It’s rarely easy to get started as an artist, but there are numerous resources available to help you get there. Whether you’re looking for career guides or a site that can host your portfolio, you’re in the right place. Read on to find 100 of the best tools for getting started with your art career.

Portfolios & Galleries

Put your portfolio up using these tools, and get some exposure for your art.

  1. FinalCrit: Create an easy, beautiful Flash gallery of your images through FinalCrit.
  2. FigDig: Show off your work in high resolution through FigDig.
  3. Artween: This social networking site is entirely devoted to artists and art lovers.
  4. ArtistPortfolios: Share your work in multiple galleries through this site.
  5. ArtSlant: This contemporary art network will help you stay connected to local arts, as well as share your events.
  6. E=MC²: E=MC² offers a place for you to network with other creative people, sell your art, and become famous.
  7. artselector: artselector will allow you to set up your art profile page and join the directory of fine artists, galleries, and curators.
  8. Voodoo Chili: This site offers a small portfolio where you can upload images, post your resume, get comments, and more.
  9. MyFolio: Use MyFolio to upload your work, references, and more to share with the world.
  10. Carbonmade: Host your own free online portfolio using the tools from Carbonmade.
  11. #artmesh: Become a part of #artmesh, and you’ll be able to connect with other art lovers, art professionals, and more.
  12. Humble Voice: Join Humble Voice to be a part of this community of artists and those who appreciate them.
  13. MyArtSpace: MyArtSpace is an online social network for the art world.
  14. Behance Network: Join this community for creative portfolios, collaborations, tips, jobs, and more.
  15. ArtMajeur: Show off your work and sell it, too through this online portfolio.
  16. Meseon: Participate in the art world and share your work on Meseon.
  17. Viewbook: Viewbook offers a simple, drag-and-drop way to showcase your work online.
  18. Shadowness: This online portfolio tool is great for digital artists who want to share their images.
  19. Facebook: Share your art with an everyday audience on Facebook.
  20. Taltopia: You can share your portfolio, network, and connect to get your art recognized.
  21. Asoboo: Creatives can find a great network in Asoboo.
  22. Independent Collectors: Get noticed by people who collect art in this network.
  23. quarterlife: quarterlife offers a great place for you to socially network with other creatives.

Communities

Join these communities to network with other artists.

  1. DeviantArt: In this online arts community, you can get recognition for your work.
  2. GeekMeet: Connect with other creative artist geeks through Geek Meet.
  3. Behance: Check out this design community to post your work, network, and find a job.

Job Boards

You can find internships, jobs, and other opportunities through these boards.

  1. Arts Opportunities: This online classifieds bank serves the arts industry.
  2. Coroflot: Share your portfolio and peruse job listings through Coroflot’s site.
  3. Creative Pool: Discover hundreds of creative jobs in the UK from Creative Pool.
  4. Art Job Online: You can find national listings for jobs, internships, and more on Art Job Online.
  5. Creative Hotlist: Graphic designers, writers, photographers, and illustrators can find work here.
  6. Arts Culture Media Jobs: This website features jobs for creative people.
  7. Idealist: Check out Idealist to find jobs and internships with nonprofits in the arts and otherwise.
  8. Guru: Offer your services as a freelance artist in this marketplace.
  9. Tip Top Jobs: Find jobs in fashion, art, and design through Tip Top Jobs.
  10. Rhizome: Check out Rhizome to find job and event listings in alternative media and fine digital art.
  11. Variety Careers: Get connected with entertainment and media jobs on Variety Careers.
  12. Dice.com: For those who combine technology and art, find a job on Dice.com.
  13. EntertainmentCareers.net: Check out this site to find hundreds of entertainment jobs and internships.
  14. Fashion Net: Find out of about jobs and positions in fashion from Fashion Net.

Career Guides

Learn more about the career you’re getting into with these career guides.

  1. Visual Arts Career Guide: You can find links to guides for visual art-related careers here.
  2. O*Net: O*Net offers career guides in the arts job family, even highlighting those that are currently in demand.
  3. Performing Arts Overview: This career overview discusses requirements, job outlook, career tracks, and compensation for performing artists.
  4. Interior Design Career Zone: In this profile, you’ll learn about creating your career as an interior designer.
  5. Artist Career Guide: How to Make a Living as An Artist: This guide offers a wealth of useful information for working as an artist.
  6. Artists and Related Workers: Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics guide on artists and related workers to understand the market and career expectations for artists.
  7. Graphic Designer Career Zone: Learn about the job duties, work environment, and more to understand what it’s like to work as a graphic designer.
  8. Visual Arts Overview: In this career overview, you’ll learn what you can expect from a career in visual arts.
  9. Careers in the Arts: SUNY Oswego discusses a variety of career possibilities that involve the arts.
  10. A Career Guide for Studio Art Majors: The University of Texas offers this guide to making it as a studio artist.
  11. Graphic Design and Printing Career Guide: Learn about different job descriptions in graphic design and printing from this resource.
  12. Art-What can I do with this degree?: Skidmore College offers strategies for using your art degree.
  13. A Career Guide for Art History Majors: You can learn more about art history as a career from this guide.
  14. How to be a TV Writer NBC Universal shares a few steps to becoming a television writer.
  15. Photographers: The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ guide for photographers explains job outlook, earnings, and more.
  16. A Career Guide for Art History Majors: If you’re an Art History major, be sure to check out this career guide.
  17. Career Alternatives for Art Historians: Learn about a variety of different career options available to art historians.
  18. Graphic Designers: Learn about the training required, nature of the work, and outlook in general for graphic designers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Resume

Get help creating the perfect art resume from these tools.

  1. Art Resume Templates: Download these templates to get started on your art resume.
  2. Art Resumes: What should they look like?: This article explains what you need to include in your art resume.
  3. Writing an art resume: Learn about important details and considerations for your art resume.
  4. Portfolios for Employment: Create your portfolio with employment in mind here.
  5. Artist Resume: Recommending Conventions: This advice highlights general guidelines you should follow when writing an art resume.

Cover Letter & Artist Statement

If you’re stumped writing your artist statement or cover letter, you can find some help here.

  1. How to write an Artist Statement: Follow these steps to craft your artist statement.
  2. Sample Cover Letter-Arts: This cover letter sample is perfect for artists.
  3. Write a Cover Letter: Find characteristics of weak cover letters, and learn what you can do to improve yours here.
  4. How to Write an Artist Statement: Follow these steps to create your own artist’s statement.
  5. Art Cover Letter: Here you’ll learn about crafting a cover letter for your art career.
  6. Your Artist Statement-Explaining the Unexplainable: This article covers the important task of writing an artist statement.

Finance & Calculators

There’s no question about it-launching an art career requires smart financial thinking. Get some help from these tools.

  1. Mini Financial Plan for Artists: In this financial plan, you’ll find a questionnaire, calculators, and great advice for managing your finances as an artist.
  2. 7 FREE Ways to Promote and Sell Your Art Online: Artists can get exposure from these 7 great resources.
  3. Financial Goal Setting Worksheet: Use this worksheet to state your long and short term financial goals as an artist.
  4. The Starving Artist Guide to Financial Planning: Get an overview of the basics of financial planning for starving artists.

Assessments

Take these quizzes and other assessments to find out if you’re ready to pursue a career in the arts.

  1. Should You Quit Your Job for Art?: Find out if you’re ready to live your dream or not.
  2. Career Assessment Tests: This advice from Career Toolkits will help you find the career assessment test that’s right for you.
  3. Everyday Self-Care Quiz for Artists: Create a healthier work and home life with the help of this quiz.
  4. Quiz: Should You Make a Career Change?: This quiz will help you determine if it’s a good time to change your career.
  5. What’s Your Dream Career?: Learn about your dream career through this assessment.
  6. Test Your Art-Selling IQ: This quiz will tell you how likely you are to sell your art or not.
  7. Do You Handle Stress Creatively?: The life of an artist is often stressful, and this quiz can help you determine how well you can cope.
  8. The Clutter and Creativity Quiz for Artists: Use this quiz to determine whether or not your creativity is being blocked by clutter.
  9. Do you have what it takes to be a successful artist?: Take this quiz, and you’ll find out your chances for really making it.

Career Change

If you’re adopting art as a second career, you can find help making the change here.

  1. Changing Careers: Here you’ll find excellent advice for making the switch to life as a full time artist.
  2. Career Change Dos and Don’ts: Get solid advice for making a smooth transition here.
  3. The "Okay, I think I’m ready to be a professional artist," Checklist: Make sure you’ve taken care of these important details before you quit your day job.
  4. The 10-Step Plan to Career Change: Learn about the steps to take when you’re leaving your career behind.
  5. Changing Careers in Midstream: This article offers advice for switching things up in the middle of your career.
  6. This is Just My Day Job: Find out how to step outside of your day job to be more artistic in your life.

Advice

You’ll find valuable art career advice here.

  1. Understanding Rejection: Check out this advice to learn how to understand and deal with rejection.
  2. Building an Art Career: Ask the Recruiter: This article explains the marketability of an art career.
  3. How to Find a Job: Here you’ll find lots of great advice for a successful job hunt.
  4. 5 Facts Artists Have to Face to Succeed in Business: Follow this advice to learn how to succeed as an artist in business.
  5. Telecommuting: Is it For You?: You can find out whether working at home is a good idea for you, or if you need to work with other artists in a community studio.
  6. Choosing Art as a Career: Learn about career options, money, and more.
  7. How to Succeed in Animation: Gene Deitch offers this advice for doing well in the field of animation.
  8. After School Special: Advice for Emerging Designers Lynda Decker of Decker Design has some smart advice about the steps you should take when building a successful design career. Before You Choose a Visual Art Career
  9. : Read this advice to carefully consider your future in the visual arts.
  10. Art Careers-How to Research Careers in Art: Check out this article to learn where to go to learn about art careers.
  11. Get a Design Job!: Download RitaSue Siegel’s Get a Design Job free from the AIGA and get some useful advice on breaking in to the world of design.
  12. Art Deadlines List: Learn about the deadlines and requirements for art competitions, internships, jobs, scholarships, and other opportunities.

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