Dezine

Dezi Magazine (Dezine) is where we talk about money in the arts.
We interview artists, highlight their process, and dive into the business of being a working creative.

A hand-drawn animation title card reading Field Notes from the Orphanage, framed by two character illustrations and a swirling spiral background

The Economics of an Independent Animation Career With Jonni Peppers

Close-up detail of a hand-painted circular wooden artwork showing a woman's face surrounded by flowing red and gold wave patterns

Art Without Institutional Validation: A Conversation With Srishti Madaan

A macro photograph of translucent bubbles clustered along a curved glass-like surface, from Jessy Koeiman's photographic work

Career of an Art Curator: Jessy Koeiman on Building a Sustainable Creative Career

An artist leaning in close to paint fine details on a grayscale portrait canvas with a small brush

The Dezi 2026 Cohort: Coming Soon

Swetha Chandra performing a Bharatanatyam-influenced dance pose

Professional Dancing as a Clinical Researcher: Swetha Chandra

Elgin Bokari T. Smith, multidisciplinary artist and founder of Stomping Grounds Literary Arts Initiative

A Multidisciplinary Art Career: Elgin Smith

A small green hut standing alone in a cold desert landscape, framed by bare mountains

The Poetic Photographer: How Aneisha Crafted a Sustainable Career

A stylized animated still from The Orbit of Minor Satellites, a figure rendered in Christopher Sullivan's hand-drawn animation style

The Animation Career: Christopher Sullivan on the Intricacies of Independent Filmmaking

A figure in a white ghost costume and sunglasses sits on a log by a green pond, reading a Renoir art book

Art Grants, Fellowships, and Residencies, Explained

Original painting by Nitya Mehrotra, shown at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago: a figure emerging from a lily pond, arms raised to a butterfly, surrounded by lily pads

Do Artists Really Not Earn Money?

An artist working at a laptop and drawing tablet in a plant-filled home studio, sketches and a sketchbook open on the desk beside her

How Do Artists Actually Get Paid?

A person sitting cross-legged, handwriting notes in an open journal while holding a pencil

How to Actually Apply for Artist Grants

A warmly lit bedroom film set with a filmmaker directing two actors, one seated on the bed holding a script and the other standing with a bouquet of flowers

The Strategic Filmmaker: How Nivedkrishna Built a Career in Filmmaking

Common Questions About Building an Art Career

How do artists actually make money?

Artist income splits into two buckets: earned income (employment, freelance gigs, commissions and sales, licensing and royalties) and awarded money (grants, fellowships, residencies). Most sustainable careers combine several of these rather than relying on one. Read: How Do Artists Actually Get Paid?

Do you need an art degree to build a career as an artist?

No. A degree can help, but it isn't a requirement working artists share. Srishti Madaan, for example, is completely self-taught and built her career through murals, workshops, and offline networking instead of formal art school. Read: Art Without Institutional Validation: A Conversation With Srishti Madaan

What do grant judges and curators actually look for?

Institutions tend to look past the artwork itself to its long-term societal relevance, not just the finished object. Curator and grant-committee member Jessy Koeiman, for example, explains that juries want to know what the next chapter is and how the work functions in the world. Read: Career of an Art Curator: Jessy Koeiman on Building a Sustainable Creative Career

Can you sustain a creative career without gallery representation?

Yes. Building an audience through real-world word of mouth, workshops, or direct outreach can work just as well as a gallery relationship. Srishti Madaan, for instance, grew her audience through a workshop-driven domino effect and turned a single hostel barter into a full mural practice, with no gallery behind either. Read: Art Without Institutional Validation: A Conversation With Srishti Madaan

How do independent animators and filmmakers make a living?

There's no single path: some build a direct-support audience, others anchor around a stable day job. Jonni Peppers, for instance, built a Patreon-funded independent path after major-studio pitches went nowhere, while Christopher Sullivan instead used a teaching position as the income anchor that funded decades of personal films. Read: The Economics of an Independent Animation Career With Jonni Peppers

What's the difference between a grant, a fellowship, and a residency?

A grant is money awarded for a project or body of work with no expectation of anything back except sometimes a report. A fellowship combines funding with mentorship and a cohort. A residency provides space and time to work, often requiring relocation. Read: Art Grants, Fellowships, and Residencies, Explained