Social Media for Artists 101

Social media is no longer just a game and a way to socialize with high school friends. It has become a way to promote businesses, to create communities, run election campaigns, and raise funds for social and environmental causes. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram gather millions of users each day and represent the largest advertising space in history. Social media offers endless possibilities for artists to showcase and sell their work.

Every day, millions of people post their photos and artworks, and millions of people give feedback. Is it possible in this overwhelming amount of posts to rise above the crowd and be seen as an authentic and valuable artist? The answer is yes. Here is how to use social media to promote your art and make sure it reaches the right audience.

Inspiration and Interaction

The most common way to use social media to promote your art is to interact with your peers. Create an account just for your art and keep it separate from your personal. Build professional relationships with other artists, critiques, galleries, and models. For example, Roberto Brundo uses social media to find people willing to pose for him. He photographs these intriguing strangers and delivers an urban aesthetic that is uniquely his.

Online Portfolio

Don’t get stuck on Instagram and Facebook. While there is a very large audience, it is not targeted at art. Build your online portfolio on social media platforms dedicated to artists such as Behance and VERO. These platforms provide tools for networking, accept large images to preserve the quality of your work, and don’t allow downloading to protect copyrights. Moreover, dedicated platforms connect artists, businesses, and art buyers. You’ll receive feedback from professionals and people interested in art, and you’ll be able to sell your works.

Social Media Museum

The Covid Art Museum is an Instagram museum born during the pandemic. Artists submit work and share their perspective of the world. It is a new way to consume art content and get to know the emerging voices in the art community. The fact that the Covid Art Museum already has over 148k followers is proof that people are starved for art now more than ever.

Social media is blamed and applauded at the same time but is undeniably one of the most important tools for artists to get their work seen and appreciated. Find the right path to promote your art, target the audience that matters, and fill social media with your creativity.

Article written by Monica Radulescu