Learn how to sell more art, build a thriving business, and lead the creative life you've always dreamed of!

This is the book with all of the practical information about how to actually make a career in the arts that we never learned in art school. The Complete Smartist Guide by artist and Create! Magazine Founder, Ekaterina Popova, and curator and gallery director of PxP Contemporary, Alicia Puig, is packed with tips, hints, and actionable steps from our personal experiences working in the art world.

In this essential guide for self-taught and emerging artists, we discuss not only business tactics, sales strategies, and how to promote your art online and in person, but also actionable information about how to deal with creative burnout, overcome imposter syndrome, and avoid the comparison game!

We’ve built our creative businesses largely using social media and email marketing so we share all of the exact steps we used to reach audiences of hundreds of thousands of followers around the world. To make sure we rounded out this book with even more solid advice, we’ve included interviews with numerous contemporary artists to share their unique insight into how to license your art, attract clients for commissions and mural projects, develop your unique creative voice, and so much more!

Buy from independent booksellers: 

Asbury Book Cooperative - BetterWorld Books - Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center - Books Inc. - Book No Further - Bronx River Books - Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops - Elliot Bay Book Company - Hennessey + Ingalls - Main Street Books - The Flying Pig Bookstore - The Regulator Bookshop

Reviews: 

Includes Supporting Interviews With Inspiring Contemporary Artists, Curators, and Art Agents:

Alonsa Guevara, Ashley Longshore, Chambers Austelle, Erika Lee Sears, Jenny Brown, Kestin Cornwall, Lisa Krannichfeld, Liza Zhurkovskaya, Tyler Kay

Available as a paperback & ebook!

Chapters: 

Business Basics

Your Artist Website
The smARTist Guide to Writing a Professional Resume
Stress-Free Artist Statements
Crafting Your Portfolio
Creating Business Stationery
Creating Systems to Stay Organized
How to Price Your Art
Smart Strategies to Sell & Market Your Art
Taking the Leap & Leaving Your Day Job
Now What? Things to Consider as You Begin Self-Employment
Diversifying Income Streams

The Fine Artist’s Guide to Social Media & Marketing

Using Instagram for Your Art Career
Getting Noticed on Instagram
Your Facebook Guide
More Ways to Connect with Your Audience
Email Marketing Basics
Networking 101 for Artists

Navigating the Art Business World

The Dos and Don’ts of Applying to Art Galleries
Aiming for Rejection Letters
Alternatives to the Gallery System
Submission Savvy: Helpful Tips on How to Submit, Improve Acceptance Rates & Avoid Common Mistakes
Finding & Building Relationships with Collectors
Five Lessons You Learn from Working in the Arts
Handling Commissions
Art World Etiquette

Developing & Growing as an Artist

Defining Your Unique Style 
Finding Opportunities for Your Art
Starting Over: Four Ways to Move On & Move Forward 
Establishing Smart Goals
Good Vibes Only: Negativity in the Art World & How to Fight It
It's Not Luck (& Other Reasons Why Creatives Need to Be More Vocal about Their Accomplishments)
The Grass Isn't Greener, but Sometimes It's Okay to Check
Navigating Artist Residencies
Tips for Surviving an Art Fair as an Artist
Overcoming Creative Burnout
How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome
Dealing with “Un” Feelings
Coming Back to Your Art after a Break
You Belong in the Art World
Finding Your Tribe
Making Time for Your Art While Working a Day Job

Bonus Material

Licensing Your Work
Considering & Acquiring an Agency or Art Rep
Exploring Other Social Media Outlets