by Carolyn Edlund
Want to stand out and sell more art? Sometimes the best strategy is to stop competing where every other artist is selling.
Canadian photographer Jennifer Irving created her own pop up gallery.
Art festivals are crowded with lots of competition from other artists and makers. Online marketplaces are also crowded. But there are many places with qualified buyers, strong spending power, and almost no fine artists in sight. That might be your next moneymaker!
Check out this list of alternative markets where visual artists have successfully landed sales, commissions, and long-term clients. And this often happened because they were the only artist in the room.
Bridal Shows & Wedding Industry Events
Bridal expos and wedding vendor showcases are designed for emotional, motivated buyers. One painter who specialized in wedding portraits exhibited at a local bridal show and immediately stood out, simply because no other fine artist was exhibiting. She booked multiple commissions at the event. Artists may offer live wedding painting, custom portrait gifts, venue paintings or calligraphy services for invitations that are meaningful and personalized. Get started in this niche market by reaching out to event planners, wedding venues, or research listings of events that serve brides preparing for their big day.
Calligrapher Jennifer Buck sold clients her wedding invitation services at bridal events.
Cruise Ships & Resort Properties
Vacationers have time, interest, and disposable income. Cruise ships and resorts often feature entertainers, product vendors, specialty experiences and classes, but fine art is rarely represented. Artists who paint live, offer portraits, create originals during the trip, or even host small painting sessions find themselves in front of a captive audience. Travelers can pick up a unique souvenir. Resort gift shops and hospitality venues may be looking for distinctive pieces. A single cruise can expose an artist to thousands of potential buyers.
Model-Home Staging
Homes for sale staged with furnishings and original art portray a desirable high-end lifestyle. Potential buyers can purchase it directly to keep the appealing environment they fell in love with. A perfect example is this Miami realtor who works directly with artists to construct incredible settings in homes that regularly include art with the purchase.
This high-end property features a mural painted by Romero Britto.
Country Clubs & Private Golf Communities
Country clubs host banquets, live events, charity tournaments, and seasonal shopping nights. They often look for unique vendors who can entertain or add value for members. An artist displaying originals during dining hours, showcasing work at a tournament, or participating in a holiday market reaches an affluent audience with few other creative competitors. Artists who establish relationships with club managers or social event directors often get referrals for commissions, home décor, or company gifts.
Interior Design Trade Shows
Interior designers are always sourcing unique work for their residential and commercial clients, yet most trade show exhibitors are selling furniture, textiles, flooring, or accessories—not original fine art. An artist with a cohesive collection stands out immediately. Designers love forming ongoing relationships with artists whose work aligns with their aesthetic, and opportunities may include direct sales, wholesale arrangements, or licensing. One successful show can lead to consistent sales all year.
Wine & Food Festivals
Food and wine festivals draw visitors who come to stroll, taste, socialize, and spend. Most vendors are selling gourmet products, making artwork a refreshing surprise. Artists often find success with prints, originals, culinary-themed work, or small pieces ideal for impulse purchases. These events attract repeat crowds each year, and when artists return annually, they build recognition and often develop a growing collector base.
Hospital & Healthcare Systems
Hospitals invest in art for patient rooms, waiting areas, hallways, and public atriums, and many have formal purchasing programs or curatorial staff. They favor calming, inspirational, nature-based, or regional themes—work that makes the environment feel welcoming and uplifting. Some hospitals also host rotating exhibits or retail pop-ups for visiting families and hospital employees. These programs can lead to direct purchases, leases, or commissions for newly built medical facilities.
Trunk shows are a natural fit for fashion and accessories.
Trunk Shows at Boutiques
Boutiques constantly seek ways to attract customers, and a special in-store event featuring wearable art, jewelry, hand-painted textiles, scarves, or handbags gives loyal shoppers a reason to visit. A trunk show benefits both the store and the artist: the boutique markets the event to their customer list, and the artist gains visibility with a curated audience that already trusts the retailer’s taste. A single weekend event can generate strong revenue, especially if new pieces are introduced regularly.
Retail Pop-Ups During the Holiday Season
Many retail stores have unused floor space or want special temporary vendors during the holidays. Customers are already in a gift-buying mindset, and original artwork stands out in a retail environment. Independent gift shops, home décor stores, bookstores, and specialty retailers often welcome artists for short-term displays, weekend showcases, or consignment arrangements. These events are low-risk and high-visibility, especially during November and December.
Linden Hills Pottery pop-up display in a Minnesota retail store featuring local talent
Your Own Pop-Up Space
Consider renting a short-term space in an empty storefront or available space near a shopping or entertainment area in your town. Then create your own small temporary pop-up gallery for a limited time to capture tourists and local visitors. The short-term nature of the opportunity presents an urgency to buy, allowing you to close sales on the spot.
Why These Markets Work
All of these venues share the same advantages: real buyers with spending power, environments where art feels unexpected and refreshing, and virtually no competition. Instead of fighting for attention at oversaturated art fairs, artists place their work in front of audiences who appreciate originality and who often make purchase decisions on the spot.
Locate and Schedule these Venues
Choose one or two of these markets, put together a small cohesive collection, and start contacting event managers, boutique owners, cruise staff, developers, or corporate coordinators. Having clear pricing, professional presentation, and an easy way to accept payment turns a simple introduction into a revenue stream. Many artists discover that their best sales happen in places where no one expected to find art at all.