How to Work as a Freelance Artist

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How to Work as a Freelance Artist

  • Despite the economical downturn, some art sectors, similar fashion and marketing, are thriving.
  • A freelance creative person is someone who works short-term gigs, usually on a contractual ground.
  • Aspiring freelancers should accept a website and marketplace themselves on social media.
  • As more than companies turn to freelance artists, be certain y'all know your rights as a contractor.

Freelancing in 2020 was a roller coaster, to say the least. As businesses and clients reevaluated their finances, many contract and freelance opportunities came to a standstill, which led to many workers being laid off, getting their hours reduced, or having their positions eliminated entirely.

Industries like advertising and journalism have kept hiring freelancers during the pandemic.

Only being a freelance artist isn't all bad. Fortunately, the gig economy has remained relatively stable compared to more traditional industries, such equally retail and marketing. This unexpected stronghold has seen some growth as more individuals take their careers into their own easily.

Even during these challenging times, many freelance artists are thriving. Industries such as advertising, journalism, and pattern — for which independent and contract artists inarguably serve equally backbones — have kept hiring freelancers.

Self-employed artists may continue to experience economic highs and lows as the economic system begins to recover from the COVID-xix pandemic. With that said, here'southward a look at what beingness a freelancer means and how y'all can craft a stable career equally an independent creative person.

What Is a Freelance Creative person?

"A truthful gig job or gig worker job is … something short term [in which] they're freelancing or they're doing something on the side," explains Paul Nichols, executive director of the Establish for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at Dallas. "A lot of these types of jobs are jobs that people can bicycle in and out of very speedily based on their schedule or their own needs."

Simply put, being a freelancer is exactly what it sounds like — you lot cull what to work on and set your own hours. You're substantially your own boss. Freelance artists and independent contractors can move from role to role while avoiding the hassles of conventional, salaried jobs. This sense of flexibility and entrepreneurship appears to be flourishing amid the pandemic.

To go a freelancer, you must find your niche, whether that'southward writing, designing, or producing minor art pieces. You need to place what your biggest strengths are then you lot can tap into those skill sets and the relevant markets.

To become a freelancer, you must find your niche, whether that'south writing, designing, or producing small art pieces.

Once you lot've figured out your niche, it's time to start advertising your services. Freelancers tin utilize any avenue to market place themselves, such as local directories and social media. The goal is to show others what you have to offer — and why you're worth hiring.

Every bit your marketing efforts proceeds traction, brainstorm edifice upwardly your customer base of operations. The strength of an artist's customer base often determines whether they'll succeed or fail in a competitive market place. If the piece of work is skilful quality, satisfied customers can help strengthen your reputation through word of mouth, shout-outs, and referrals.

In the mix of marketing and edifice up a client base, any freelancer worth their weight volition want to plant themselves every bit a legitimate concern or entity. Doing this not just allows you lot to marketplace your services as an actual business, but too lets you keep your finances and legal paperwork dissever from your assets.

In today'south struggling job market, industries such as pattern and writing have benefited greatly from the gig economic system. Freelancers have filled and will go on to fill roles that many companies view as either short-term gigs or long-term partnerships.


The 11 Best Websites for Freelance Artist Jobs

In this digital historic period, freelance artists have plant many means to market themselves. Portfolio sites and social media are ordinarily the preferred outlets for artists to showcase their work and annunciate their services to clients, just these aren't the only outlets bachelor. Freelance websites tin assistance you marketplace your craft on a larger platform to a more various array of potential clients.

Below are some of the all-time freelance job sites independent artists tin can use, divided into general and industry-specific categories.

General Job Sites for Freelancers

Upwork

Upwork primarily caters to those looking for high-quality freelance gigs in industries such as marketing, consulting, and web development. The platform uses a high-profile vetting process earlier creatives tin beginning bidding on projects. Information technology also tracks invoices, billable hours, and client communication.

Freelancer

One of the largest online marketplaces for freelancers, the aptly named Freelancer allows freelance artists to search and apply for both local and remote jobs in several fields, including pattern, content writing, and social media marketing. Like Upwork, the platform keeps track of your invoices, working hours, advice, and payment.

Fiverr

Fiverr is bully for artists just getting started in the freelancing world. The site skews toward those in the artistic/design infinite and has a reputation for offering low-cost gigs that tin assistance beginners build up their portfolios. Fiverr likewise lets freelancers put together their ain packages and offer custom services to clients.

Guru

Guru targets more seasoned professionals rather than entry-level freelancers, making it ideal for those with some freelancing experience under their belt. The platform caters to independent contractors in creative areas such as pattern, sales and marketing, programming, writing, and translation. Similar to Upwork, Guru users can bid on projects.

LinkedIn ProFinder

Launched by LinkedIn in 2015, LinkedIn ProFinder connects freelancers with quality leads and opportunities. The platform works well for freelancers with expertise in areas like editing, graphic design, marketing, and photography; however, you lot must go through an approval procedure to exist eligible for gigs. One time canonical, independent contractors will receive alerts regarding potential clients and projects.

Working Non Working

The mission of Working Not Working (WNW) is to connect talented creatives with innovative companies such as Apple, Google, Airbnb, Facebook, and Nike. WNW has built a reputation for offering both loftier-quality gigs and freelance-friendly features. Instead of you having to seek out potential companies, the company will come to you if it thinks y'all're a skillful fit.

SimplyHired

Popular job search website SimplyHired is great for both experienced and burgeoning freelancers. With this site, you can browse freelance jobs in your area, narrowing your searches using filters such as distance and engagement posted. You lot tin can too use the salary tool to get a rough sense of how much artists make in your surface area.

Industry-Specific Task Sites for Freelancers

Freelance Writing Gigs

Geared toward freelance writers, Freelance Writing Jobs curates the best freelance writing gigs on the spider web. The site's moderators update posts daily, sifting through hundreds of opportunities to find loftier-quality listings. Unlike other platforms, you don't need to bid on jobs and must apply directly through the original job posting.

Designhill

Designhill is built for freelance designers and lets companies either create project contests or search for designers' services through the platform's database. One bonus is that creatives tin can design, print, and sell shirts through a personal shop.

Behance

Managed by Adobe, Behance supplies creative inspiration while showcasing premier artistic piece of work in areas like illustration, blitheness, and web design. The platform acts as both a portfolio site and a social media network, allowing like-minded individuals to connect, collaborate, and discover quality leads.

99designs

99designs is another design-focused website that connects freelancers with both domestic and international businesses. The platform supports independent designers past helping them find chore opportunities and encouraging them to interact with other artists through online communities.

COVID-19'south Affect on Freelance Artists and the Gig Economy

The pandemic has taken a toll on many workers, including freelance artists. Americans for the Arts institute that nonprofit arts and cultural organizations have lost an estimated $14.8 billion in revenue since the pandemic took hold early terminal year. Well-nigh 880,000 art jobs are no longer supported, and 35% of artists and related workers have been laid off or furloughed.

Since the pandemic began, 35% of artists and related workers have been laid off or furloughed.

The fine and performing arts are by far the hardest-hitting artistic sectors. According to The Art Newspaper, these two industries combined accept lost about 1.4 million jobs — or half of all fine and performing arts jobs — and over $twoscore billion in sales.

Fortunately, it's not all doom and gloom. Many freelancers and contained contractors are thriving in areas such equally mode, marketing/advertising, and communication.

Due to work-from-dwelling house policies, well-nigh companies and businesses have shifted to beingness either fully or partially remote. For a number of freelance artists, staying home is just like any regular business organisation 24-hour interval. Some jobs have even benefited from the new emphasis on remote piece of work: FlexJobs reports that certain creative fields, like gaming, accept experienced growth due to their remote nature and the high demand for skilled professionals.


10 Tips for Condign a Successful Freelance Artist

ane. Register a Artistic Business

In order to establish yourself as a freelancer, you should annals your business organization, usually as an LLC or small-scale corporation. Freelancers can file the correct forms and documents with their local authorities. Go on in mind that you'll need to echo the registration process every time you movement to some other country. You'll besides take to file state and federal tax forms and depository financial institution documents.

two. Come With a Concern Program

Like any company, independent artists must have both curt- and long-term plans to guide their concern and notice success. These plans should include the following:

  • A list of your responsibilities
  • A complete listing of the services you offer
  • How much you'll accuse for each service
  • Costs of operation

3. Create a Website or Online Portfolio

The best way for a freelance artist to get the give-and-take out nigh their concern is to create a website or online portfolio. Yous may build this showcase from scratch (bold yous already know how to lawmaking and design webpages) or customize a site using a platform like WordPress, Squarespace, or Behance. Exist sure to brandish examples of your work, a list of your services, and your prices.

4. Form a Dedicated Creative Space at Home

Artists need a defended workspace to create. This is best done by either finding a quiet expanse at home or renting an office. In this infinite, you can run across with clients, complete projects, and shop supplies and materials. Y'all desire to be able to work without distractions or interruptions.

5. Acquire a Few Recurring Clients

Before you lot pursue a freelance business concern, you should have a few recurring clients in identify already. This will assist yous grow and financially support your endeavors. Your reputation will also abound when your clients apply word of mouth to assist advertise your services and prices.

six. Sign Up for Task Boards and Directories

Registering for job boards and directories is a terrific way to keep upwards with the latest freelancing gigs. With these platforms, you lot can find companies that are seeking independent contractors for various total-time, function-fourth dimension, remote, and location-specific positions.

7. Marketplace Your Services on Social Media

Being able to use social media as a promotional tool is disquisitional for freelance artists' success in today's economy. Platforms such as Twitter and Instagram can help artists gain traction and become their name out there.

8. Sell Your Fine art Online

Selling your artwork or other crafts online lets you pick upwards some actress funds during difficult times or when you're trying to build up your client base of operations. Many freelance artists annunciate their products on pop sites like Fiverr and Etsy.

9. Network With Other Freelancers

Networking with other freelancers is one of the all-time means to find contract work. By joining online freelance groups and manufacture-specific sites, you lot can identify relevant task opportunities and even get direct access to prospective clients.

ten. Secure a Steady Job

Many freelance artists can't rely on freelancing lonely — at to the lowest degree non in the beginning — which is why information technology helps to have a steady income to fall back on. A regular part- or full-time job ensures you can afford to consume, live, and pay your bills every bit y'all become your freelance business organization upwardly to speed.

The Future of Freelance Artists

While the gig economy has no incertitude suffered from cuts and layoffs due to COVID-19, it'southward slowly begun to pick up steam once more — some adept news for self-employed creatives and small business owners.

Co-ordinate to FIU News, freelancing is poised to be a mainstay in certain art sectors, similar design, entertainment, and media, due to the flexibility information technology provides. Freelancers Union executive manager Rafael Espinal told Marie Claire, "Nosotros are in a period of time when the freelance workforce is regarded as 'the future of work.'"

Freelancing is poised to be a mainstay in certain art sectors, like pattern, entertainment, and media, due to the flexibility information technology provides.

Still, as MIT's Elisabeth Reynolds points out, freelancers and contained artists are ofttimes left defenseless against taxes and labor rights and benefits. "[Contract and freelance] workers are some of the nigh vulnerable workers in society when information technology comes to unemployment shocks," Reynolds said.

As the gig economy grows larger, local, state, and federal governments volition need to pass laws that support freelance artists and clearly ascertain their roles and rights. New York Urban center, for case, passed the Freelance Isn't Gratuitous Human action in 2016, while California passed the "Gig Worker Nib" in 2019.

Regardless of whether your urban center or land maintains any regulations on freelancing, it'southward brash that y'all acquire how to protect yourself from exploitation and underpayment as y'all pursue your freelancing career.

Editor'southward Notation: This article contains general information and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a professional advisor before making decisions virtually financial problems.

Feature Image: FluxFactory / Due east+ / Getty Images

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