How I Plan My Year as an Artist (Exhibits, Releases, Launches)

Being an artist means juggling creativity with practical planning. Over time, I’ve learned that setting a clear roadmap for the year — including exhibits, new releases, and launches — helps me stay focused, reduce stress, and grow my career. Here’s how I plan my artistic year, step-by-step.

Writing down 3–5 major goals keeps me grounded. Next, I gather all fixed commitments and opportunities:

·         Exhibition deadlines and opening dates

·         Application deadlines for residencies or grants

·         Planned art fairs or markets

·         Product launch windows (e.g., holiday seasons)

I add these to my calendar first — these are my anchors.

To keep momentum, I assign themes or focus areas each month, such as:

·         January: Studio deep dive — new series research

·         March: Prepare for spring exhibition

·         June: Launch new print collection

·         September: Apply for fall residencies

This helps me break the year into manageable chunks.

Schedule Weekly and Daily Tasks

Using the big milestones, I work backward to schedule:

·         Painting sessions

·         Marketing and social media posts

·         Email newsletter content

·         Packaging and shipping deadlines

No matter how small — finishing a painting, getting accepted into a show, or launching a print — I make time to celebrate progress. It keeps the journey joyful. Ready to Take Your Art to the Next Level?

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