan may seem like a monumental task. A lot of artists fear that it requires formal education and skills to draft a business plan. Au contraire! While a business plan can appear to be complicated and technical, a one-page program can be potent medicine for your art business. Why?

  11. How To Write An Artist Business Plan That Works

    A business plan is an executive summary that encapsulates the resources, objectives, risks, and opportunities associated with an artist's work. It typically outlines actions that need to be taken to reach the desired outcomes and guides their professional choices.

  12. Business Plans for Artists: What Every Artist Should Know

    Set for the " What " of your art practice. What are you in the business of creating? What is your medium? What niche or audience does your artwork speak to? In what ways can your skills or particular style translate into different types of work - can you paint large-scale community murals, or design furniture, or work on clothing collaborations?

  13. Business Plan Template for Artist [UPD 2024]

    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.

  14. How To Write An Artist Management Business Plan + Template

    Writing an Effective Artist Management Business Plan. The following are the key components of a successful artist management business plan:. Executive Summary. The executive summary of an artist management business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

  15. The Ultimate Art Business Checklist

    Step 1: Develop the mindset for success Having a mindset for success is super important. You can have all the talent in world, but if you have the wrong mindset you will absolutely struggle. A big part of this journey is about developing yourself to become the artist you want to be.

  16. Business Plans for Artists: Here, I Did It for You!

    Tweet Share I noticed that a lot of artists are looking for business plans. I did some searching and it turns out there aren't a lot of pre-made business plans out there for artists, so, I brought Jennifer Lee, author of Right Brain Business Plan, here to share her creative ideas for business plans.

  17. What Is An Artist Marketing Plan And How To Write One That Works For

    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?

  18. Business plans: tips for arts, culture and the creative industries

    A business plan is a smart and sassy document you write for investors, lenders or potential partners to give them an understanding of your business, so they can make a decision to support it....

  19. 12 Creative Business Ideas for Artists

    By helping businesses make a name for themselves, you can make a lucrative career in the arts. 12. Art teacher. If you have any of the creative skills mentioned previously in this list, then you ...

  20. ArtistHub Plans and Pricing

    The Max plan is geared towards artists who are ready to step up their engagement game, offering a suite of tools that go beyond the basics. Enterprise: Cover Every Artist on Your Roster. Price: $249/mo per agency. Features: Everything in the Pro plan. Unlimited Artists. Unlimited Custom Domains.

  21. How to Develop an Independent Music Artist Business Plan

    For example, putting together a press kit is an objective. Your objective will help you sell more albums (your goal). Defining your goals and objectives as an Independent Music Artist is essential to your success. Goals will help you focus on what you want out of your career. On the other hand, objectives will help you achieve those goals.

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  25. Lloyds sets aside £450m for car finance probe

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  27. AT&T Says Service Is Restored After Widespread Cellular Outage

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