With job vacancies in the UK still on the decline, falling by 63,000, in March to May 2025 many are turning to side hustles and starting their own small businesses to help pay the bills in the UK.
This can be a difficult process however many are still pushing ahead, utilising social media to boost their small businesses. One popular niche of small businesses is the art and crafts industry, with artists of all shapes and specialities selling their creations online.
To help those who are these aspiring to create their own art businesses, here are some simple steps you can take to ensure that your business flourishes from the start, whether that is ensuring you have the right equipment for your hobby and workspace, such as PVC curtains from Rayflex or creating a business plan through following guides such as the UK’s guide.
Niche
First and foremost, a business must understand what their niche is. Some small businesses will dive into an already saturated market with products and art too similar to others out there. Establishing what your businesses unique selling point is key to attracting a strong customer base. Whether you are an artist who specialises in pet portrait, an glass-blower who is creating unique and intricate pieces, a resin artist who creates pieces form custom moulds, or another artistic passion, your art will appeal to a range of customers.
Workspace
After understanding their niche, a business owner needs to consider where there workspace is. This step can often be neglected, as new owners feel that they can use their personal space as their workspace. However not only can this cause burnout, as the lines between work and personal time blur, but it can also cause you physical harm. Some artistic passions when done on a larger scale can cause you harm.
If you’re business involves fumes, toxic materials or can cause dust particles, having a designated work space is essential. Whether you’re a spray-paint specialist, or a resin artist, utilising air filters, masks or even PVC curtains (which can be bought businesses such as Rayflex who specialise in supplying to businesses and industries) to allow free movement but also preventing these harmful materials spreading into your personal space helps keep you safe and healthy.
Plan
Another commonly disregarded aspect of starting a business is creating a business plan. For new business owners who may not have studied business in school, this can be an commonly skipped step. A well-crafted business plan is the indispensable for any successful business venture. especially when embarking on a complex undertaking like art.
Business plans serve as a strategic roadmap, and encourage owners to follow specific steps to meet their business vision. It allows you to make predictions on the industry, and helps you calculate what expenses you should make in order to see a positive outcome and ultimately, profit.
On commonly used tactic in business plans is establishing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) objectives, which can help owners create a strong foundation for sustainable growth and long-term success.
Budgeting and Accounts.
After establishing a business plan, budgeting should have already been considered, However it is also a something that should be then considered again. This helps you establish appropriate price points for your products/services, and helps to ensure you are not over-investing in areas of your business.
Understanding what the internal costs are, such as equipment, materials and marketings, along with maintaining proper budgeting sheets, accounts and invoicing allows you to provide proper documentation for tax reporting.
Registering and Tax
When starting a business, it’s important that you follow the proper systems in place when setting up a business and declaring income.
In the UK when you register depends on what type of trader you are. Typically a business is either a sole trader or a limited company. Typically most small art businesses will fall under the sole trader category, as it is the simplest business structure to set up and keep records for and sole traders make all the business decisions and keep all the profits after paying tax.
A limited company however is legally separate from the people who own it, and is run by one or more directors. There are a number of responsibilities and things to consider when running a limited company.
A sole trader can start trading immediately, with needing to register. However, these businesses owners will need to register for self assessment as a sole trader if they earn more than £1,000 in a tax year (from 6 April to 5 April). They can also choose to register earlier, if they so wish. This self assessment will then help HMRC determine how much tax you are due to pay as a trading businesses.
Reviewing the UKs Guidance on the official government website enables you to understand what and when income needs to be declared, how you should be declaring it, and what the consequences are of improper declarations.
With the job market seeing increasing challenges and many turning to side hussels as a means of income, this can be a powerful catalyst for increased innovation and creativity for artists, as independent business owners. As more people in the UK turn their passions into a profession, the rise of the art and crafts industry is a testament to the power of independent creators.
By defining a niche, creating a dedicated and safe workspace, and meticulously crafting a business plan, any artist won’t be able to try and break into the business world. Now is the perfect time to turn your talent into a thriving business.
