Art Problems: How to Avoid the Scams and Pay-to-Play “Opportunities” Targeting Artists

Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893

Navigating all the scams and pay-to-play schemes targeting artists is not easy.

They’re everywhere. And if you’re not careful, you can get sucked into something that seems fine on the surface. 

That’s why I established a taxonomy for these schemes and discussed exactly how to identify them in any circumstance on the latest episode of Art Problems. 

The taxonomy falls into five main categories: 

1. Instagram and Twitter scams. (someone pretending to be you or stealing your account.)

2. Email scams. (Someone pretending to be meta. Someone pretending to be a buyer.)

3. Pay-to-play scams (Someone asking you to pay for real estate in exchange for “visibility” they have no incentive to secure.)

4. Application fee scams (lottery schemes in which the payment for the application fee supports a prize pot, and a jury is used to whitewash the lottery structure.) 

5. Publication and copyright scams (Payment for listings and books that may not have any financial return, and companies that send copyright infringement notices for images you’ve posted online) 

Last year, I almost got scammed by one of these scammers and by a scheme I had already seen many times!!! This year, I’ve started tracking them. 

I don’t want you to lose your social media accounts or your money! 

So, have a listen, and let me know what you think on Instagram, email, or the social media platform of your choice.