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Going self employed as artist?

I would like to become self employed as a fine artist. I have a masters in fine art but I haven't made any money out of it yet. I am currently unemployed on sickness benefit and not sure where to start.

I have some health issues so I can probably only work part time hours realistically and I have no idea how to go about making money from my work or how to set up as self employed.

I don't know who I can go to for advice as most seem to be about setting up a more conventional businesses with perhaps a more consistant way of making money. I mostly do fine art photography and I don't know who would ever buy my work, prints and so on. I might have better luck with doing commisions or weddings but because of my illness I can't be sure I'd be well enough on any given day as my illness can affect my vision quite badly during attacks so I wouldn't be able to work also the high pressure enviroment of a wedding would very probably trigger an attack so that line or work is out for now. It would suit me to just make work in my own time and for hopefully people to buy it.

I am not exactly sure I can make any money like this though. I can probabaly get by not making much to start with but I will need to pay NIC so I need enough to cover that and materials.

I just don't know how or where to begin can any one help me?

Comments

  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You are not unemployed.

    Unemployed people are out of work and looking for work. You're too ill to work so are not considered unemployed.

    Look after your health first.

    Whatever you earn will reduce your benefits pound for pound so you won't be any better off until you can earn more than what you get in benefits.

    If you spend more than 16 hours on working and earn nothing you lose your income based benefits making you much worse off.
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • Sncjw
    Sncjw Posts: 3,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Maybe you could set up a photography business starting on Facebook show your work get your friends to share your pages.

    Offer to do commissions. Also with being self employed you will be able to choose when you work but if you have a bout of your illness on a day a client has booked you and cancel you might loose business.

    Maybe you could network with other photographers
    Mortgage free wannabe 

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  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 17,494 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper PPI Party Pooper
    Rather than setting up formally as self-employed, particularly as you doubt that you will be able to make a living from fine art photography in the short term, you need to investigate alternative methods of getting your work seen. There are a number of websites where work can be posted and that site takes a percentage of the sale price. I have no knowledge of the t&c's of any of these sites.
    Checking on photographic discussion forums would be a good start point to find out more info on this. Although it's not a route I have tried, I have seen it being discussed on places such as photography-forum.org. I have no connection with the site, other than being registered on it.
  • Cyclamen
    Cyclamen Posts: 697 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I am woolly on the rules of working with ESA but it sounds very much like you want to expand your creative hobby. Have you looked at permitted work?
    that allows you to earn and stay on ESA although i dont know if it applies to self employed.
    I have a friend on ESA who makes cakes in her good spells and her earnings are a few pounds I think around 15, she asked her advisor at the job center (she is WRAG) group and they said it was okay.

    There are various forums and facebook pages for chronic illness crafters, and regional craft selling pages it is well worth a trawl around to see what info they have. Maybe have a look at conscious crafties?

    I would suggest being cautious about stopping ESA until you have more information and know if you can support yourself.

    If you also get DLA/PIP you might be entitled to the disability parts of working tax credits and allowed to work the lower 16 hours but there is an expectation that your business is viable.
  • DKLS
    DKLS Posts: 13,461 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Whenever I hire freelance artists or graphic designers, the first thing I want to see is an online portfolio.
    So initially I would look at setting up a website or Facebook page.

    Also check out sites like Fivver and gig for hire, you will get many that say its not worth it and its a race to the bottom in terms of prices, initial jobs can be very cheap but can lead onto more.

    I need a bunch of characters developing, and having them animated, I initially paid only £20 to have 3 characters developed but have gone on to build a relationship with that artist and sent 10ks worth of work to her this year and recommended her to two other business owners I know.

    OP can you paint in the style of Lucian Freud? am looking for an artist to paint my wife in his style.
  • violetblue
    violetblue Posts: 291 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic
    Have you had a look at the website Artfinder.com? As I understand it, it's a platform for artists of all kinds to sell their work directly to customers.

    I've no idea of the costs etc involved from the artists' side, but I've been a customer of theirs for a while and have bought from several artists in different parts of the world. It seems like a well established and well run site.

    Good luck!
    MFiT-T5 #52 - aiming to clear mortgage completely
    January 2019: £19620 ~ November 2021: £0.00!
  • I am a bed bound Complex Regional Pain warrior so knitting and jewellery making keeps me sane!

    It is possible to build your creative business whilst managing your symptoms. I can no longer do craft shows so selling my crafts online is the perfect option for most of us 'Spoonies' (if you don't know what spoonies are google 'The Spoon Theory') xx

    I've joined Conscious Crafties and it's given me my propose back. I've made so many friends who understand what I'm going through who are also chronically ill. I've also made lots of sales! :D

    Wishing you lots of luck xxxx
  • xapprenticex
    xapprenticex Posts: 1,760 Forumite
    dont go self employed before you're selling or have a reputation. Do your art, put it up on sites that sell art, see if you get sales... if you do then take it from there
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