Because artists step outside the mainstream nine to five world, many feel like they are alone in their pursuit of their art. Email Article Print Article Bookmark RSS Related Content:   Artist Finances   How to Sell Your Art Online   Quit Job for Art?   Create Your Blog

Because artists step outside the mainstream nine to five world (whether they work in that world or not), many artists feel like they are alone in their pursuit of their art. It is also true that there are family members, friends, co-workers, teachers and others who not only don’t support the endeavor, but actively use their influence to bring you down, to dissuade you from pursuing your art. Therefore, it is important to know your support system and understand the resources at your disposal to encourage your career aspirations. This section is to take stock in the support you already have in place, to acknowledge it and to be thankful for it. It is also to see the areas that you need more support so that you can build a rock solid foundation that no-one will be able to shake. Finally, remember that there are lots of us out there, other artists working to build a life around the art they love. You are not alone though your resources may be sparse at this point.

Financial

1. Financial Plan. Do you have a financial plan in place? If not why not? When are you going to get one in place?
2. Support Revenue. How do you support yourself at present? What is good about this support and what is not so good about it?
3. Career Revenue. Are you making any money from your art career at present? If so, how much? If not, why not? Do you anticipate ever making money at it? Is this okay? If so, why? If not, why not?

Personal

1. Family. Who in your family supports your endeavors. Who does not? Don’t worry about why on these questions or you may just go insane. Once you’ve identified who is supportive. Remember to spend more time with these people. Do not share your career and art with the people who do not support your endeavors. Spend as little time around these people as is humanly possible.
2. Friends. Go through the same process here. Stay away from negative, toxic "friends."
3. Others. Go through the same process for your significant other. If they are unsupportive, acknowledge this but don’t try to solve it immediately. This process is to get your personal career in order, not to resolve your entire personal life. Everything in its time.

Professional

1. Industry Groups. Are there trade organizations related to your art? Are you a member of these groups? Are they local? Are they national? How can you get involved? How much time do you spend with them? How are they useful? How could they be useful?
2. Industry Professionals. Do you know people within your industry? How are they supportive? How could they be supportive? Are there people within the industry that you don’t know personally but admire? Why do you admire them? How can their story, their career be of help to you? What can you learn from the way they got to where they are in their career? Who can you work with locally to mentor your career?

Educational

1. Institutions. What educational institutions have been helpful to you, useful? How have they been useful? What educational institutions can be useful to you? How can they be useful?
2. Groups. Are there groups that have been helpful for you? If not, can you identify some groups that might be helpful for you to join?
3. One on One. Are there any teachers that have been particularly supportive? How about classmates? How could this type of relationship benefit you?
4. Written Material. What written resources have you used to support your art? Books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, websites, others? How have they been helpful? How could you use these resources as a base of support? What areas have you left unexplored?

Next: Career Plan Obstacles

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