I often hear artists say:
“I am an artist, not a marketing person.”
“I would rather pay someone to do marketing for me.”
“I don’t like putting myself out there.”
I get it.
As an artist, it can feel more natural to focus on the creative side and hand over the managing and marketing and business related roles to someone else. After all, the dream is often about freedom – creating without constraints, exploring ideas, and letting the work speak for itself.
If you are one of the few who might be offered a contract by a label or agent, it’s worth pausing for a moment. Make sure you understand, what you are signing.
From what I’ve seen, artists with managers or agents don’t necessarily become happier or automatically more jobs. Yes, they might get a bigger team to help navigate the emotional rollercoaster of being an artist, but this team wants to earn money with you. For some artists this meant to become the racehorse, constantly pushed to perform.
But what if you could build a creative life on your own terms? What if you could find your audience, share your vision, and create meaningful connections without becoming someone else’s product?
The key is to become your own manager.
One of my reasons for becoming an artist was the thought of freedom. The dream of building my own creative machine:
a workplace where I could grow, explore, and feel supported.
For me, being an artist means more than just creating beautiful work. Art is a personal business. It means taking responsibility for the whole process, from the first spark of inspiration to the financial reality of making it sustainable.
It also means coming down from the clouds of ideas to face the bottlenecks and numbers from time to time – to understand them, to make them work for you. This isn’t about killing your creative vibe. It’s about supporting it with a solid foundation. Freedom won’t find you if you keep looking for a savior outside of yourself.
Yes, there are art collectors out there who value creative masterpieces, but relying solely on them can be risky.
What if you could build your own safety net, where your art is not just a passion, but a sustainable practice? What if your creativity could become the engine of your freedom, instead of a source of constant worry?
If you run from the fears, they only become scarier. If you face them, they become part of the creative process, not a barrier to it.
Discipline is the backbone of this. Yes, it’s tempting to follow the flow, to sleep late, to dig for inspiration. But freedom needs a foundation. Discipline means doing what needs to be done, even when you don’t feel like it. Because every successful business – and every successful artist – is built on consistent effort.
But what does discipline look like for you? What small steps could you take to build that foundation, without losing your creative spark?
Marketing is part of that effort. It’s the art of being seen, the art of finding your audience. It’s not rocket science, but it does require clarity and intention. And you have one big advantage – you have a name, a face, a reputation, a story. You are your own brand.
What if you could share your journey in a way that feels authentic to you? What if marketing could become an extension of your art, instead of a chore?
So, instead of making yourself dependent on someone else, reconsider taking this part into your own hands. Tell your own story, because people connect through stories. Be your own newspaper, share your journey authentically. That’s where real connection starts.
And remember, the first rule of good marketing is to listen. Listen to your audience, to your market, to the world and people around you. That’s where real magic begins – solving real problems while staying true to yourself.
In my perspective, being an artist also includes being a marketer, a strategist, and a business owner. Because being an artist means taking responsibility for my own success, life and values.
What is your story?
If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your story. What do you struggle with as an artist? What would you like to learn? And how can I support you on this journey?