3 Ways To Support Your Favorite Independent Artists (For Free!)
(This article was originally posted on EnfieldArts.com on 8/5/2020)
ou want to support your favorite independent artists and creators. Of course you do! They’ve given you hours of entertainment for free, making you laugh out loud alone in your car or cry in the middle of a crowded bus. But you don’t have any money to support them on Patreon or buy merch. Does that mean you can’t support them in a meaningful way? That you’re stuck with that vaguely guilty feeling that comes when they ask for your support and you can’t give it?
Of course not!
While financial support is great and often necessary for creators to continue their work, non-financial support is just as important. So if you want to support your favorite creators without hurting your budget, here are some ways to do so!
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Spread the word
Unlike artists with major industry backing, indie artists usually don’t have a large marketing budget, if they even have one at all. They might be doing all their own marketing and rely on word of mouth to reach their potential audience. So help them spread the word! Tell your friends about your favorite podcast/album/story and promote them on your own social media accounts! Whether it’s a quick tweet or an in-depth review, you can help get more eyes on their work than they otherwise would be able to on their own.
Moral support
Independent artists put their heart and soul into their work, often for little to no feedback. So let them know you’re enjoying it! I know that for me, a kind word about one of my stories will absolutely make my day. And motivate me to keep working when I’m feeling discouraged.
So don’t be shy! Send that email or tag them in that compliment you were about to send. Trust me, you’re not being annoying. They will love it.
Participate in the fandom
This one comes with a couple caveats.
- Don’t send fan works to the creators without their consent and
- Make sure you have permission before creating anything based on existing work to sell for profit.
But outside of those two things, see if there’s an existing online fandom and go have fun! Write fanfic, chat with other fans, and do cosplay! These are all great ways to support independent artists! They help strengthen the work’s presence online and it’s a fantastic way for you to connect with other people and have fun.
So don’t feel like you have nothing to contribute to your favorite creators if you aren’t in a position to kick in to help pay the bills. Artists need non-financial support just as much as they need money. Non-financial support helps keep their morale up and spreads the word about how great their work is. And an added bonus? Your support can also potentially help them reach others who can contribute the money that they need. So your help reaches farther than you might think.
