Being an artist does not have to be a lonely endeavor. It is possible to become a part of a vibrant and thriving art community entirely online. This will put you in touch with artists and supporters who want to inspire and motivate each other. Building a supportive network around you is the surest way to grow and fully realize your potential as an artist.

Find and/or building your own community is as easy as finding the places where artists and art lovers congregate. From there all you need to do is apply the same principles of making friends and getting to know people as you would in any other situation.

Creating an art community is not nearly as difficult as it may sound. Using online resources, you can locate other like-minded artists and art lovers who are interested in supporting one another all from a comfortable chair in your own house. Continue reading to learn how to create an art community online.

What is an Art Community?

An art community involves a group of people committed to promoting a deeper appreciation of art throughout society. Since many artists live and work in isolation, it is important to develop a sense of community in order to allow one another to thrive and feel connected to a bigger cause.

An art community can take on several concepts, including:

Living spaces – This is a great way to form an art community right where you live. Instead of feeling alone and isolated, artists will be living right amongst the very professionals that they need to feel alive and a part of something bigger. These types of art communities are located throughout the country.
Artist salons – This type of community will have a number of artists joining together to rent a salon in which to do their work. It is similar to the co-working concept for office professionals. Artists will have a place to work and collaborate to let their creative juice come out and thrive.
Online communities – This is a way to draw in potentially thousands of artists and art lovers to a virtual environment. Ideas can be exchanged and support given. It is a way to stay motivated and to feel connected, even if you happen to live in an area where it is often difficult to find other artists or even people interested in the arts.

No matter which type of art community one decides to join, the underlying principles are the same. It is important to support one another and keep art front and center in modern society. It is the role of the art community to make sure that this happens in new and exciting ways.

How Does Art Connect a Community?

Art can literally bind a community together. It is a way to bring together a diverse group of people and give them something culturally and aesthetically pleasing to look forward to. Art not only serves to beautify a community, but it also is effective at broadening perspectives and horizons. It opens people’s eyes to a whole new way of seeing the world.

When one considers how art connects a community, the following concepts are frequently mentioned:

Art provides social capital – In order for a community to function and thrive, there need to be certain items to bring people together. Art has long been seen as a way of doing this. As a form of social capital, art connects the community in ways that few other things can.
Art lends the community an identity – Just as every community is different and diverse, so is art. That is what makes it so special and unique. As an art community is formed, there will be a certain identity that is formed that enables people to feel as if they belong to something that is greater than themselves.
Art forges new relationships among people – With people running in so many different directions today, it is often difficult to form any type of meaningful relationship with others in the same community. Art provides a way of making those connections. New relationships can be established that otherwise would likely never have been formed.

These are just three of the many ways that art can connect a community. Instead of people just staying in their own closed environment, an art community engages people and pushes them outside of their comfort zone in ways that few other mediums can ever even hope to approach.

What are the Benefits of Being in a Community of Artists?

For artists, there are countless benefits of being connected to a community of like-minded individuals. There is just something special about being connected with others that carry the same interest and passion for the arts. Instead of feeling alone, artists feel alive and ready to perfect their trade even further.

Some of the more notable benefits of being involved in a community of artists include:

Engaging with people who have common interests – Passion can quickly turn to dust if you do not have someone to share it with. An art community brings you face to face with other individuals who share your same interests. This is often enough to keep you going.
Collaborating with individuals who share similar goals – Sharing similar goals with other artists is going to inspire you to be even better. You will feel uplifted and motivated to do your art on your own terms because you will be surrounded by others doing exactly the same thing.
Receiving and providing moral support and encouragement – Being an artist can be difficult and lonely at times. Being a part of a community will provide you with a certain level of moral support and various forms of encouragement that you cannot receive anywhere else.
Engaging in fruitful discussions – Artists are always looking for ways to grow and become even more creative. An art community can invoke some conversations that you cannot really have anywhere else with other groups of people.
Receiving and giving valuable critiques – It is also important to critique art and find ways to improve. There is no better place to turn to for that than to other artists.

These five benefits alone highlight just how important being a part of a community of artists can be. There is simply no better way to grow as an artist than to be around others who are focused on the same pursuit.

How do I Find an Art Community?

Finding an art community that you can become involved in is not nearly as difficult as it might sound. Since artists are an inclusive type of group, it is quite easy to get involved in a group of like-minded individuals that will help you to advance your own goals.

There are a few primary sources of information you can look to when finding an art community. They include:

Other artists – This is always going to be your best source of information. There may be a community located near you that you never knew existed. Talking to other artists will clue you in about their presence, and you can discover how best for you to get involved.
Local art galleries or cultural centers – Simply visiting a local art gallery will probably put you in contact with the communities that exist in your area. Talk to the staff, find other places where local artists gather and then discover how you can get involved yourself.
The Internet – This is going to be the place where you find most of your information, particularly if you are searching for a broader community of artists. There are literally hundreds of groups meeting online in one way or the other. You can also discover information about local art communities that may be of interest to you.

The key is to find a community that you can identify with. You may actually find many art communities in your local area or online, but you will want to narrow down the results to only those that will give you the maximum benefit.

What are the Best Art Communities Online?

You are going to find so many different art communities online today that you might find it difficult to choose the one that is most relevant to you. Thankfully, most communities will appeal to certain types of artists. Find the one that resonates with you the most as a professional and as an individual, and then go from there.

Here are a few of the more popular art communities online today.

Doodle Addicts – If you are an illustrator or lettering artist, this will be an online art community that appeals to you. You can draw inspiration from others in the community, discuss where to find freelance opportunities, and critique one another’s work. There are other benefits to joining as well.
Ello – Here is a place that combines an online art community with the benefits of social networking that the Internet affords. You will be able to showcase various types of art here, with the focus being on photography and fashion. In addition, you can use Ello to promote your own work and engage with other community members in deep and meaningful ways.
Art Station – With Art Station, you will find an online community where you can submit virtually any type of art imaginable. This includes hand-drawn sketches, digital images, 3D pieces, and so much more. It has also evolved into a social networking site where artists can help one another to perfect their craft and explore new opportunities.

There are many more art communities online that you will find interesting as well. These three should give you a good launching pad upon which you can start your search. Do not be afraid to give a community a try and see how beneficial it can be to your own development. You may have to become a member of a few before you find the perfect fit.

Live Streaming Art

It seems that live streaming is the new popular form of entertainment, and artists have caught onto this as well. You can live stream your art in new and exciting ways. This is a way to capture an almost global audience, so the potential is there for you to grow as an artist.

You probably have access to just about everything that you need to live stream your art. Here is a quick list of what you will want to have on hand in your studio to get started:

A computer – This can be a desktop, laptop, or even a tablet.
Webcam – Many computers already have this built-in, but you can also purchase an external one that will enable you to capture a wider range of images.
Microphone – It is helpful to talk your way through the art that you are live streaming.
Tripod – If you are filming with your smartphone, this will help you stabilize your video.
Stable Internet connection – You will want to have an upload speed of a minimum of 5 Mbps.
Choose your streaming platform – The most well-known are YouTube, Twitch, and IGTV.

Live streaming your art is a great way to gain followers. Just hang in there if you do not have the audience that you were hoping for after a few sessions. If you are patient and remain consistent, the followers will eventually come.

Art Community Apps

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of art community apps available today that will help artists perfect their craft and stay connected at the same time. Some of the more popular that you will find today include:

Google Arts and Culture
Procreate Pocket
Are.na
Just a Line
Daisie
Paste

Each of these apps provides great launching pads for artists. They demonstrate that you do not need a lot of fancy and expensive technology to be an artist in the modern era. There are plenty of ways to connect with the art community right from your very own smartphone.

Art Sharing Websites

Whether you are an already established artist with an audience or someone new to the community, there is always a desire to share the work you have created. This is yet another area that the Internet has opened up. There are a number of websites that allow for art to be shared with the entire world openly.

The following art sharing websites typically double as a social network of sorts for artists. You will be able to receive critiques on your own work, just as you will be asked to remain active in the community and make your own comments accordingly. Some of the top art sharing websites that you can navigate to today include:

DeviantArt
CGSociety
Pinterest
Behance
Instagram
Tumblr
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Dribble

While some of these websites are open to non-artists as well, they each provide you with a platform to share your work with the world. As more and more people begin to follow you, the possibilities are endless as to who you can impact with your art.

Social Media Alternatives for Sharing Art

Traditionally, art has been shared in its physical form. It is to be appreciated with the naked eye, touched, and admired by all who see it. However, there are now many more alternatives available that allow you to share art in creative and unique ways.

Much of this involves social media. Using sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn allows artists to reach a new and potentially viral audience. Whereas an artist may have once been limited in terms of who would see their work, now the entire Internet is opened up to them.

Should I Start My Own Art Community?

While there are already numerous art communities available and ready for you to join now, there are also some great reasons why you might want to start your own art community. These include the following:

The artists in your area lack a platform where they can meet together to exchange ideas and encourage one another.
You are doing a specialized form of art where few other communities already exist.
You are already involved with a group of artists, and you would all like to open up membership to include other interested professionals in your area.

In many cases, there may be an art community already waiting for you to become a part of. However, do not be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and start your own art community. Others will be thankful that you did.

What Are Some Ways I Can Start Building an Online Art Community?

You can begin to build an online art community by selecting one of the platforms mentioned in this post and creating your own profile. Once you start to gain followers, you will be able to build your own online art community. The key ingredient is to find individuals who align with your own creative interests.

Other Ways to Share Your Art Online

There are many ways to share your art online. You will find that you can market your digital and traditional print pieces on many different platforms. While social media and apps are a great place to start, there are other ways to do this as well.

Some ideas include:

Start your own website
Email your contacts
Contact art galleries and museums
Find forums and user groups in your own area

These are just a few ideas to help you get started. The Internet is an open field when it comes to sharing your art. All you need to do is find your niche and then go from there.

Wrap-Up

Now that you better understand how to form an art community online, it is time to start thinking about the possibilities. You can become part of a group that promotes art in your local community and throughout the world. This is a way to use art to feel more fulfilled and to gain a rich and diverse perspective towards life. Enjoy the art community you become a part of.