The Dos and Don'ts of Supporting Artists

Now more than ever, it is important to support independent creators, as their work can bring a sense of community and happiness during troubling times. If you are interested in supporting an artist you like, here are a few tips to help you give them the love they deserve.

1. Do: Commission Your Favorite Artists!

If you are financially able to, the best way to support an artist is by commissioning them or buying one of their works if they are for sale. For most creators, this is the only way they are able to make money from their passion.

2. Don't: Try To Haggle An Artist's Prices.

Many people may think it's silly for an artist to charge $70 dollars for a sweater or $100 for a painting. What they do not realize that everything that goes into the making of the product. An independent artist has to buy everything for the products they are selling, including the materials and equipment. This can be very expensive. They also need to be compensated for the time and effort they spent making it. So, they price their pieces based on what they believe it's worth. Haggling with them to try make it cheaper is a very rude thing to do, as it devalues the quality work the artist put into their work.

3. Do: Like & Share Your Favorite Artists' Work!

It can be difficult for many to buy from an artist. And that's ok because you can still help! If you are on social media, you can like an artist's posts or share them with your friends, family, and followers. By doing this, you're spreading the word about the creator to people who may not have heard of them if you hadn't shared their work.

4. Don't: Repost an Artist's Work & Claim it as Your Own.

When a person reposts artwork they found online, they basically steal the recognition the original creator rightfully deserved. So, if you like an artist's work, share it. Reposting not only results in social media users calling you out on it, but it will also anger the artist.