How Much Money Do Visual or Contemporary Artists Make?

Resch’s study has shown that around 45% of artists do not have any income at all from their art. These artists are, of course, hobby or passion artists. Climbing the ladder towards financial success, we encounter a second segment of artists with little income, the amateur or beginner artists. Here the artists have little to no reputation but might be selling and exhibiting some works—albeit at self-hosted exhibitions or uncharted art marketplaces such as Saatchi, or are pursuing a purely online art career and having relatively low prices. As there is no significant art-historical relevance or career value, their works have a decorative value varying between $200 and possibly $4.000—depending on the size, material costs, or working hours.

As a result, these two categories, representing 85% of the total amount of artists, will struggle to make any decent amount of money, remaining unknown, undiscovered, and their works thus unsold. They are outside the art world, unable to participate in the right exhibitions or meet the right people, and cannot find their way in. As a result, 45% are making $0/year, and another 40% are making approximately between $0 and $25.000/year.

Chances for success 1: About one in six artists have an income of approximately $25.000 per year or more.

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