13 Places to Show and Sell Your Art IRL (That Aren’t Galleries)
For many years, I had a studio space in a giant warehouse in Minneapolis. A few times a year, the artists there would organize giant art crawls, in which hundreds of thousands of people would tour the studios. It was such a great time to connect with humans, answer questions about my work, see how people interacted with it, and certainly different ways to sell art.
Though these days I do most of my art sales online from my website, and then ship out of my house, I always, always, always recommend that artists do in-person events and exhibitions as often as possible when they are starting out.
One huge reason for doing something at an in-person event gives you a firm deadline to work toward. I mean, I know artists. Having a date on the calendar motivates production in a way that vague intentions don’t. You’ll be far more likely to complete pieces, finalize framing, and prepare your space when you know people are coming.
This kind of urgency will help you build a cohesive body of work. When you're preparing for an in-person event, you're often working toward a theme, size range, or medium that allows your work to hang together. That effort alone can create a sense of identity and intentionality in your portfolio.
In-person shows give you a valuable chance to practice talking about your work. If that sounds intimidating, all the more reason to do it. Explaining your process, your ideas, and even your pricing to real humans helps you get more confident over time. You can also test out different ideas, like different styles or different product lines (like prints or greeting cards), to see how the market responds in real time.
You’ll also meet collectors and other artists, which can lead to referrals, sales, and opportunities you never expected. These events let you observe buyer behavior—what people are drawn to, what questions they ask, and where they linger. That kind of live feedback can’t be replicated online.
Finally, selling your art face-to-face builds trust and enthusiasm in a way that websites or social media posts sometimes can’t. Your presence and personality become part of the experience. And that’s often the difference between a browser and a buyer.
Why Not Just Use a Gallery?
Many times when we think of in-person, live exhibitions, we naturally think of working with a gallery. That can be a great option for artists. Sometimes "getting a gallery" doesn't happen for early career artists, so we need to take matters into our own hands. Thankfully there are quite a few non-traditional methods to exhibit your work in person that I have personally used.
Besides the exhibition opportunities I’ve had, the artists I coach inside Art Revenue Coaching frequently report doing interesting art events that can are great for networking and sales.
These opportunities can range from a highly desirable, widely respected, and curated exhibition space in a college or theater to, sad to say, far less desirable locations that are ramshackle, poorly managed, and possibly unsafe for your art. Believe me, I have done it all.
Unexpected Places I've Shown My Work
I have shown my art in coffee shops, restaurants, offices, colleges, skyways of major cities, libraries, hallways of law offices and condo buildings, and accountant businesses. Sometimes a library has a gallery space. Occasionally, businesses like a coffee shop or restaurant will exhibit artists. Offices or co-working spaces will allow artists to show and sell their work. Sometimes these alternative spaces will allow or host a reception for the art.
Sometimes it is worth it to utilize a local "non-gallery" space to sell art, and sometimes it is not. I have horror stories of attempting to install art in a restaurant with concrete walls. I have found food on my art. I once installed my work in a gallery space with carpet on the wall. I have gone to great trouble to install a complex exhibition that resulted in absolutely zero interest in the work. I have sold work and then never got reimbursed by the person who took the payment.
That said, I also have sold quite a bit of art in these alternative spaces, met some fabulous people who love art and artists, and many long-term collectors have found me this way. Once I showed my work at a holiday party in a realtor office and to my total surprise sold $5000 worth of art in one night. It can be a very unpredictable journey, but it also can be a great way to gain experience, network, and sell art.
Keep reading, because in the rest of the article, I'll help you do your homework and weigh the benefits and the risks before you make a decision.
Host Your Own In-Person Event
A few other alternative spaces could be your own very house or studio. You could consider:
Host an open studio where you invite local friends and fans
Pair up with other artists to benefit from widening the circle of invitees
Have a holiday or themed art party
Host a hands-on event where people get to make art as well as see your work
What About Art Fairs?
Another option is art fairs. There are a few tiers of art fairs you need to know about. The most famous and fancy are art fairs like Art Basel, The Armory Show, and Venice Biennial. These are blue chip, incredibly exclusive events. You will almost certainly need to be represented by a gallery to gain access to one of these events. Many of them have booth fees in the 6 figures. If you have the good fortune to get represented by a gallery who takes part in these events, your art may get to experience it!
Then there are less exclusive art fairs, more like arts and craft fairs. Often these cater to individual, self-represented artists, makers and crafters who apply for a booth space. Sometimes the application process is very competitive. Sometimes the booth fee is very high. There are many artists who travel to many art and craft fairs all over the country to make their living. You may have one in your area that has a good reputation for being respected and highly attended.
In order to participate you will most likely need to have a free-standing booth and display equipment, so it often requires a bit of upfront costs that can be significant. If it's an outdoor event you will need weather protection, like a tent. Often art fairs are a single weekend evens and can be very taxing, as artists will need to set up their booth, set up their art, be present in their booth for the entire weekend, and of course pack everything up at the end.
However, I have many friends that have a van, all the gear, and travel all over the country to different events, and that's how they make a very good living. I know an artist that does a popular art fair in Minneapolis every year and has made upwards of $70K in ONE EVENT. They can be highly profitable. I also know that depending on the weather, attendance can be uncertain at best and sometimes things don't turn out as well as you hoped.
In New York City, there is a holiday craft fair at Union Station that costs 5 figures to rent a booth. I know an artist that makes her full year of income in the 3 weeks of that holiday market selling her ceramic goods.
There are also less established art and craft fairs. They may be hosted by a community building, a church, a school, or other such venues. The entry fees, attendance rates, and overall value for makers of such markets vary, and you'd be wise to do your homework before you sign up. The danger with these events is that they sometimes are populated with vendors selling low-priced items like Christmas ornaments or handmade mittens. Or worse, horrible AI "art" printed on t-shirts or calendars. If you exhibit at an event like that with higher-end work, it may be very hard to get a sale.
Join a Local Art Crawl
And finally, depending on where you live, there may be artist run art crawls or events. Like I mentioned before, in Minneapolis, there are many such events where artists open their studios to massive art events. Even before I rented my own studio, I would go out of my way to share a wall or space with someone who was willing to host me. Sometimes I would pay a fee to have the space for the weekend, and it was worth it to connect with the many thousands of people that visited. If you have some big art crawls in your area, go network! Ask around. There might be many opportunities to secure space during a crawl even if you are not renting a studio space.
Questions to Ask Before Showing at an Alternative Venue
If you are interested in showing at an alternative space, here are a few questions to ask:
Is the event curated or juried? If so what's the process?
Is there a fee to exhibit?
What's the character of the work usually shown? Does it match your style or genre?
Will the host take a commission from your art sales?
Is the host able to facilitate an art sale or will they send inquiries directly to you?
How much will you need to personally be present (if any time at all)?
How long will your work be exhibited?
What are the technical considerations for exhibit, such as rules about screw holes or hanging apparatus?
Will you need your own table/booth/display materials?
How will you deliver your art to the space? (This is relevant if parking is limited, there are many stairs or other barriers.)
Is the space secure? Will your work be protected from damage or theft?
Does the venue provide any promotion or marketing support?
Will you be required to carry insurance for your work during the show?
Weighing the Pros and Cons
Alternative spaces can be a great way to begin exhibiting your work! There are SO MANY ways to show your art to people and many folks that love artists and want to support them! That said, sometimes it is more trouble than it's worth, so you'll want to carefully consider your options before you jump in.
Take time to assess the space, ask good questions, and evaluate whether the energy you'll spend will be worth the return—financially or relationally.
