IT'S TIME TO GROW YOUR ART BUSINESS.
Dive into this curated list of helpful tools and resources hand picked by Lauren (yours truly), for artists looking to market themselves online. Most of these items have been an integral part of building my online business. If you use something that should be included on this page, please give me a shout by email. This page contains affiliate links. Click here to read more about that.
RESOURCES & TOOLS
Video Library
Watch replays of interviews and discussions with artists and industry professionals who share the best tips and advice for creatives
E-Books_
45 Ideas to Monetise Your Creativity. This invaluable guide book offers actionable tips, a resource library, and real-world examples to help artists generate income from their art and designs.
This one ebook/course alone is what helped to get my brand new Pinterest account to over 100k Monthly viewers in just a few short months. Pinterest is a huge web traffic booster. This is a must!
Say goodbye to boring art classes. This Guide to Teaching Art sets the standard for inspiring and engaging instruction, perfect for unleashing your creativity.
SEO is must, if you plan to be found on this crowded internet. An incredibly easy to follow guide by successful blogger Debbie Gardner that helped us skyrocket our website traffic.
Podcasts_
Find these wherever you like to stream podcasts
If you haven't heard of Pat Flynn I feel sorry for you! He is THE person to listen to if you want sound advice, tips and stories on how to build a better business whether big or small.
This one helps you find your creative craft, develop it and turn into a sustainable career that connects you to your audience. With top interviews and more Creative Pep Talk is a great listen.
Absolutely overflowing with knowledge and big golden nuggets. Brandon Gaille's podcast is an incredible find for anyone who wants to grow big online with a blog.
Talking about all things related to the world of freelance. With topics about getting clients, getting paid, and getting your name out there, this one is perfect for anyone looking to go it alone as a freelancer.
BUSINESS COURSES TO UP YOUR GAME_
Our Top Picks on Skillshare: Our readers get 2 months Free Unlimited Access!
YOUR CAREER >
6 Exercises to Create a Successful Side Project, a course by Andy J. Pizza. Over 11k people have taken this course.
101 >
For creative entreprenuers. A course by Peg Fitzpatrick. Over 6k people have taken this course!
FOR THE CREATIVE FREELANCER >
Payment terms, the good, the bad and the ugly. A course by Katie Lane. Over 200 people have taken this course!
Pro >
Want to become a pro at filmmaking on your smartphone? This Smartphone Filmmaking Pro course offers in-depth training to help you create cinematic masterpieces.
YOUR WORK >
How to value yourself as a Freelancer. A course by Peggy Dean. Over 6k people have taken this class!
YOUR FIRST 1000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM >
A guide to getting initial growth on Instagram. A course by Laurie Wang. Over 6k people have taken this course!
TEACH YOUR ART_
Sell your very own creative online courses
IMPROVE YOUR ART TECHNIQUES & SKILLS_
YOUR CAREER >
6 Exercises to Create a Successful Side Project, a course by Andy J. Pizza. Over 11k people have taken this course.
101 >
For creative entreprenuers. A course by Peg Fitzpatrick. Over 6k people have taken this course!
FOR THE CREATIVE FREELANCER >
Payment terms, the good, the bad and the ugly. A course by Katie Lane. Over 200 people have taken this course!
PHOTOSHOP CC >
Essential Training Course by Daniel Scott. Over 32K people have taken this course!
YOUR WORK >
How to value yourself as a Freelancer. A course by Peggy Dean. Over 6k people have taken this class!
YOUR FIRST 1000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM >
A guide to getting initial growth on Instagram. A course by Laurie Wang. Over 6k people have taken this course!
MARKETING TOOLS_
Tools to help you spread the word
We use Mailchimp to email newsletters and updates to our subscribers. It's free to use when you have up to 2000 subscribers.
My favourite social media scheduler. Set it and forget it by auto-publishing posts. You can even schedule Reels & Stories too
Similar to Mailchimp, it's an easy to use email marketing tool that helps keep costs low.
A great option for a social media scheduler to help you set it forget it, so you can get back to making more art.
One of the best email marketing tools on the internet. It's a bit pricey, but it's worth every penny and more.
Plan all your social posts in one place, and connect to some of your other apps too.
A fan favourite for scheduling social media posts in advance. Has many features and connects to all the top socials
Website Tools_
My favourite drag and drop website builder that easy for beginners and non-techy people. One of the most customisable platforms out there.
This is one of the most popular platforms for selling your stuff online. Many crafters use Shopify to help them sell their creations
Similar to Wix, it's one of the most popular drag and drop website builders out there. Just use one of their gorgeous templates and start building your website.
Buy a cheap Domain name or URL for your professional website in no time. They have the best customer support on the planet. We only use Godaddy.
With free and paid options, WordPress is the most used website builders on the internet. This is what you'll need to go for if you plan to monetise your blog or website.
If you need web hosting, go with Bluehost for a super inexpensive solution to get your self-hosted website live. If you use a WordPress website, get Bluehost.
Organisation_
Notion
The single most important app that has allowed me to stay organised as a business owner, teacher, and freelancer. Notion lets you create, well, anything really. I created my own dashboard to keep everything in. The possibilities are endless!
Artwork Archive
This is an all in one platform that helps you track inventory, galleries, contacts, sales and more. If you're a practicing artist, this may help you out loads.
Marketplaces For Selling Your Art_
Budgeting_
We use QuickBooks for all our accounting needs. It's so simple to set up. Keep track of your income and expenses in one place, and get robust reports on everything.
We use PayPal to collect online payments. You can even create Invoices and send money internationally too.
Similar to PayPal, use Stripe to collect and process online payments safely. Has great reporting and dashboard tools to track your success.
Project Funding_
Search a database of 500+ listings for arts grants and opportunities available to individuals and organisations across the UK
A membership platform allowing creators to earn a monthly income by providing rewards and perks to their subscribers.
Kickstarters aims to ``help bring creative projects to life`` by allowing users to raise money donated by the public
this is a great podcast that helps with this topic
This library is a resource of successful funding applications that you can learn from. Get a handle on the language used and the way budgets are put together.
LEGAL STUFF_
BE SELF-EMPLOYED >
To work for yourself you may need to register at HMRC to get your UTR number & become self-employed for tax purposes.
Protect Your Work
Artists seem to be 1st people to get ripped off when it comes to their work. ProtectMyWork has advice and annual protection with Copyrights and Intellectual Property.
INCOME TAX >
QuickBooks is an easy to use app that helps track your income, expenses and calculates how much tax you may need to put aside.
INSURANCE FOR SOLE
TRADERS & SMALL ORGANISATIONS
Did you know may need Limited Liability Insurance to sell at art markets? A-N has affordable insurance packages starting at £38 per year.
STUDIO MUST HAVES_
Design & Printing_
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Get business cards, posters, art prints and more. It's what we use and trust.
Trusted by millions to create anything from square to mini business cards, or cards with gold or bevelled edges. Worth checking out if you want something as unique as you.
Pack >
Want your photos to look like a Hollywood blockbuster? This Cinematic Teal & Orange Colour-grading Presets will give your work that professional touch.
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A leading Print On Demand dropshipping company that lets you put your designs on basically anything and will print, pack and ship it for you. No inventory or upfront costs!
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From designing, cutting and sanding to joining, staining and fitting — they offer a bespoke service where every detail is meticulously considered.
Photo Editor >
This AI-powered PhotoKit is the perfect photo editor for unleashing your creativity. With a range of powerful tools and filters, it's easy to create stunning visuals.
Pro >
We use Canva for literally everything. Easily design any type of graphic, social media posts, resumes, invoices, posters and more with their drag and drop format and stunning templates. And it's FREE! We use the Pro version for even more options.
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Another very popular Print on Demand dropshipping company that basically does all the work for you so you can get back to making art.