We Need The Artist's 4-Minute Mile

Enough is enough. The perfect storm creates the revolution. 😤

Note: This post is part of Soaring Twenties symposium number #33.

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Two frustrating incidents have ignited a firestorm of emotion in me.

Firstly, A post from Amie McNee³ that hit home. It was how Amy was advised by her mentor that enraged me.

“My idol suggested they should keep working at that job and write on the side.

“Write on the side.”

Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly logical advice, we all need a roof over our heads and need to eat. We all know that, but what stops us from having it all? I say ‘having it all’, all it is getting paid a decent amount to be an artist full-time. The subtext of the advice Amie received was “That’s just the way it is, even the pros can’t rely on their art to make money”.

It’s like there’s collective guilt stemming from childhood that says we can’t possibly go full-time as an artist. It’s just a little hobby on the side, now shut the fuck up and put your crayons away. The saddest thing of all is, that a lot of us believe it.

The world needs our art.

We must share it.

The second thing, the reply I got from an art mentorship group, they pique my interest by telling me they’re doubling their prices soon (they’ve been saying that for years but it still got to me). I had the urge to reply and ask them what is their percentage rate in terms of artists going pro from those who join your group. By pro, I mean making a normal, healthy living by selling their art.

Their reply was this…

In terms of Going Pro - does that mean making a full time salary from art? Then there are few. Almost all the artists I know, including the many famous ones I interview for Yale radio who are showing with a good gallery in NYC, also have second jobs, like teaching, etc., so they don't have to rely on their art all the time. We did just do a roundtable with an artist that was doing it full time with a staff though, so it certainly is possible and we always explore that.

I’m sorry, but I am not accepting this. Professional artists have to work other jobs to make ends meet. Is this the only profession where this is OK?!!! IT IS NOT OK!!!

Did you know that the average yearly earnings for self-employed visual artists are now only £12,500⁸, which is 40% lower in real terms compared to their income in 2010. Why do we accept this as ok? You tell me, I’d love to know why you think this is acceptable in the comments.

Below is just one example of how we can connect with buyers of our art; there is a vast market for wall art out there—by "wall art", I mean the mass-produced pieces sold by major department stores.

The wall art market in the UK and US is huge, with the more casual wall decor sector alone generating around £10 billion in annual revenue. This market is experiencing significant growth, expanding at roughly 12% each year¹. Notably, the online segment of this market is growing even faster, at about 19% annually¹. This indicates a strong demand for art, presenting a significant opportunity for us artists to tap into and potentially earn a greater share of that delicious cash pie. I feel we need to do something about this collectively, together.

We need to support each other and demonstrate that making a good living as an artist is not only possible but also simpler than many believe. Just as Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile barrier inspired countless others to do the same, once thought impossible, we too can set new standards for success in the art world.

Let’s do some simple math(s) to see how this could work:

Let’s say we can get 5% of that £10 billion pie (£500 Million) from the department stores and share it between 20,000 artists. Each artist would earn an annual revenue of £25000 (Double that of the average yearly earnings for self-employed visual artists).

It all starts with persuading the department-store-art-buyers why they must buy art from us directly.

Let’s work together on how we can do this. Wall art buyers need to experience the bigger picture, let’s not only dream, let’s make it a reality together.

My love to all artists out there, things need to change now. Artists are visionaries, so if anyone can make this happen, we can.

SLART

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Sources and further reading:

1. Wall Art System Market Growth, Size & Share Analysis | 2032 https://www.skyquestt.com/report/wall-art-system-market

2. Do people buy art online? Yes, these are the reasons why ... https://www.theprintspace.co.uk/why-do-people-buy-art-online/

3. Amie McNee’s post:

   To the artist who wants to go full time.

4. tbamf.org.uk
   https://tbamf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/British-Art-Market-2023-Final-Low-Res-FINAL.pdf

5. Earning half the minimum wage: new report reveals pressures on artists to sustain creative life: https://dacs.org.uk/news-events/earning-half-the-minimum-wage-new-report-reveals-pressures-on-artists-to-sustain-creative-life#:~:text=The%20median%20annual%20income%20for,they%20were%20earning%20in%202010

6. UK Wall Art Market Size & Outlook, 2030 - Grand View Research https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/wall-art-market/uk

7. Wall Art Market Size, Share, Trends & Growth Analysis [2032] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/wall-art-market-105009

8. Wall Art Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast (2025-2032) https://www.stellarmr.com/report/Wall-Art-Market/972

9. Who is Buying Art Right Now? | Artwork Archive https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/who-is-buying-art-right-now

10. Mass-produced Paintings Advantages and Disadvantages - Ceyise Studios https://www.ceyisestudios.com/mass-produced-paintings/

11. 7 Reasons to Stop Buying Mass-Produced Art For Your Home - 87145 https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/7-reasons-to-stop-buying-cheap-mass-produced-art-for-your-home

12. www.luxurytravelmagazine.com https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/7-reasons-to-stop-buying-cheap-mass-produced-art-for-your-home#:~:text=Many%20people%20turn%20to%20mass,painted%20reproductions%20of%20famous%20artwork%3F

13. Millennial collectors are coming of age – and women are the biggest… https://www.artbasel.com/news/millennials-art-market-2020

14. www.craftscouncil.org.uk https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/documents/880/Market_for_craft_full_report_2020.pdf