7 Ways to Make Money as a Young Artist

What is it that truly excites and inspires you?

Are you searching for a way to generate income from your creative passions?

If so, you're in the right place! In this blog post, we will explore 7 ways you can make money and build a successful career as a young artist.

Financial success allows you to sustain your artistic practice, invest in art supplies, and create opportunities for further growth and development.

1. Sell Your Artwork

One of the most common ways to make money as an artist is by selling your artwork. There are various online platforms, such as Etsy, Society6, and MutualArt where you can showcase and sell your creations. Alternatively, you can create your own website to market and sell your artwork directly to potential buyers. Remember to take high-quality photos of your artwork and effectively promote them to attract more customers.

Artworks by Aya Takano on MutualArt

2. Generate a creative offer

Your skill set is unique and valuable. Spending time reflecting on and refining your creative skills and desires can illuminate your multidisciplinary style. Are you a graphic artist who is passionate about mental health? Design stunning and educational posters your peers can buy and hang in their room, you can event donate a portion of proceeds to mental heath organizations.

Or maybe you are a creative writer with photography skills? Start a monthly newsletter to feature your photos and writing, and add a paid subscription option. This can help you create a sustaining and fulfilling artistic practice that combines your wide range of interests and skills and generates intrinsic and economic value.

A poster by the The Charlie Fund, an organization that uses graphic design to educate around emotional intelligence.

3. Participate in Art Fairs and Exhibitions

Art fairs, exhibitions, and galleries provide excellent opportunities for young artists to showcase and sell their artwork. Look for local events in your area where you can display your creations to a wider audience. These events not only offer exposure but also connect you with potential buyers and fellow artists.

Kaikai Kiki Gallery at Art Basel Hong Kong 2017.

4. Print Merchandise

Consider exploring the option of printing your artwork on various merchandise. This could include items like t-shirts, mugs, or phone cases. By doing so, you can reach a broader customer base and generate additional income. Look for reliable printing services that can help you bring your designs to life on different products, or learn how to screen print and produce products on your own.

Painting by Yoshitomo Nara printed on a t-shirt.

5. Collaborate with Others

Collaboration is a powerful way to expand your reach as a young artist. Seek opportunities to collaborate with fellow artists, designers, or brands. This could involve creating joint artworks, designing album covers, or contributing to creative projects. Collaborations not only provide exposure but also open doors to financial compensation and new audiences.

Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat joined forces in the 1980s. Their relationship resulted in one of the greatest collaborations of all time.

6. Offer Art Classes or Workshops

If you have a passion for teaching, consider offering art classes or workshops. Share your artistic skills and knowledge with aspiring artists or art enthusiasts. You can provide in-person classes or even conduct online workshops through platforms like Eventbrite and Zoom. This allows you to earn money while helping others develop their artistic abilities.

Examples of some art workshops offered on Eventbrite.

7. Apply for Scholarships and Grants

Another way to support your artistic endeavors is by applying for scholarships and grants. Many organizations, institutions, and foundations offer scholarships specifically for young artists. These scholarships can provide financial assistance for art supplies, educational opportunities, or even funding for art projects.

Scholarships can not only alleviate financial burdens but also open doors to valuable learning experiences and networking opportunities within the art community.

Don't overlook the power of scholarships in supporting your artistic growth and development. Take the time to explore available opportunities and invest in your artistic future through scholarship applications.

Scholarship Opportunity:

David Evans Scholarship of Art + Design 

At the New Art Foundation of Vancouver, we strive to help artists of all disciplines and ages. 

That’s why we’ve launched our David Evans Scholarship of Art + Design; designed to support young artists aged 14-25 in the Lower Mainland, BC with financial prizes, mentorship and exhibition opportunities to kick start their creative career.

Seize this invaluable opportunity and apply for the scholarship at https://www.nafvan.com/david-evans-young-talent-scholarship .

Keep exploring, learning, and adapting to the ever-evolving art market. Stay true to your artistic vision while remaining open to new opportunities and collaborations. With persistence, resilience, and a bit of entrepreneurial spirit, you can turn your passion into a thriving career as a young artist.

What is New Art?

You may have heard the term “new art” floating around, but what is it exactly?

New Art is a contemporary art form that reflects current cultural and social issues. It is characterized by its innovation and experimentation in exploring new technologies, mediums, and art forms. This art form is focused on addressing the complexities of modern life, which includes environmentalism, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, and globalization.

New Art is interdisciplinary, blending different art forms and cultural traditions. It is not only limited to painting, sculpture, installation, performance, video, and digital art, but can also be inclusive of other forms of art.

One of the most important features of New Art is the emphasis on breaking down traditional boundaries between artist and audience. This is achieved through the use of interactive installations and participatory performances that engage viewers in the creative process. It encourages the audience to participate in shaping the meaning of the artwork.

New Art also often concerns itself with social and political issues. Many New Art practitioners use their work as a means of activism, seeking to raise awareness and provoke social change.

There are many examples of New Art. Some of the most notable artists in this field include:

Yayoi Kusama: Known for her immersive installations, Kusama's work often incorporates mirrors and polka dots to create a sense of infinity and endlessness. Her work is strongly influenced by her own experiences with mental illness.

 Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms

Ai Weiwei: A Chinese artist and activist, Weiwei's work often addresses issues of human rights and freedom of speech. He is known for his large-scale installations and sculptures made from everyday objects. His work is also known for its use of social media to engage with a wider audience.

Ai Weiwei’s Sunflower Seeds  2010 consists of 100 million individually handcrafted porcelain sunflower seeds.

Jenny Holzer: Holzer's work often takes the form of public art projects, using text and language to explore themes of power, gender, and violence. She is known for her use of LED lights to display her messages in public spaces.

Jenny Holzer’s Nighttime Poetry projections

Barbara Kruger: Using text and found images, Kruger's work often critiques consumer culture and the media, exploring themes of power, identity, and representation. Her work often features bold typography and a red and black color scheme.

One of her most famous works is the image of a woman with the text "Your body is a battleground" written across her face. This piece addresses issues of women's rights and the control of reproductive rights.

A well-known artwork by Kruger features the phrase "My Body is a Battleground" written in bold white letters on a red background.

Trevor Paglen: Paglen's work often explores issues of surveillance and the politics of technology. He is known for his photographs of classified military sites and his installations that visualize data collection and surveillance. His work often involves a deep dive into government and corporate secrecy.

Trevor Paglen’s “Image Operations”, a video installation that highlights emerging forms of computer vision and machine learning.

New Art is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that challenges traditional notions of art and pushes the boundaries of creativity and expression. It continues to explore new forms of artistic expression and the relationship between artist and audience.

At the New Art Foundation of Vancouver (NAFVan), we embrace the spirit of New Art and its transformative power. We strive to create a space where artists can push boundaries, experiment with new mediums, and engage in meaningful dialogue with the community. Through our initiatives, we empower artists, curate immersive public events, and support research projects that explore the cutting edge of art innovation.

Join us on this exciting journey as we celebrate the dynamic world of New Art. Together, let's challenge traditional norms, ignite creativity, and inspire positive change in the artistic landscape of Vancouver and beyond.

The Relationship Between Art and Mental HealthSubtitle: Express, Don’t suppress

Can you remember a time when you felt down or stressed, and used a creative outlet to lift you up or help you express those complex feelings?

Art and mental health have a complex and intertwined relationship. On the one hand, creating art can be a therapeutic and cathartic experience for people who struggle with mental health issues by providing an outlet for emotional expression, and reducing stress and anxiety. On the other hand, mental health issues can also inspire art, with many artists using their struggles with depression, anxiety, and other conditions as a source of inspiration for their work. Art therapy is also a widely recognized form of treatment for mental health issues.

In this blog post, we’ll further discuss how art can be used as a therapeutic tool, how mental health issues can inspire art, and art therapy as a form of treatment.

Art as a Therapeutic Tool

Art has long been recognized as a therapeutic tool to help people cope with mental health issues. Engaging in creative activities like drawing, painting, and sculpting can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve overall well-being.

One reason for this is that art-making can be a form of mindfulness, allowing individuals to focus on the present moment and regulate their emotions. Art can also provide an outlet for self-expression, allowing individuals to communicate their thoughts and feelings in a non-verbal way. Moreover, art can be a way to connect with others and build social connections. Participating in group art activities like workshops or classes can provide opportunities for socializing and support.

You don't need to be a trained artist to benefit from making art. Simply setting aside time to engage in a creative activity that you enjoy can have a positive impact on your mental health.

How Mental Health Issues Can Inspire Art

Many of us have heard the stereotypes of the "Mad Genius" or "Tortured Artist." While these tropes are largely exaggerated, there is evidence to suggest that mental health issues can inspire the creation of art.

One study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that people with depression tended to produce more abstract and emotionally ambiguous artwork compared to non-depressed individuals. The researchers suggested this may be because people with depression often struggle to express their emotions directly and use art as a way to communicate their feelings indirectly. Another study published in the Journal of Creative Behaviour found that people with bipolar disorder tended to produce more creative and original artwork compared to non-bipolar individuals. This may be because bipolar disorder is often associated with enhanced creativity and cognitive flexibility.

In addition to these studies, there are numerous examples of artists who have spoken publicly about how their mental health issues have inspired their work. For example, Vincent Van Gogh is known to have suffered from depression and anxiety, which are thought to have influenced his unique and expressive style of painting.

Overall, more research is needed to fully understand the link between mental health and art, but these studies suggest that mental health issues can play a role in inspiring and shaping creative expression.

Art Therapy as a Form of Treatment

Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses art-making to promote emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being. In art therapy, a trained therapist helps clients use various art materials and techniques to explore their feelings, thoughts, and experiences in a safe and supportive environment.

The goal of art therapy is not necessarily to create a finished product, but rather to use the creative process as a way to express and explore emotions and promote self-awareness. The therapist may encourage the client to use different art materials, such as paint, clay, or collage, and may guide the client in the creative process by asking questions or making observations about the artwork.

Art therapy can be used to address a wide range of mental health issues and can help clients improve their interpersonal relationships, manage stress, and develop coping skills. Research has found that it is effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in both adults and children, reducing symptoms of PTSD in female survivors of domestic violence, and improving body image and reducing symptoms of eating disorders.

Conclusion

Art and mental health are deeply connected, with art serving as both a therapeutic tool and a source of inspiration for those struggling with mental health issues. Engaging in creative activities can promote mindfulness, provide an outlet for self-expression, and help regulate emotions. Mental health issues can also inspire the creation of art, with many artists drawing on their struggles as inspiration. Art therapy, a recognized form of treatment for mental health issues, uses various forms of art-making to help patients express their emotions and work through psychological challenges. Anyone can use art as a cathartic tool to process emotions and express themselves better.

Here at the New Art Foundation of Vancouver, we believe in the transformative power of art to promote mental health and well-being. Our non-profit organization is dedicated to supporting local artists and encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration. With a focus on community engagement and education, we strive to create a more inclusive and supportive arts community in Vancouver and beyond. Learn more about our work and how you can get involved by visiting our website at https://www.nafvan.com/.

Please Touch The Art: A Preview of Our Upcoming Sensory Exhibit

Sensations: An Art Experience You Can Feel

A Different Way of Seeing Art

Many of us are familiar with the signs at art galleries and museums saying "Please don’t touch the art." While this instruction may be necessary to preserve exhibits, it deprives those with visual impairments of the opportunity to fully enjoy and experience the art. At most, they can only read a description of it, which is a limited substitute. There is a lack of art that takes into account the perspective of those with visual impairments and how different perspectives can be part of the art itself.

On the other hand, as individuals with full vision, we rely heavily on our eyes to guide and shape our ideas and perceptions. But what about our other senses? Each of them contributes to our overall experience, forming an integral part of sensory integration or processing. Sensory integration refers to the brain's ability to recognize and respond to the information provided by our senses, encompassing sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing, as well as our perception of our body in space. Each of our fingertips alone contain 3,000 nerve endings, sending signals to the brain and making our sense of touch a powerful source of information.

Thus, our upcoming multisensory exhibit, Sensations 3D Art Experience, seeks to address the following questions: first, how can we make art more accessible to people with visual impairments, and second, how can we tap into our other sensations beyond sight to create a more meaningful experience?

In partnership with the Voices for Hope Foundation, the New Art Foundation of Vancouver (NAFVan) is excited to bring an innovative exhibition to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region, that highlights new ways of accessing our world by presenting classic and contemporary artworks in a way that appeals to a multitude of our senses.

Voices For Hope Foundation and Art as a Vehicle for Social Change

Art has always been a powerful tool for social change, and our sensory exhibit is no exception. By using sensory design to create an exhibit that is open to all regardless of visual ability, we advocate for inclusivity and encourage visitors to think critically about the role of art in society and how it can be used to challenge traditional notions of accessibility and representation.

Moreover, this project is in collaboration with the Voices for Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health and disabilities. By leading high impact campaigns, through policy and advocacy work, and with community-based projects, they are providing resources and making a difference in the lives of marginalized communities. Voices for Hope Founder, Rabiah Dhaliwal, is the 2021 Recipient of the Canada’s Walk of Fame Community Hero Award and 2023 Recipient of the B.C. Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. Voices for Hope has worked on key accessibility initiatives such as integrating sensory technologies into educational institutions that serve as decompression spaces for neurodiverse students and developing micro-grants and support packages for Indigenous populations, in the Vancouver region. 

Through this partnership, we aim to raise awareness about the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals and to promote accessibility, inclusivity, and community engagement in the art world, highlighting the need for art institutions, and society as a whole, to take into consideration a wider range of perspectives.

Sensory Design: Enhancing Awareness and Emotional Terrain

Our sensory exhibit acknowledges that we understand and navigate the world with all five of our senses. Most museums work to make sure that galleries have neutral smells and sounds so that the visitor can focus on the artworks, but those factors can alter the experience significantly. All of the senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, and hearing—are a part of the museum experience. By opening up to multiple sensory dimensions, designers and artists can reach a greater diversity of users. Paintings that can be touched as well as seen facilitate mobility and understanding for sighted, low-vision, and blind users. Audio devices add a new layer of perception using music and audio descriptions. These innovations are beneficial to all users, as sensory design enhances awareness of the body and creates new emotional terrain through its stimulation of our visceral responses. 

Multisensory exhibits are an emerging  concept, and similar exhibits have been held in other parts of the world. For example, the Louvre Museum in France introduced a tactile gallery for visually impaired individuals, which included sculptures that visitors could touch and feel. The Museo Del Prado in Madrid launched an exhibit entitled Touching the Prado featuring six 3D copies of its famous paintings including a version of the Mona Lisa by a pupil of Leonardo Da Vinci’s, which could be touched. These exhibits demonstrate that multisensory design can play a significant role in making art more accessible and inclusive for all.

As a result of this exhibit, 10 high-quality works, representative of both classic and contemporary styles and genres, will be 3D generated and printed to allow visitors to feel the accentuated contours of the brush strokes and mentally recreate the paintings.

In addition to the three-dimensional images, the displays will include didactic material such as texts in braille, sensory boards, audio guides, and opaque glasses aimed at enhancing the experience for both visually impaired and fully sighted visitors.

Target Audience and Education Opportunities

The exhibit is designed to appeal to a broad range of visitors, but specifically to those who are visually impaired, low-vision, and their communities. It provides a unique opportunity for visitors to experience art in a new way, and to gain a deeper understanding of the role of sensory design in enhancing accessibility. We also aim to raise awareness of the needs and abilities of people with visual impairments, to facilitate dialogue between visually impaired individuals and the broader Vancouver community, and to challenge the traditional view of art presentation. We hope that this exhibit will inspire our community to think deeper about how we can use art and creativity to form a more inclusive world. Additionally, we hope it will open the door for new opportunities for educators and students to explore topics related to accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity.

Our upcoming sensory exhibit is an exciting opportunity to explore new ways of experiencing art and to advocate for greater accessibility in all areas of life. We invite you to join us on this movement, spread the word and open your mind to experience art and life beyond sight. Please touch the art!

Introducing the New Art Foundation of Vancouver: Empowering Creatives and Advancing Art Innovation

The New Art Foundation of Vancouver (NAFVan) is a non-profit organization committed to advancing art innovation and empowering creatives from all backgrounds. Founded in 2022 by a passionate team of experts and academics from Greater Vancouver, NAFVan recognized Vancouver's potential as a hub for art innovation and sought to provide resources for creative individuals to foster multidisciplinary collaboration.

NAFVan believes that art should be inclusive and accessible to everyone. Our organization hosts a wide range of events and projects to engage and inspire the local and global community. We offer art education programs and outreach initiatives, as well as community engagement events like art exhibitions and shows. Our upcoming multi-sensory exhibit for visually impaired individuals will feature interactive elements like touchable 3D printed art and sensory boards, and is an example of NAFVan's innovative and inclusive approach to art programs. By including these tactile features as well as audio and braille descriptions we are creating a multi-sensory experience that encourages the use of new technologies in the creative process and creates something unique and innovative.

NAFVan strives to create exciting opportunities like this that encourage collaboration between disciplines, empower creatives and promote diversity and inclusion in the art community.

Three Pillars

The organization is built on three fundamental pillars: Artist Empowerment, Public Events, and Research & Projects. NAFVan supports emerging artists and creatives by providing them with resources such as workshops, mentorships, and access to equipment and studio spaces that help them develop their skills and advance their careers. The organization also hosts immersive events that generate interest in the community and the "new art" paradigm. These events include exhibitions, art fairs, panel discussions, and workshops that bring together artists, industry professionals, and the public. Finally, NAFVan collaborates with researchers, academics, and industry professionals to drive innovation in art and design.

Our Impact

Despite being a young organization, we have already made a positive impact on the artistic community in Vancouver by supporting creatives. Our mission has received testimonials from artists, volunteers, and patrons who have shared their experiences with us.

NAFVan's Young Talent Exhibition in 2022 featured the works of emerging artists and provided free masterclasses from established artists. Masterclass topics included concept design, color theory, digital illustration, 3D modeling, and printing, with guest lecturers such as Sean McMurchy, Hugo Hernandez, and Lily Bai.

We also hosted our first Artists' Social Circle event attended by 30+ local artists, in November 2022 as part of our Artist Professional Development program. The event provided an opportunity for artists to connect, network, and have a free photo taken of their artwork and receive a professional headshot.

Our first Charity Gala with Vancouver Chamber Music Society was held in February 2023 and featured a multidisciplinary collaboration between art and music. The Chamber Music Society played world-class classical music, creating a fantastic atmosphere for guests to appreciate the artwork. In total, the event raised $25,913 in auction sales supporting diverse, local artists, with $5,075 of these proceeds donated to charity. The remaining sum went to support participating artists, a core mission of NAFVan. The New Art Foundation of Vancouver is proud to have had such a successful first charity art gala event and looks forward to continuing to promote and support the arts in Vancouver.

Stay in the loop

NAFVan's impact extends beyond the Vancouver artistic community, as the organization has received messages from people around the world who have been inspired by its mission and initiatives. NAFVan is passionate about making a positive impact on the Lower Mainland and global artistic community, and it will continue to support creatives in their artistic pursuits. If you're interested in art, events, and culture in Vancouver, NAFVan encourages you to get involved. Follow the organization on social media to stay up-to-date on our latest events and projects, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Together, we can continue to empower creatives and advance art innovation in Vancouver and beyond.