Top 7 Business Ideas for Artists in Kenya
Are artists made or born? That is a question you may have asked yourself at some point. This amazing talent that some people have, is it innate or something they worked hard to achieve?
The athletes, the footballers, the artists etc. Can anyone do all these things if they put their mind to it?
Well one artist by the name Sylvenus Semo believes that artists are made.
“To be able to be good at what you do, you have to practice and work hard at it,” he says.
Growing up Sylvenus always liked to draw. He would scribble on the floor and his book covers. He made sure to join a high school that offered art and design to better his talent.
Becoming better with each year it was only natural that he would join an institution of higher learning and continue with a course in art. This is when things changed. Sylvenus had a light bulb moment and realized he didn’t want a career in arts and so after 3 years into it he finally dropped out.
“I loved drawing and was good at it but I just realized I had been doing this my whole life i needed to do something else. I needed to learn something new to sustain me and if it didn’t work out then art could be my back up plan, so I took up Media studies”
A content man at this point completed his course in media studies and started looking for a job. This is a part that is all too familiar with the Kenyan youth, the jobs were just not forthcoming.
He ended up working in real estate something he had not studied. The hours were not flexible and as a creative person he found that to be confining and he just couldn’t do it anymore so he quit. It was time to go back to what he did best.
“I started drawing again mainly focusing on portraits. Getting my footing was a bit of a struggle. It is very hard to convince people that you are good at something without proof. I needed a better strategy. I started drawing my friends for free and they would refer me to their friends who referred me to their friends and that is how KymKym arts picked up. Besides referrals I also use social media to market my work and it has been equally good at bringing in clients.
“Am just glad I get to do something am good at and enjoy. The hours are flexible and am able to manage my own time. Am also able to pay my bills from this work and this motivates me every time to pick up my pencil and get to work.”
Lastly I ask if the young artist has a favourite artwork, “I have done more than a thousand pieces as we speak and I believe that i’m defined by my latest work, art work gets better with time so my next portrait is my favourite.”
Most artists are ignorant of the numerous opportunities in this field that can earn them an extra income. As an artist, you may venture into any of the following business ideas:
Make-up artist
A more practical (and far less permanent) way to use people as canvases is becoming a makeup artist. Beauty school isn’t a prerequisite for launching a successful makeup business: All you need is a good reputation and a great knowledge of cosmetics.
Since beauty professionals often build their business through client referrals, work on friends and family for free or at a discounted rate at first. Once you have a solid customer base, you can offer competitive rates for up-dos and makeup for weddings, proms and other special events.
Tattoo Artist
Some artists use paper as their canvas. Why not use the human body as yours? Working in a tattoo studio can be a lucrative career path for talented artists, but it will require some time and education.. Once you are certified, referrals from satisfied customers will be your biggest source of business.
Arts Studio
If you have always had a rich knack for drawing and paintings, then you may want to take that likeness for arts some notches higher by starting a trade around that business. More than ever before in the history of man, the love for arts have continued to be on the rise.
In starting this trade, you have got to be armed with all the necessary skills needed. As such, you may want to look towards getting trained in this line.
This is a kind of business that fetches you great returns for your time and money when you have all your art works displayed in your arts studio. Your clients cuts across the middle and the upper class people.
Custom airbrushing
Many gallery artists do airbrushing. If you are very good at it, you can make a lot of money. There is big business in custom airbrushing of cars, motorcycles, etc. Even if you don’t have the required skills, why not learn from a fellow artist and break into the business? It rocks!
Bead Making
All over the world the beads making trade has continued to gain more grounds. Each passing day, more and more people have continued to throng the industry. This is because of the creativity level, as well as the very fine products that can be produced. It is true that the women folk are more disposed to wearing beads; however, truth is that the men folks are embracing bead wearing too.
Tutoring
If you have been working as an artist for some years, then you are qualified to teach art. You can help aspiring artists to hone skills and become better artists. Organize training course for artists and come up with an outline of skills to be taught. You can even attract more students by offering the course online.
Graphic Designer
Graphic design runs the gamut, and you can especially succeed as a small business or a freelancer. According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, graphic artists create images for posters, advertisements, packages, and other printed matter, as well as information visualizations; graphics for newspapers and magazines.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about one-third of graphic designers are self-employed, so you can work from home on eye-catching visual projects for brands and individuals.
Finally
My philosophy for building a long-term, successful art business combines three things—a little business planning, a whole lot of marketing, and most importantly, the ability to create work that resonates with people.
Being a professional artist is a never-ending cycle.
Always create good work, continually review your market and marketplace to see where you want to be in the coming months, write down a business plan that will allow you to meet your goals for the year, and never stop making opportunities that will bring people to see your work.
Eventually, the opportunities you create will turn into connections, and then into sales, and then into repeat customers. It’s not always simple or easy, but it works!
Written By:
Timothy Angwenyi
Post Author
