Small acts, big impact: How to support artists and makers in real, human ways.
In a world where mass production and algorithms dominate, choosing to support independent artists and makers isn’t just about buying small. I think it’s bigger than that. It’s creating human connection. It’s choosing to show up for someone’s craft, passion, and persistence.
Artists, illustrators, ceramicists, writers, musicians, knitters, zine-makers, tattooers, printmakers, and so many others are building something personal — often from their kitchen tables, late at night, in between work and family, or during moments stolen from the daily grind. For many of them, the difference between continuing to create or having to pause (or stop entirely) isn’t a patron or a big break — it’s you. And the tiny choices you make.
You matter more than you know. Here’s how you can be part of the difference — without needing a big budget or grand gesture.
1. Buy the little things
You don’t need to commission a large painting to support an artist. Buying a postcard, sticker, print, or zine puts money directly into their hands and affirms their work has value. That $5 sticker? It pays for coffee, art supplies, shipping materials and sometimes just morale. These little transactions add up.
2. Subscribe
Whether it’s a Patreon, Ko-fi, Substack, or a monthly sticker club, subscribing to an artist’s content is like putting a few bucks in their tip jar each month, but with the added benefit of getting exclusive art, process insights, or community content.
Even if you don’t read every post or open every email, your quiet support matters. You're giving them time. Time to make. Time to breathe. Time to keep going.
3. Engage on social media
Likes, comments, shares, they seem small, but they’re part of the currency of visibility. When you comment on an artist’s post or share it with your own circle, you're not just boosting a number you’re helping more people see their work. And the algorithm notices.
4. Tell a friend (word-of-mouth is magic)
Heard someone say they’re looking for a gift? Recommend your favorite printmaker. Someone moving into a new place? Suggest a ceramicist whose mugs you love. Artists often don’t have big marketing budgets, but a genuine recommendation from a friend? That’s gold.
You’re not just helping them reach one more person, you’re rooting for them, out loud.
5. Leave reviews & testimonials
Bought something you love? Tell the maker. Tell people how it made you feel, or how it was packaged, or the story behind the piece.
6. Be there when it's not trendy
When algorithms bury their posts or sales are slow, that’s when your support matters most. A kind message, a $3 donation, a share, a check-in are all great ways to encourage an artist. They may be quiet online, but behind the scenes they’re still making, still dreaming.
These small gestures can be the thing that helps them keep going when things feel uncertain.
7. Respect the work
Support doesn’t always mean buying. Sometimes it just means honouring the time and energy that went into something. Please don’t ask artists to work for “exposure.” Or decorate your office for free. Don’t post their work without credit. Don’t assume they “just draw” for fun.
Give them the respect you’d give any skilled professional because that’s exactly what they are.
8. Celebrate the humans behind the craft
At the heart of every small creative business is a person. Someone who stayed up too late printing stickers. Who packaged your order with care. Who cried happy tears when their first product sold. Someone who sometimes wonders if at the and of the day, all the sacrifice is worth it.
When you support an artist, you're saying yes, it's worth it.