Marketing is a Pain in the Arts (and the Arse) for Artists
Marketing is the necessary evil of the art world—but is it stealing the spotlight from real creativity? Here’s why true art often lives in unseen corners, and why you should go looking for it yourself.
Let’s be honest—modern life revolves around sitting on our arses.
We wake up, sit on the toilet, sit down for coffee, sit at a desk job, sit in cars, sit in chairs on vacation, and finish it all off by collapsing on the couch. While we’re sitting, we’re bombarded with marketing telling us what to buy, who to follow, and what’s worth our attention.
Here’s the kicker: I hate marketing. Not because it doesn’t work, but because as an artist, it steals the hours I’d rather spend carving stone. Instead, I’m stuck on my backside again, typing captions and tweaking hashtags. That’s the real pain in the arse.
The truth is, marketing isn’t just about selling—it’s about visibility. And visibility costs. I recently read about a popular artist who spends eight hours a day marketing and maybe squeezes in two hours of actual art. That’s not the balance I want for my life or my work.
So, what happens? You—the audience—end up paying for marketing more than you pay for the art itself. The most visible art isn’t always the best. It’s simply the art with the biggest advertising budget.
But real art—the kind that moves you—is often tucked away in places that don’t scream for attention. It hides in corners, in small studios, in communities where people create because they must, not because they’re playing the algorithm game.
Years ago, I got into geocaching. Sure, the map showed recommended locations, but the real magic came when I wandered off course, exploring unseen paths and stumbling onto places no one thought to highlight. That’s where the beauty was.
Art works the same way. The best pieces might never trend. They won’t buy their way into your feed. But if you look for them—if you go exploring—you’ll find treasures.
So, go out and find art for yourself. Don’t just follow the masses. Otherwise, you’ll end up shoulder to shoulder with the crowds jostling for a glimpse of the Mona Lisa—an artwork so overhyped it’s hard to even see it anymore.
The real stuff? It’s waiting in the quiet, unseen places. And I promise, it’s worth the hunt.
