Are there moments when a career in art feels like an insurmountable achievement? Do you find yourself reeling from the sheer process of putting all the pieces in place, as though you have been asked to spin a dozen plates at one time?

You are not alone.

Let me repeat and rephrase that. You are not alone. Don’t do this alone.

The well known adage “it takes a village” applies to bringing up children, something that can rarely if ever be done without the support of others. A community garden is only as strong as the number of community members who turn out to till the soil, sow the seeds, and pull the weeds. Even a corporation cannot run if there are not teams to support every aspect.

Your art career is like this. You cannot expect it to operate smoothly within a total vacuum. Reaching out and networking with others, attending events, taking leaps to make important connections, these are the ways you begin to build your village. Without a network of support and connections you will find it more difficult to take your career to the next level.

Taking those initial steps can be very intimidating. It’s important not to take on too much at once. Line up a few events over the course of a couple months, openings, art talks, gallery visits, and make a promise to yourself to attend. Bring a friend or partner if that helps you feel more comfortable. Just show up and make your way around the room.

During time you are not in the studio, do the work to locate galleries around you that would be suited to your art. Compile a list and begin the process of reaching out. Discover local patrons of the arts and larger sponsors, make a plan to contact them.

In this way you can see that your network begins to broaden. You will find colleagues and peers, gallerists showing interest in your work, and those that have the means and desire to sponsor your work.

If all this still sounds like a lot of work for questionable return, be sure to read through the posts in this blog. We regularly offer testimonials from students just like you who had the courage to take the first leap and found incredible results.

And when you are unsure exactly where to start, don’t feel alone. You surely aren’t! Praxis Center is here to help you launch your village. Our mission is to help artists make the connections they need to move their careers forward. We offer skills, expertise, self-paced instruction as well as one on one advice in our virtual classroom, and a community of peers and colleagues all working toward the same goal. $40 a month gets you access to all of this and much, much more. Don’t take it from us, read stories from our students and decide whether you’re ready to build your village starting now.

Ready to start? Click here to join today.




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