Being an artist can be as challenging as it is rewarding, especially when it comes to funding your dreams. Luckily, jobs are becoming more remote and flexible, and there are plenty of opportunities that can fit your needs and lifestyle. As Elizabeth Gilbert discusses in Big Magic, taking the pressure off of yourself to fund your life through your art can allow for more artistic freedom. Financial freedom gives you a chance to feel grounded and create from a pure and passionate place. Sharko Studios shares five side gigs that can help you thrive as an artist. 

1. Content Writing

If you’ve got a knack for writing, content creation could be an excellent choice for you. Businesses need tons of help creating content for their blogs, websites, social media pages, and promotional materials. This is a job that can be done anywhere and often with very flexible hours and deadlines. You can do this job as a freelancer who is directly hired by companies, or check out a job search site where you can narrow your search based on job types. 

2. Photography

If you’re a visual artist with a passion for taking photos, using those skills for others can be valuable. People need headshots, senior pictures, wedding photos, and tons of other images for special events throughout their lives. Offer to take some photos for friends for free or for a discounted price to build up a small portfolio for your website. The bonus is you only have to take jobs that you have time for, so you can work as little or as much as you need to. 

3. YouTube

If you love being your own boss and sharing your knowledge with others, YouTube offers a built-in audience searching for topics they care about. Creating videos can be as straightforward or as involved as you want, depending on your areas of interest. As long as you offer something of value to your viewer base, with patience, you can make a good amount of money when you monetize your videos. You can also get sponsorships as an additional revenue source. This can all be done entirely on your terms. 

4. Teaching

If you are a visual artist, you could use your skills to teach art to people in your community. If you play music, consider teaching lessons virtually. Not only can you teach from anywhere, teaching online opens up far more potential students that you can reach. If you have technical skills to share, try creating a course to sell online. Your unique set of skills can be helpful to pass on to others. 

5. Virtual Assistance

Everything is moving online these days, including jobs as virtual assistants. This is another service you can offer on your own or working for a company with a built-in customer base. Usually, this job does not require formal education and pays well compared to other jobs in a similar bracket. If you choose to start your own business as an assistant, make sure you get one of those Employer Identification Numbers (Tax ID numbers), so you can quickly identify your business for tax tracking. This makes filing taxes more manageable, whether federal or state or annual or quarterly. 

Pursuing your art can be a challenge, but having a side income makes it a lot easier. These ideas can get you started on your journey to finding the right gig for you. With a flexible job, you will have plenty of time to live a vibrant, creative life while keeping the lights on.

Do you want to elevate your photography skills? Keep an eye out for Sharko Studios’ upcoming workshops!