This month, we’re talking about sharing your art skills for a fee — better known as teaching — to give you an additional income stream as a professional artist.
If you caught our webinar at end of last year, this is part of the framework you saw about growing the business side of your art.
In the months ahead, we’ll go more in-depth on this framework, with more about:
> growing an audience… to connect directly with people who will buy your work
> creating partnerships… to share your art with even more people
> finding gallery representation… so you can sell your most expensive pieces
If you’re curious about teaching art workshops, in person or online,
then you may be wondering…
“Why would someone pay to learn from me?”
Will people really pay money for what you have to offer?
Why wouldn’t they just learn for free from YouTube?
And there are SO MANY amazing teachers out there already.
So who are you to offer yet another art class?
Well…
There will always be someone a couple of steps ahead of you…
…and someone else a couple of steps behind you.
But the best person to teach those a couple steps behind?
It’s not the artist who’s in your eyes already at the top.
It’s you.
Because you can relate to their challenges.
You can share what you know about technique, materials, and even confidence.
In fact, the largest audience for art workshops online?
They’re beginners who want more guidance than they can get from a free tutorial.
And you don’t have to create some complex curriculum.
Just get started.
“I get so nervous speaking for an audience / on camera”
Have you ever shown a friend how to make something?
If so, then you already know what you’re doing.
Your students won’t care what you look like or how you sound.
They just want to learn from your approach to creating.
And don’t worry, this isn’t a TED talk.
You won’t be onstage in front of hundreds of people.
You’ll be in the comfort of your own studio.
And if you’re teaching online, you’ll also be in a virtual room, side by side with a handful of friendly art lovers.
Try practicing with a friend beforehand, or even invite them to the class.
“But I don’t know how to work all the tech stuff.”
So many course platforms. It’s overwhelming.
You could spend weeks comparing them, and even longer learning to use them.
But why overthink it?
> Do you have a smartphone or laptop with a camera?
> Have you ever used Zoom?
> Is your Internet connection good enough for an hour or two of video streaming?
>> Then you have everything you need to teach art online.
You don’t need to buy fancy equipment.
It’s nice if you can use a laptop to capture the lesson and also a smartphone for close-ups of your hands.
But if that’s a challenge, don’t let it stop you!
Keep it super simple. Just focus on what you want to teach.
You can upgrade the tech part later if you need to.
To recap:
If you want some more predictable art-related income, teaching may work for you.
Yes, there are students who will pay to learn from you.
No, you don’t need complicated software or new equipment.
And — there are lots of ways to get past being camera-shy.
If any of this has held you back from teaching…
Why wait any longer?
What if this month, you earned $3,000 from leading art workshops?
Oil painter Sally Strand did exactly that in her very first month of teaching online.
Here is Sally telling her story:
And that was just her first month of many.
She emailed our team last week:
“Thanks again for your valuable help. I have a solid waitlist for on online workshops, thanks to you!”
Your turn — let us know what you create!
And, if you want more guidance and support in launching your workshops?
Apply here for a clarity call this week, the first step to working with our team.
