Selling your art isn’t an easy task. You have to work out your target audience, you have to have a high-quality selection of pieces, and you need to know the right places in which to sell your art. 

Lots of people jump straight onto Etsy or somewhere else on the internet and hope for the best, but when you’re just starting out, one of the best ways to sell your art is to actually sell it locally. 

Selling your art locally isn’t easy either, but when you know how to do it, it does become a lot easier.

We’ve put together some tips that will really help you in selling your art locally, so read on to learn everything you need to know! 

How To Sell Your Art Locally

There are lots of different ways you can go about selling your art locally, so we will be going into a bit more detail on some of them here.

From art fairs to retailers, there are plenty of different options for local artists to sell their work. So let’s take a look! 

1. Art Fairs

If you are an artist of any kind and you’re determined to start selling your art locally, one of the best ways you can go about it is by taking your art to art fairs. 

You don’t even have to limit yourself to art fairs, any craft fair will do!

Most people learn about new artists from these fairs, and they are a great way for you to get your artwork out there without having to spend too much money. 

If you have a small online following already, you can really capitalize on that by going to fairs.

If you announce on your social media pages that you will be at a specific art fair, you might be surprised by how many people come from a bit further out just to meet you and see your art in the flesh. 

2. Open Studios

If you have a decent-sized house or you have an art studio, this is a great way for you to save a bit of money while also getting your art physically out there. 

If you already have studio space, you can turn it into a gallery where people can come and view your work and potentially buy it.

You’ll need to advertise the event so people actually turn up, but the extra work is definitely worth it. 

If you don’t have the studio space already, it might put you slightly out of pocket to rent space, but in the long run, this would help your business dramatically. 

3. Local Galleries

Similar to an open studio, if you look around your city or local area for art galleries, you can rent some space and set the artwork up there.

You will have to pay a fee (the amount will vary depending on the gallery) but it’s worth it for the exposure your art will get. 

Setting up your artwork in a local gallery will open lots of doors for potential buyers.

Even if someone comes along and doesn’t purchase your work, they are likely to tell their friends about it and it will give you a lot of exposure that otherwise wouldn’t be available to you. 

4. Pop-Up Locations

This is a great idea for artists who don’t have the space for an open studio.

Pop-up locations are very similar to galleries, but instead, they are only available in one location for a brief period of time before they move on. 

However, if you just limit one exclusive collection to a pop-up location, this will help you get more buyers.

People love exclusive and unique content, so if they know there is a location where they can buy this once-in-a-lifetime art, they are more likely to travel to get it. 

Pop-up locations are great because they are only around for a little while. If you just want to test the waters and see what physically selling your art is like without having to commit long-term, this could be the best option for you. 

5. Retailers

Another avenue you can go down is retailers. If you go to a store you think would be interested in selling your art, you can ask them about it and see what sort of arrangement the two of you can come up with. 

You will have to split profits with the retailer if they agree to sell your work in their store, but the long-term advantages are definitely worth it.

Selling your art in a store can give you lots of great exposure and you are more likely to see more engagement with your online business too. 

While selling your art in different retail stores isn’t for everyone, if you’re a newer artist or you need some more exposure, this avenue could be just what you need to get your foot in the door. 

6. Commissions

One of the biggest ways that artists of all kinds make money is through commissions. There are lots of different ways you can do commissions as well.

You can make preset prices for different kinds of art, you can offer deals, or you can create a price based on hourly work and pay. 

To keep it local, you can offer commissions to anyone within your area and you can state that this is a local exclusive opportunity for the time being.

It gives potential buyers an incentive to get involved with the exclusivity, and it’s a great way to get your work out there, especially if you’ve just started. 

Commissions, when done right, are extremely important and powerful tools for artists. They are how you generate revenue and how you entice people to keep coming back for more. 

Conclusion

If you are looking for ways to sell your art locally, then you can stop your search now. It’s not an easy task to sell your art, but if you are patient, it’s worth it. 

Use these tips to help yourself sell your art locally today!