No! You certainly do not have to be rich to invest in art. I firmly believe that art collecting is open to everyone, and investments can be found to fit all budgets.
Note: While you don’t have to be rich, becoming an art collector requires that you to set and stick to your financial goals. But this does not mean that only the rich can collect or invest in art.
Can you still collect your favorite artists on a budget?
Yes you can. However, it is unlikely you will be able to afford a large original painting or sculpture from your favorite artists at the beginning of your art investing journey. But do not despair. The beauty of art is that it is incredibly diverse. Artworks come in many different forms and sizes (and therefore, different prices).
By their very nature, artists love to experiment with all sorts of mediums and techniques to produce their art. This is why you can likely find unique and interesting art for sale from your favorite artists, including prints, posters, plates, skateboard decks, jewellery, totes, vinyl, home-ware, furniture, and many other forms at much lower price points than you might expect.
To be fair, some of the above list of objects can be very bad investments (not all- but a lot). In an attempt to make their work accessible, and artist may compromise on the quality or rarity of their lower-tier artworks. You should be very careful about artworks that are not limited, signed, numbered, or produced with little to no oversight from the artist.
Searching for a worthy investment/ artwork from your favorite artists for a price that fit your budget requires time and energy and comes with the territory of being an art collector.
Starting out small
It just so happens; you do not have to only collect the art of your favorite artists. You also have the option of discovering emerging artists and collecting their work before they become prohibitively expensive. There are risk and benefits of choosing to collect the work of emerging artists. You can learn about these qualities at emerging artists vs. established artists.
Final thoughts
While you don’t have to be rich to invest in art, you have to make educated decisions. Easel Investing’s primary purpose is to guide new art investors on how they can best start investing in art and build a portfolio that meets their investing and budgeting needs. If you fit into this camp, please feel free to browse our guides, sign up for our monthly newsletter, invite you to and reach out with any questions you may have about the subject.