by Carolyn Edlund
If this year felt harder than it should have, you’re not imagining it.
As this long year finally comes to a close, many artists are looking back with mixed emotions. They may feel relief that the year is ending. Or uncertainty about what comes next for them. And a quiet question that’s hard to ignore: Did I do enough?
Before answering that, it’s important to acknowledge the context this year unfolded in. The challenges artists faced in 2025 were not imagined, and they were not isolated.
The U.S. housing market, long a driver of art purchases for new homes and renovations, remained uneven and historically slow. High interest rates and buyer hesitation led to a measurable drop in existing home sales, which fell to some of their lowest levels in recent years, according to national reporting. When people delay major life purchases like homes, art buying often slows as well. Many artists saw this trend take a direct hit on their sales volume.
At the same time, the art market itself faced an extremely slow year. Industry reports and market analysts described 2025 as a year of caution, with diminished sales activity and fewer impulse purchases. Decision-making took longer, particularly for higher-priced work.
Galleries closed or pulled back on exhibition costs at large art fairs. Shows were paused or cancelled. 2025 wasn’t a total collapse for the art market, but it went through a noticeable slump, indicating a market contraction. This also took a toll on entrepreneurs.
These difficult conditions asked a lot of artists. You needed more patience, more resilience, and more emotional stamina.
The year 2025 in review deserves to be evaluated thoughtfully, but not harshly. It may not be obvious at first glance what mattered most this year, but it wasn’t fully captured by statistics alone. It was often experienced quite personally, and emotionally.
When sales slow, self-doubt creeps in
In a year like this, it’s easy for self-doubt to take hold. Slow sales have a way of feeling like a statement about you personally, even when they clearly aren’t. It’s possible to begin to question your work, your choices, or even your commitment. You may be quietly reviewing the year as a list of perceived failures.
But this year made it clear that effort and outcome were often disconnected. Many artists showed up consistently, maintained their practices, and did what they could, only to encounter cautious or uncertain buyers. That gap wasn’t a reflection of your talent or professionalism. It was a reflection of the market.
Feeling discouraged in a difficult year doesn’t mean you failed. It means you were paying attention.
The market didn’t disappear this year. It narrowed.
Headlines often focus on bad news, and a number of them declared a market decline. But the more accurate story is that the art market shifted. Buyers didn’t vanish. Instead, they became more selective. Conversations with collectors lengthened, and trust mattered more.
Sales still happened, but they were often driven by established relationships. Purchases by repeat buyers were an important part of the sales activity. Artists and galleries needed to be transparent, with clear pricing and presentation. Thoughtful and active follow up produced sales.
The artists who did find traction this year weren’t necessarily louder or more visible everywhere. They were clear about their target audience, and knew where to focus their energy.
What did “success” look like in 2025?
In a year shaped by caution, the definition of success changed. Rather than looking solely at revenue, it’s worth taking into account your decisions and adaptations.
This year in your art business, did you protect your pricing and your boundaries? Did you stay visible in ways you could sustain? And did you endeavor to look more closely at who responds to your work, and why? Looking back, did you make intentional decisions and choices that you stand behind, even if the results were modest?
Given economic vicissitudes and the changing art market in particular, individual years can be financially disappointing and yet strategically meaningful. What you preserved and clarified this year matters more than what you forced.
Pay attention to signals and the slower pace
Slow or quiet sales years can still offer much value. What you learned through events and conversations both live and online, gives you signals and information to be drawn on going forward.
During the past year, which pieces of your work attracted interest, even if they didn’t sell? Who stayed engaged with you consistently over time? Where did conversations feel natural instead of forced? Which of your efforts energized you, and which drained you?
Your answers can reveal much about where you currently are, your strengths and challenges, and how a slow period becomes leverage when conditions improve.
Out of necessity, many artists simplified their activities in 2025. You may have experienced this yourself by booking fewer shows, taking fewer chances, and using more discernment.
There is strength in staying committed without burning out. Persistence, when paired with self-respect, is not stubbornness; it’s professionalism. It means continuing to make work despite results. It shows up as maintaining relationships, and moving forward with creative momentum when external validation is scarce.
Evaluate your year without judgment
Before rushing into planning and projections for the upcoming year, give yourself permission to take stock of the past, honestly and calmly. This year wasn’t a detour. It was a recalibration, a learning experience and a chance to solidify a strong foundation meant to weather storms.
What mattered most in your art business this year may not show up clearly on a sales report. But it will shape how you move forward, what you protect, and where you invest your energy next.
And that makes it worth acknowledging, without judgment.