Art Sales Academy

Mastering Face to Face Art Sales

Sell Your Art Confidently

On Demand Course | Exclusive to VAA Members

Are you an artist looking to elevate your understanding of face-to-face direct art sales at exhibitions? The Art Sales Academy is a practical, on-demand course created specifically for artists who want to sell more work at exhibitions, open studios, and events; whilst staying authentic to who they are.

Presented by the Visual Artists Association (VAA), this course breaks down the exact sales process used by leading galleries and art professionals, and shows you how to apply it confidently in real-world situations.

As an artist, understanding the art of selling without “selling” is crucial in today’s competitive art market. In this Art Sales Academy the VAA will share the entire selling process, from introductions, creating compelling dialogue, to closing a sale and beyond. In these four on-demand sessions, you’ll embark on a transformative journey to enhance your sales proficiency and develop lasting relationships with collectors and buyers.

Watch at your own pace, revisit the lessons whenever you need, and start turning interest into sales.

Who This Course is For

This course is ideal for VAA Members who:

Exhibit or plan to exhibit their work in person
Feel uncomfortable, or unsure when it comes to selling
Gain interest from buyers, but not conversions
Want practical tools, not theory or pressure tactics
Want to build long-term relationships with collectors

What You’ll Gain from the Art Sales Academy

By the end of this course, you will:

Enhance your understanding of the art market and develop impactful sales strategies
Know exactly how to start conversations with potential buyers
Confidently articulate your artistic vision, talk about your work and its value and engage potential buyers
Handle objections without feeling defensive or pushy
Understand how and when to ask for the sale
Feel comfortable closing sales
Learn from the experiences and tactics used by leading galleries to sell art effectively
Elevate your career, and establish meaninful long-term relationships with art collectors and buyers

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👍 100% Positive Reviews

👨‍💻 200 Students

📚 4 On-Demand Lessons

📄 Additional Resources

💻 Online, at your own pace

♾️ Unlimited Access

Course Structure

The Art Sales Academy is divided into four core modules, designed to take you through the complete sales journey.

Session 1: The Foundation of Art Sales
– Understanding buyer behavior and motivations in the art market
– Crafting an effective and captivating elevator pitch
– Articulating your artistic vision and speaking confidently about your artwork
-How to make introductions and open conversations.

Session 2: Closing Sales Techniques and Pricing Your Artwork
– Mastering the art of negotiating and closing sales successfully
– Pricing strategies for artwork and communicating value to potential buyers
– Converting art inquiries into loyal clients and collectors

Session 3: Building Long Term Relationships
– Establishing meaningful and lasting relationships with potential buyers and patrons.
– Identifying prospective clients and nurturing client relationships
– Understanding the value of client retention and loyalty in the art market

Session 4: Art Sales Strategies and Beyond
– Unveiling powerful strategies for selling art with impact
– Exploring the transition from casual buyers to dedicated art collectors
– Gaining a greater understanding of the art market and how to navigate it successfully

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Course Format:
– On-Demand Access – watch anytime, anywhere
– Learn at your own pace
– Practical, real-world examples

What Artists Say About the Course

I have done many courses with the VAA; all of them constructive, fun and interesting. I've learnt alot from them, and grown. They treat everybody as a special individual, and are willing to reach out and help when needed.

Lou

July 23, 2025.

Would I recommend this course to others? Absolutely. I think joining the VAA is one of the best things I have done for my business and I recommend it and the courses you run all the time!

Carol Burns

July 3, 2024.

The course got me thinking about how I can help a potential buyer/customer to see the painting in their own home/office etc. and is making me feel more comfortable about the idea of 'selling', which in the past, has left me feeling like I would rather hide under the nearest table than try to sell something. These were such helpful areas to learn about. Clarifying your own discount terms is very useful, but learning how to re-frame objections and turn them into positives, how awesome. I'm looking forward to trying it out. And of course, learning how to counteroffer and close (and shut up) was just as helpful. Karen is so enthusiastic, just listening to her makes me want to go out and sell something!

Anetta Price

July 3, 2024.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and would recommend any artist to sell their work. It's been the best short course I have been on. Many of the skills I have learnt are transferable to other areas of my business. Thank you to all the team for me.

Karen Holt

July 3, 2024.

SPEAKERS

Karen van Hoey Smith

Artist Mentor

Karen is an Artist Manager, Fine Art Auctioneer and Consultant Expert with a Degree in Fine Art Evaluation, previously working as a Gallery Manager for Blue Dot Art & Whitewall Galleries – in addition to this was she was also a partner of White Rose Publishing. With a successful history working as an Art Broker, having sold pieces for the likes of Banksy, Karen found that she was representing and helping Artists on a regular basis achieve more sales and reaching their goals. Now she has joined forces with The VAA as our Artists Mentor.

Louise Minnaar

Based in South Africa; Louise followed her passion for art early on, attending Art School for 4 years and going on to achieve a degree in education. Louise brings over 8 years’ experience in the art industry, from art auctions all over the world to working with one of the largest publishers in the UK with Whitewall Galleries. Louise has helped clients from all walks of life get happily involved in collecting artwork, from not only the likes of Picasso and Miro, but also exciting up-and-comers at all stages in their art careers.

David Venon

Born in France and having moved to the UK over twenty years ago, David has a formal Visual Art Education, coupled with a Fashion Design Technical degree. After several years working in the service industry, managing communities and content creation, David was appointed Community Manager 4 years ago for Artfinder, a global Art Marketplace and B Corp, with a mission to help artists make a living out of their passion.

Richard Kalman

As the owner and founder of the Crane Kalman Brighton gallery, Richard has built a reputation for showcasing emerging talent, particularly in contemporary photography. With over a decade of experience, he works with both emerging and professional photographers, offering portfolio reviews, career advice, and mentorship. Richard also lectures on Professional Practice and supports the next generation of photographers through his annual Cream Graduate Showcase.

Exclusive to VAA Members

This course is subsidised by the VAA and is available exclusively to VAA Members; reflecting the VAA’s commitment to supporting artists in building sustainable, professional careers.

Gain immediate access to the Art Sales Academy and start learning pratical, proven sales techniques you can apply straight away.

Become a VAA Member

Access Art Sales Academy on Demand

For more information about the course, or for any general queries, please get in contact at hello@visual-artists.org, or call us on 0203 904 2600.

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