The ArtSmart Method translates 25 years of art world consulting into a structured, stage-by-stage framework that addresses the financial, contractual, and strategic realities that most creative education leaves untouched.
About This Book
Creative practice and business literacy have long been treated as incompatible — this book argues otherwise. Amy Davila's ArtSmart Method moves artists through the full arc of their practice, from generating and harnessing ideas to negotiating gallery contracts, managing cash flow, and building a legible brand. Each chapter addresses a distinct stage of the creative-to-commercial process, with thought exercises and business tools calibrated for artists rather than adapted from generic entrepreneurship advice. The result is a career development resource grounded in the specific pressures of the contemporary art world — questions of money, exposure, and legacy treated not as uncomfortable distractions but as integral to the work itself.
Key Features
- 224 pages of structured career and business guidance written from an artist's perspective
- Written by Amy Davila, founder of ArtSmart Inc and former director of David Zwirner
- Published by Atelier Editions
What You'll Discover
- A sequential method that moves from creative conception through to income generation, gallery negotiation, and long-term legacy
- Practical frameworks for turning a studio practice into a sustainable brand without compromising creative autonomy
- How to navigate business contracts, cash flow, and collaborator relationships from an artist's standpoint
- Strategies for harnessing networks and converting professional threats into opportunities
About the Author
Amy Davila is the founder of ArtSmart Inc, a Los Angeles-based art consultancy. She is the former director of David Zwirner and former faculty member of the Sotheby's Institute of Art and Claremont Graduate University, with 25 years of experience working with artists, galleries, and art organisations on financial and career strategy.
Specifications
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 224
- Dimensions: 23.5 x 17.1 cm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781954957091
- Publisher: Atelier Editions
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Practising artists, emerging graduates, and creative professionals seeking structured, art-world-specific guidance on building financially sustainable and strategically sound careers.