Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series for Arts Access examining the health and well-being of our North Texas arts economy.
Think of an artist and someone painting or acting might come to mind. But professional artists can also be entrepreneurs.
They have to learn how to sell their creative talents for payment, and that process must be sustainable so that they can continue making art. That鈥檚 what James Hart teaches his students as the director of social innovation, creative and arts entrepreneurship at Southern Methodist University. Hart also advised at a funding fair for artists that Arts Access hosted in April.
鈥淲e teach artists to be the principal drivers of their professional careers, to not have to rely on other people for all of their professional opportunities, but to create them themselves to go from job seeker to job giver, and to realize their own creative visions,鈥� Hart said.
Here are four of the tips Hart shares with his students:
1. Identify your superhero powers and kryptonite.
Hart said it鈥檚 crucial to know your superhero powers, or strengths. It鈥檚 also important that artists understand their kryptonite, or weak spots, so that they can potentially outsource tasks like bookkeeping.
鈥淲hat should you probably not be addressing, because you don't have the confidence or knowledge to do so?鈥� he said.
The SMU professor advises artists to identify their strengths by writing out a list of TIPS, which stands for talents, interests, passion and skills.
Hart said there are a few questions artists can ask themselves: What tasks do you make look easy? What causes you to lose track of time? What do you like to think about? What skills would people pay you for?
2. Make sure you鈥檙e providing something necessary to your audience.
It鈥檚 important for artists to pursue their interests, but Hart said it鈥檚 also important that they鈥檙e providing something valuable to the community contributing to their needs, passions and desires.
鈥淚t's really important to not just have the focus on yourself, but to serve where there are gaps within the market,鈥� he said.
Hart said that can lead to repeat customers through word of mouth, which grows an artist鈥檚 customers or audience.
3. You don鈥檛 have to reinvent the wheel.
Hart said working from scratch is often unnecessary given how many resources are publicly available. He urges artists to look at what鈥檚 been done before and use existing models.
鈥淚 would urge people to not get stuck on thinking what you have to do has to be innovative or pioneering,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛. You have to be able to pay your bills and make more money than you spend.鈥�
For example, want to design your business model? Hart recommends tools like and exploring YouTube.
4. Don鈥檛 be afraid to start, fail and course correct.
Everyone needs to start from somewhere, Hart said, even if that鈥檚 from 鈥渂ubble gum and shoestrings.鈥�
鈥淯ntil you're committed to action, you only have inertia. That can be really hard to get out of,鈥� he said.
Hart said taking that first step forward is important. After taking action, you can always reflect and make adjustments. He said artists need to be curious, learn from their mistakes, review the process and seek help from others.
Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and 四虎影院.
This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, The University of Texas at Dallas, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and 四虎影院 retain full editorial control of Arts Access鈥� journalism.
