[Please subscribe to Eric Maisel: Thinking Aloud, which brings you a new “Tales of the Creative Life” every Tuesday and a new “The Craft of Coaching with Eric Maisel” every Thursday. You can subscribe for free here.]
Here are ten practical tips for artists looking to garner unpaid publicity—the kind that builds credibility, audience, and opportunities without paying for ads or PR services:
- Create “Publicity-Ready” Moments
Journalists and bloggers need hooks. Give them something clear to latch onto: an unusual project, a milestone (100 paintings in 100 days), a surprising method, a community effort, a collaboration, or an in-studio challenge.
Publicity finds artists who create headlines.
- Craft a Strong, Quick Artist Story
Most artists can’t explain their work in one compelling paragraph. If you can, you immediately become media-friendly. Create a short “media blurb” that captures your point of view, your why, and your differentiator.
A crisp story is more promotable than a fuzzy one.
- Pitch Local Media First (They’re Hungry)
Local newspapers, alt-weeklies, community magazines, public-access TV, and local radio want stories about local creatives.
A simple email that includes:
- A one-paragraph intro
- A short story hook
- 2–3 high-quality images
can get you surprisingly far.
- Maintain a High-Quality Press Page on Your Website
Include:
- A downloadable bio
- A downloadable headshot
- Clear images of your work
- A press release template
- Links to past press
This makes it easy for media outlets to say “yes.” Publicity goes to artists who make coverage frictionless.
- Leverage Micro-Events
You don’t need a gallery show. You can create your own events:
- A studio open house
- A micro pop-up show in a café or garden
- A “meet the artist” weekend
- A live painting demonstration
Invite local media to these. They frequently cover community events.
- Collaborate with Non-Art Organizations
Libraries, environmental groups, small businesses, schools, animal shelters, and nonprofits often welcome artists for projects, exhibits, or workshops.
These partnerships generate their publicity, which includes you for free.
- Use “Publicity Amplifiers”: Curators, Bloggers, and Podcasters
You don’t need mainstream media to reach audiences. Smaller voices—art bloggers, niche Instagram accounts, creators with under 20k followers, podcasters—are often far more accessible and generous.
One good interview can circulate for years.
- Enter Select Public-Facing Competitions
Many competitions issue press releases about their finalists and winners. Not all are worth it, but a few reputable ones can create ripple publicity. Choose the ones that actually publish artists’ names, images, or interviews.
- Offer to Teach, Speak, or Demonstrate
Workshops, artist talks, community classes, and panel discussions often come with local listings, announcements, and blog writeups.
Every time you teach or talk, someone else promotes you.
- Share Process Content that Begs to Be Shared
Publicity isn’t only from journalists. It’s from social sharing.
Show:
- Formation of an artwork over time
- Color tests
- Failures and restarts
- Before/after transformations
- Studio rituals
People repost process, not products. This leads to algorithmic reach and sometimes press pickup.