artist development 06
business
In the early stages of Artist Development, an individual thinks about becoming an artist and may dream about becoming a big star. Just so you know, big stars mean big business and big stars are business owners. You, the individual, the artist, must have an entrepreneurial spirit for your art to become your business. Many artists have a tough time thinking that their art is their business. If this is you, perhaps, you will want to wait to team-up with someone who is more business oriented.
Before we move much further, let’s define what type of business that an artist is. As a individual person, an artist may wear the “hat” of a solo artist. As a solo artist, they may write their own material, perform their own material and record their own material. In this case, perhaps their business is a sole proprietorship.
Individual
Artist
Business Owner
Or perhaps, the artist decides to collaborate with another individual and wear the performer-artist “hat” of a being a duo or in a band. If this is the case, the artist will have to decide if they own the band or whether they are a partner and co-own the band.
In addition, the person, the individual, the artist, may be a soloist as well as a partner / collaborator at the same time. There are many artists who perform as solo singer-songwriters and then occasionally perform with a band. In this case, what’s the business arrangement? Perhaps the person is a sole proprietor as a solo artist and also a partner as a co-owner of the band.
The important take-away from this is to remember to separate one’s business from the other.
Remember, this is the music business. Successful artists know this. To set-up an artist’s business, there are three plans that need to be considered:
1. The Artist Development Plan
2. The Product Development Plan
3. The Artist Business Plan
Artist Development is pre-release. It’s the creating, the planning & the preparing. Product Development is implementing and producing: The making and the selling of music. The artist Business Plan is the master plan of the who, what, when, where, why and how much of the artist’s success. The artist Business Plan brings all the components of the Artist Development Plan and the Product Development Plan together.
When a person (artist) begins to think of business side of art, he or she will start to wear the another “hat”: the entrepreneurial hat: The role of a business owner. This is when the person who is trying to establish themselves as an artist is also trying to establish themselves as a business owner; someone with whom others will want to do business.
Art is no less important than commerce for today’s developing musician and artist.
While contemplating the Artist Development Plan, the artist will realize the importance of setting up a bona fide business. If an artist truly wants to avoid playing local taverns the rest of their career, and wants to do business with others in the music industry, then the artist should set up a business to do so; especially if there are more than one person on their team. Business. Business. Business.