It’s common for artists to be associated with the words “struggling” and “starving” as a commentary on how employers and clients underpay them most of the time. But you don’t have to struggle or starve because you can have some side hustles that are still related to being creative. You don’t have to feel like you’re selling out, and even if you sell out, who cares? We all need to make ends meet.
In fact, one in three Americans has a side hustle. And in 2021, one in four Americans are planning to start a side hustle. It looks like doing side hustles is becoming trendier, so before you miss out on this opportunity, you can begin soon and find your niche in the side hustle industry.
Creative Side Hustles
Having multiple sources of income wouldn’t interfere with your creative career or mood, especially if you start a business or get a side hustle that is still related to your art. It never hurts to have a stable source of income because that would lessen the anxiety and stress usually caused by the financial burdens of living in a capitalistic society. So, here are some creative side hustles that you can explore:
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You can start some social media accounts for your art.
Social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok allows you to share your creations and process. Whether you’re painting, sculpting, writing, or making music or films, you can reach more people who would be interested in supporting your creative ventures.
Additionally, the revenue from advertisements on your social media accounts could also generate income for you. Just imagine those YouTube commercials that would play when someone clicks on your videos; you get compensation for every view that those videos get. So, besides making your artistic endeavors more personalized, it also gives you a passive source of income.
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You can be an entrepreneur.
We know that being artistic and being good at marketing isn’t a common combination. But with a product that is a tie-in of your art plus having your social media, you might not need to do much when it comes to marketing.
You can think of several items you can produce and sell as your product, depending on the kind of art you make. You can make some tote bags and t-shirts based on your designs. For this, you could even consider buying a heat transfer machine so that you won’t have to rely on another party in doing the printing. It would be easier if you could do the printing yourself.
Some other products you can consider making are prints and postcards of your art. You could explore some websites like Redbubble, Society6, Zazzle, and Printify. These websites allow you to create a profile and upload your art, and people would be able to order a design to be printed on different merchandise like a pillowcase or a tapestry. And the website will do the printing for you, so you only need to make an account, upload your art, and voila: another passive income.
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You can sell your skills and offer some online courses.
If you’ve never heard of websites like Fiver and Upwork, it’s time for you to check them out. It’s an online marketplace where you can advertise your skills, and people would pay you for doing something that you can do. Some examples of these skills you can sell are writing, proofreading, painting, graphic designing, video editing, and more.
Additionally, you can also sell some courses on platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi. You only need to set up an account and some creative methods you offer and make an excellent profile for yourself.
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You can sell NFTs
If you’ve been online these past few months, chances are you have already heard or seen NFTs. If you have no idea what they are, you may want to take some time to learn about them because people are spending thousands of dollars on these NFTs.
NFTs or Non-fungible tokens are crypto-assets that allow people to own digital art, collectibles, memes, and more. There are several platforms like Rarible and OpenSea where you can sell your verified and minted NFTs. You better brush up on your digital skills if you want to get into the NFT business.
Side hustling could take up so much time to plan and execute, especially if you were required to explore some things you are not familiar with. But, once you get the hang of it, most of these side hustles could allow you to relax while you earn some passive income.