20 Ways to Save Money if You Love The Arts

Creative people often take a look at their credit card statements and see that they don’t spend a lot of money on the things that most people spend money on. They don’t waste money on frequently buying trendy clothes because they probably make their own or turn vintage secondhand garments into their own sense of style. They don’t waste money on dining out or buying jewelry or even living in big expensive homes. And yet they are often broke. So where does their money go? It goes to funding their love for the arts. It goes to visiting museums, buying art pieces, traveling to exotic places and getting tickets to concerts, theater performances and dances. So how can you continue to enjoy these inspiring activities without spending so much money?

Here are 20 easy ways to start saving money without compromising your love of the arts:

Keep a calendar of all art reception openings in your local area. These free events will keep you busy, inspired and happy without costing you a dime. You’ll probably even get free wine and snacks while you enjoy your art experience.
Challenge yourself to find local bands to love. Bands that only perform locally will have free and cheap performances.
Choose to visit small theater events instead of large scale performances. The smaller theaters are more intimate, still creative and tickets are much less expensive than they are for big traveling shows.
Look for half price tickets. If there is a big show in your area that you want to see then take the time to plan ahead and look for half price tickets. Many venues offer these in the early days of the show’s announcement to help generate interest and spread the word.
Choose museums that are free or that offer free days. Small museums may be free of charge all year round. Larger museums often offer free days either once per week or once per month. Schedule your creative exploration around these days.
Visit artists at their open studios. Here you will get a chance to see new and original artwork and you can actually talk to the artist who is making the pieces.
Stay abreast of activities happening on your local university campus. Students put on fashion shows, theater performances, poetry readings and other events as part of their classwork. The public can often attend these events free of charge.
Offer to volunteer. If there is a creative event or performance that you want to go to but tickets are expensive then you can try contacting the event organizer to find out if you can volunteer at the event in exchange for a free ticket. You may volunteer at the actual event or do some promotional work ahead of the event.
Attend virtual art and entertainment conferences. If you are interested in the business side of the arts then you may spend a lot of money attending conventions and expos around your regional area. Virtual conferences are a cheaper alternative.
Take free walking tours. Guided tours as well as self-guided tours give you a chance to explore a new area, take photos and look at architecture as well as scenic landscapes. How inspiring!
Don’t diminish the value of street fairs and other free city events. Although these aren’t traditional art events they provide a chance to explore local crafts and culture.
Your local library has a lot of great free events. Some of them have art exhibits. Others have book readings. Others have panel discussions on various topics. And they’re all free! Plus, of course, you can get books for free from the library instead of paying a fortune to indulge your love of literature.
Bookstores are another great place for free literary entertainment. You can sit at them and flip through those large expensive art books without spending any money on them. They also frequently host book readings and other literary events.
Travel to places where your money goes far. There are many exotic spots to see on the globe. Focus your travel budget on creative places that are on the cheaper end of the scale. Budget your money before your trip and stick to that budget.
Buy art that you love. If you are interested in purchasing art then you should set some strict limitations on yourself. The number one rule should be that you will only buy art that you truly love. That way you will appreciate it whether or not it appreciates in value. However, you should also take the time to learn about how to invest in art so that the pieces you acquire have the potential to make you money in the future.
Create your own art instead of buying art. If you aren’t interested in the investment value of art and just want a gorgeous piece to hang on your wall then you should get creative and make your own art. You can repurpose old canvases from thrift stores, hang fabric in frames, enlarge photos you’ve taken and do many other things to create inexpensive art that will look great on your walls.
Enjoy outdoor movies all summer long. Numerous towns set up outdoor movie events and screen old, indie and foreign films for cheap or free. Second run movie theaters are another way to see films at a low price.
Do your drinking at home before an art event. Many people pay little or nothing to go to art events but then they spend a fortune at the bar while they are there. Drink water at these events and save yourself a bundle!
Make friends with other artists. You will find yourself constantly inspired as you are invited to parties, art making days and stitch ‘n bitch circles that cost little or nothing at all.
Start a blog. If you put together a consistent body of work on a blog in a niche area of the arts that you love then you have the potential to secure media passes to relevant events. Additionally the research that you do for your blog will keep you abreast of the many different free and cheap art activities that are happening in your local area.