9 Genius Art Party Ideas To Sell Art (& Have A Blast!)

Looking for an easy and fun way to sell your art? Try an art party! Here’s everything you need to know about this very do-able way to sell your art while having a fun at the same time.

Congratulations on being ready to sell your art, it can be such an exciting time for your art career! But, if you’re anything like me, it can also be a scary time. You might be too shy to sell at big art fairs or not famous enough (yet) to sell at large galleries.

Having sold my art for decades a dozen different ways, I’m going to tell you all about the art party- the most fun and easy way to sell your art.

You are going to learn all about art party ideas, art party ideas for adults, art party at home, art party decorations, art party theme, art party invitations, art party food ideas, art party favors, and more!

As an artist myself, I can tell you first hand an art party is the best way to sell your art and gain fans!

This post is all about selling your art at an art party

Art Party To Sell Art

1. Art Party Ideas

If you’re shy about selling your art like I am, art parties are the way to go!

There are as many art party ideas as there are people, but here are the basic steps for any idea:

Enlist the help of an outgoing friend or two. I like to give a percentage of the sales as an incentive and thank-you to my friends who offer to help.
Clear a room in your house, a garage, barn, backyard, or your entire first floor!
Place your art everywhere. Lean then up against the wall, pin them to a makeshift clothes line, stack them on tables and overlap them on a mantel. To learn how to artfully display your work such as in the picture above, I recommend checking out The Spruce by clicking here.
Make sure the prices are easy to see.
Set out some easy food and drinks (described below).
Have fun with your friends while showcasing your art!
Using an easy pay system (described below) for purchases.
Send guests home with a swag bag that includes your business card with a link to your website and other goodies.

2. Art Party Ideas For Adults

While art party ideas are popular for children, I recommend keeping your art party adults only. Adults can stay at parties longer and have the funds to buy your art or become future buyers.

Here are what I the top art party ideas for adults:

A casual Barn Brunch- rent or borrow a barn for a Sunday morning.
Gallery Dessert & Nightcap- have a post-dinner party at yours or a friend’s home.
Tea & Paintings- a late afternoon gathering on a deck or sunporch is a great setting for an art party!

You can get these inexpensive art stands at Amazon by clicking here.

3. Art Party At Home

If you choose to have an art party at home, whether yours or a friend’s, I suggest examining the options carefully.

You’ll want to find a space that allows your art to be the center of attention but less formal than a typical gallery setting.

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself when choosing the best space for an art party at home:

Is the space large enough?
Does the space have room to accommodate many paintings and party-goers?
Is the owner of the space flexible enough to move items to make room for your work?
Would one or several rooms work better for your display?
Is there good lighting?
Does the space have good “flow”- will people be able to comfortable walk around and examine your work?

Once you choose an ideal space, place your paintings everywhere possible.

Choosing to have your art party at home can be your best option if you consider these questions.

[A related post you might like: 8 Pro Painting Ideas on Canvas Every New Artist Can Do]

4. Art Party Decorations

You’ll want to consider your art party decorations as carefully as the setting.

For instance, you don’t want the decorations to involve intrusive large objects (hello- paper lanterns) or breakable objects (like glass anything).

Decorations are a must to give a festive atmosphere, but they should play a supporting role to your art.

To find the right balance between art party decorations that highlight vs distract from your paintings:

Look up-objects such as balloons or crown molding swag are near the ceiling and thus out of the way and may be all you need.
Mute colors- choose a pale shade (dusty rose, creamy gold, dove gray) which can give a festive feel without screaming for attention.
Make an entrance- keeping decorations to the doorways is another way to give that party vibe without impinging on traffic areas.

Understated, out-of-the-way art party decorations are the key to a successful art party!

You can click here and get this great balloon garland kit at Party City.

5.Art Party Theme

Coming up with an art party theme is my favorite part of giving an art party!

Here are some of the most successful art party themes I’ve been part of:

Costume party- Dress as your favorite artist. How many people guess the identities correctly?
Smock party- Wear your favorite smock and create a masterpiece at a crafts table. Their work gets displayed too!
Guess Who party- Everyone brings a picture of their favorite painting. Lay them out on a table. Everyone guesses the owners.
Art Trivia party – Put up printouts of famous paintings. The person who guesses the most artists correctly gets a prize.
Holiday Arty party- Guests bring printouts of their favorite painting of the holiday. Pin them to a large board to make a collage.

Having fun with your art party theme can be the best part of your art party.

[A related post you might like: The Best Ideas for Getting Art Commissions]

6. Art Party Invitations

Click here for cute invitations like these from Zazzle.

I find that art party invitations don’t have to be elaborate to be appreciated.

For ease and organization, the best option is an online invitation. They’re free, all in one place and easy to do. The downside is they often get lost in the recipient’s spam folder.

Another good option is text invitations. Some of us are trying to stay away from emails so texting can be more direct and personal. The down side is people who don’t know you well may find texts a bit intrusive.

Don’t rule out snail mail if that’s your preference. It’s a nice surprise to get a pretty invitation in the mail! The downside is most people don’t RSVP, so if you need an accurate headcount this may not be the best option.

n sum, art party invitations don’t have to sap your energy or time. One of these options will serve you well.

7. Art Party Food Ideas

Like the decorations, art party food ideas need to be carefully considered.

Believe me, you don’t want to have messy or bulky food at an art party! People will need their hands free to pick up, move or closely examine your art.

I recommend:

placing all the food in one room where your work is out of the way, such as up on the walls.
having specific food available at a specific time, such as at the beginning or the end of the party.
serving only dry finger foods that can be consumed in one bite and don’t need utensils such as small cheeseballs, gourmet pretzels or crackers with a light spread.

I don’t recommend:

anything messy or that require utensils such as seafood, stews, or casseroles.
drinks or food that stain easily such as chocolate, dark berries, red wine, etc.
items that need two hands such as sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, kebobs, or corn on the cob.

Unlike a typical party, your art party is to highlight your works of art, everything else including the art party food needs to play a supporting role.

[A related post you might like: How This Amazing Planner Changed My Art Career And Life]

8 Art Party Favors

I remember I skipped art party favors for my first few art parties which I soon learned was a big mistake!

Art party favors are the best way to continue the party once it’s over. Plus, you can have a lot of fun with them!

The ideal party favors should include printed images of your available paintings with your website information, a small gift such as a simple frame or a hand-painted blank notecard.

Don’t forget your business card with your contact information and website address.

This swag can be wrapped in clear cellophane tied with a gorgeous ribbon, both of which you can get by clicking here from Etsy.

It’s also a good idea to send a thank-you-for-attending email or text the following day. This can include a picture of the art party, ideally of the guest looking at one of your paintings or with you and your paintings in the background.

Art party favors keep you and your work top of mind for your guests long after the party is over and thus increase your chances of making a sale and/or fan even after the party.

9. Art Party Cakes

To have a photo of your painting put on a cake, check out inkedibles by clicking here.

This is another idea that I didn’t learn about until it was too late…art party cakes!

While I did say bulky messy food is not a good idea at an art party, art party cakes are the exception!

Of course, any cake is festive but I’ve learned the most popular art party cake is a sheet cake displaying an image of one of your paintings.

Many bakeries will apply any image you give them to the top of a sheet cake using edible ink. I now take my best selling painting- or current favorite- and have it reproduced on a sheet cake for all my art parties.

I recommend that you serve the cake at the end of your party, in an area removed from most of your artwork, for maximum effect and minimum mess.

I can’t tell you how many people have told me that my art party cake was their favorite part of the party!

9 Genius Art Party Ideas To Sell Art (& Have A Blast!)