Making Art Work: Notes on Growth & Artist Sustainability | Digital Issue 2

About this publication

Presented by StarFall Creative Collective

Written and Designed by Nova Stewart, 2025

Physical Copies of our zines are sold at events as fundraising to support the work we do! All information is also available here for free.

This issue of Making Art Work offers practical tools and reflections on how artists in Northeast Ohio can sustain their work through funding and community collaboration. Building on Issue 1’s themes of mutual aid and care, this issue expands outward, helping artists navigate the systems, partnerships, and structures that support creative life.

The Business of Being an Artist

Artists often face financial instability and may need support in marketing, business skills, and funding opportunities. Many artists avoid the business side of art because it feels detached from creativity. Learning these skills is not selling out. It is self-advocacy.

Knowing how to price your work, apply for grants, and manage your time protects your creative freedom.

Why It Matters

The myth of the starving artist is a symptom of broken systems, not personal failure. Financial literacy and artistic integrity can coexist. Empowered artists strengthen the regional arts economy.

Try This

• List three income streams your practice could generate.

• Write one sentence describing your art and practice saying it out loud.

• Identify one skill you would like to learn this year that supports sustainability.

  
  

Advocacy and the Future of the Arts Ecosystem

The future of the arts depends on artists coming together, sharing resources, and demanding structural change. Advocacy begins with individual voices. Every time we ask for fair pay, discuss accessibility, or share feedback with a local organization, we are practicing advocacy.

Hope itself is a strategy. It is an active belief that our work can help shape a better system.

What Advocacy Looks Like

• Speaking up about accessibility, inclusion, and representation

• Sharing opportunities or writing letters of recommendation for peers

• Attending community meetings or joining arts boards

• Writing to local leaders about cultural funding

• Building creative projects that reflect community needs

Start small. Advocacy is creative work. It builds the frameworks where artists can thrive.

Understanding Artist Sustainability

Sustainability means caring for both artistic and personal well-being. It is not about constant productivity. It is about balance.

Most artists juggle many roles including jobs, caregiving, health, or community work. Creative time can and should coexist with these realities. A sustainable practice means finding small, consistent rhythms that keep your work alive without burnout.

Three Dimensions of Artist Sustainability

1. Economic: Finding income through a mix of sales, teaching, or part-time work.

2. Emotional: Rest, boundaries, and supportive peers.

3. Structural: Accessible systems and fair opportunities for artists.

Sustainability is personal. Even small creative moments matter. They build continuity.

Try This

• Identify one pocket of time each week for creative focus.

• Build in one day or evening for rest.

• Treat both as equally valuable parts of your practice.

  
  

Wellness and Boundaries in Creative Work

Creative work is deeply emotional labor. Without rest, that labor becomes unsustainable. Wellness means pacing, balance, and honesty about your limits.

Infrastructure itself can be an act of care. The systems we build for ourselves communicate that our well-being matters.

Core Reminders

Rest is productive. Recovery time fuels long-term creativity. Boundaries create safety. Saying no protects energy. Access needs are valid. Connection strengthens mental health. Creative blocks often signal a need for rest, not failure.

Try This

Name three boundaries you want to protect this month. They may be time, emotional, or physical boundaries.

Funding and Grant Opportunities

Organizations such as the Ohio Arts Council, ArtsNow, Assembly for the Arts, Akron Soul Train, and many others provide grants, residencies, and mentorship programs that directly support artists.

Most offer cycles each year for individual artists, collectives, and community projects.

Visit the Art Organization Directory:https://starfallcreativecollective.art/artorganizations

Visit NEO Art Opportunities:https://neo.opportunities.art

Follow them on Instagram for updates.

Preparing to Apply

Write a one-sentence project summary: “My project explores ______ to benefit ______.”

Draft a short 100-word bio describing what you care about. Choose one grant or residency to research this season and note its deadline. Keep all materials including bio, budget, and photos in one organized folder. Ask a peer or local arts leader to proofread your submission.

Building Your Network of Support

Support systems create continuity in creative life. They are the difference between feeling isolated and feeling connected.

Your Network May Include

Peers: Friends and collaborators who share opportunities, feedback, and encouragement.

Mentors: Artists or administrators who have walked the path before you.

Allies: Curators, educators, or organizers who advocate for your work.

Community: Collectives, workshops, or online spaces that offer belonging.

Finding or Creating Mentorship

Reach out to someone you admire for an informal conversation. Offer your experience to newer artists. Teaching is also learning. Keep relationships reciprocal by sharing gratitude and support.

Creative Budgeting

Budgets tell stories. They show where support flows and what matters most. Financial clarity is not about perfection. It is about awareness.

Knowing what things actually cost helps you plan realistically, say no when you are underpaid, and advocate for fair compensation.

Budgeting is not about control. It is about care.

Budgeting Principles

• Pay yourself first. Include labor as a line item.

• Add access costs such as captioning, travel, or rest time.

• Track expenses without judgment so future projects are less stressful.

• Discuss money early when collaborating. Trust begins with openness.

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Marketing and Visibility

Visibility is powerful, but it does not need to feel forced. Marketing is storytelling. It is sharing what you make, why you make it, and how people can connect with it.

Visibility is also access. When we share our work clearly and authentically, we make space for others to see themselves in it.

Authentic Visibility

• Lead with purpose. Let your values guide your public presence.

• Show your process including sketches or reflections.

• Credit collaborators.

• Be consistent rather than constant.

  
  

Try This

Write a short post describing why you make art, not just what you make. Use readable fonts, captions, image alt text, and plain language. Create a folder of ready-to-use photos, bios, and statements.

Know Your Worth

Every conversation about payment, access, or credit shapes the future of the arts ecosystem. When artists know their rights and communicate their needs clearly, we build trust, equity, and respect.

Protect Yourself

Research standard rates. Include your time. Creative labor and administration deserve compensation. Clarify budgets and deadlines before agreeing. Read agreements carefully. Ask for credit. Get agreements in writing, even in email. Keep records of contracts and invoices.

Applying for Exhibitions and Opportunities

Applying can feel intimidating, but every artist starts somewhere. The biggest advice is simple. Apply. The worst outcome is a no. Apply again. Calls have different curators with different tastes.

Getting Started

Start locally with community galleries and library shows. Read eligibility, themes, deadlines, file sizes, and fees carefully. Follow submission instructions exactly.

Preparing Your Materials

Photograph work in natural, even light. Avoid glare. Crop images cleanly. Edit only for accurate color. Name your work clearly and consistently. Keep one organized digital folder with final images, bio, statement, and CV ready to reuse.