What is an Artist Coach? A Guide for Independent Artists
Oct 30, 2024
A few weeks back, I hopped on a catch-up call with an ex-mentee.
She hit me with this:
"I didn’t even know what an artist coach was before I met you!"
Which feels especially relevant because, since our work together, she’s gone on to:
- Found her own music school in one of the most competitive cities in the world.
- Land high-profile gigs as a studio vocalist on major OTT movie soundtracks.
- Build her own studio (including buying a piano and hi-tech gear) with her husband and business partner.
- And most impressively? Do all of this during one of the toughest years of her life—while recovering from an accident that left her injured and sedentary for weeks.
If it sounds like I’m taking credit for any of that, let’s clear that up real quick—I couldn’t and wouldn’t. She's the one who put in the work.
That said, she did mention that during those tougher months, one of the things that kept her going was digging deeper into my self-paced course, C.I.A.R., and revisiting recordings of our coaching sessions.
And honestly? That makes me feel grateful—and yeah, a little proud—to have been in her corner.
So... What Is an Artist Coach?
Truth is, most people still have no clue what the heck an artist coach actually does.
If that’s you, I'm going to break it down in this article—After you're down reading it, you’ll get a better idea of
✔️ What an artist coach actually does (and what they don’t do)
✔️ How to know if you need one—whether you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or just trying to level up
✔️ What coaching can do for you—from clarity and confidence to strategy and support
✔️ How to find the right one—red flags and green flags
How I (Accidentally) Became an Artist Coach
A little story about moi first.
I’m not really sure how I became an "artist coach." I like to think it found me.
I always had:
- Mentors teaching me how to improve my craft.
- Business advisors throwing around jargon that made me want to crawl under a Himalayan rock and never come out (like some of my ancestors actually did—true story).
Between those two worlds was a massive gap that often led to the kind of debilitating self-doubt every artist knows too well.
Before I met Sheila Chandra (one of my legacy guests on the podcast), I didn’t even know "artist coaching" was a thing either.
Even though she was never an official mentor to me, she probably taught me more in two extended conversations than most college professors who got paid big bucks to "teach" me (no shade... okay, maybe a little).
Two Big Realizations That Shaped My Coaching
By the time I fully embraced the "coach" label, I had two major realizations
- To practice my art with the depth and breadth I craved, I needed to actively contribute to improving the music industry. My work as an artist wasn’t immune to the ecosystem it existed in.
- I’d been coaching my entire adult life. Even during my tenure with the German government, in my final years there, my higher-ups (pun intended) would send me the "lost causes"—frustrated students who wanted nothing to do with archaic, borderline toxic pedagogy.
Nine times out of ten? They’d decide to stay. Not because I "taught" them anything, but because I helped them reconnect with something society loves to drown out if we're not alert:
Our inner voice.
Do you even need an artist-coach?
Here's the thing. Unlike traditional employment structures, where roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, the challenges independent artists face in the work environment are unique.
We're striving to balance creativity, career development, and personal well-being while navigating the complexities of creative expression, self-promotion, and financial sustainability---all on our own. So finding ourselves in situations where overwhelm threatens to seep in is not just probable, but common.
This is where coaching comes in.
So What is an Artist Coach?
An artist coach is a mentor who guides artists in developing their craft and managing the business and emotional aspects of their career.
According to research, mentorship and coaching can significantly improve an artist's ability to succeed by providing support in areas like career planning, skill development, and personal well-being (Lingo & Tepper, 2013).
Artist coaches typically offer guidance in:
✔️ Setting and achieving artistic and professional goals
✔️ Overcoming creative blocks
✔️ Marketing and building a personal brand
✔️ Developing sustainable business models
✔️ Enhancing emotional and mental resilience
✔️ Enhancing physical autonomy and awareness (though not as typical).
Rather than focusing solely on more conventional aspects of music education like technique, musicality, or even career counseling alone, artist-coaching takes a more holistic view.
This approach integrates elements of emotional and physical well-being, business acumen, and life skills into coaching sessions, helping you achieve balance across different aspects of our lives.
It aims to ensure that artists are equipped not only to cope with their career goals, but also to maintain personal fulfillment and mental health. For a more complete form of 'success'. A holistic approach.
The Benefits of Holistic Mentorship
1. **Personalized Guidance for Independent Artists**
Independent artists often lack the formal structures and resources needed for our support. I have worked with brilliant college graduates who are good at being musicians but feel lost about what exactly they're supposed to do with their musical skills.
The absence of steady income, career support, and networking opportunities can lead to feelings of isolation and career stagnation (Bridgstock, 2011). An artist coach provides customized support that meets the specific needs of independent artists, including strategies for self-promotion, financial stability, and mental well-being.
2. **Support for Personal and Professional Development**
The pressures of a creative career can lead to emotional challenges, such as imposter syndrome or burnout, which can affect both artistic output and overall well-being (Menger, 2014).
An artist coach addresses these issues by focusing not only on external career goals but also on internal growth, such as confidence-building, self-care, and emotional resilience. This comprehensive approach aligns with findings in occupational psychology that link personal development with professional success (Hall, 2004).
3. **Diverse Expertise and Cross-Disciplinary Insight**
Artist coaches often have diverse backgrounds, blending experience in the arts with knowledge in business, psychology, or leadership-training.
This interdisciplinary approach reflects the increasing demand for creative professionals to possess skills beyond artistic proficiency (Bridgstock, 2013).
For example, many artist coaches are well-versed in entrepreneurship, offering insights into branding, audience engagement, and income diversification. Others may integrate practices like mindfulness or wellness coaching, providing artists with tools to manage stress and foster creativity (Bennett, 2010).
Key Areas of Focus in Artist Coaching
The role of an artist coach varies depending on the needs of the artist, but common areas of focus include:
**Goal Setting:**
Effective goal setting has been shown to enhance performance in creative fields by providing direction and motivation (Locke & Latham, 2002). Artist coaches help clients clarify their artistic vision and create actionable steps to achieve long-term success.
**Creative Development:**
Artist coaches offer feedback, inspiration, and practical strategies for overcoming creative blocks, a common challenge for artists (Runco, 2014). This involves fostering an environment of continuous learning and experimentation, which has been linked to higher levels of innovation and artistic satisfaction (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997).
**Business Acumen:**
Artists are increasingly required to manage their careers like entrepreneurs (Bridgstock, 2013). A coach with experience in business and marketing can provide invaluable guidance in promoting one’s work, securing funding, and navigating the complexities of a freelance career.
**Emotional and Mental Health Support:**
Research highlights the importance of psychological well-being in sustaining creative careers (Menger, 2014). An artist coach can help individuals manage the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty that often accompany an artistic profession, promoting emotional resilience through tailored coping strategies.
How to Choose the Right Artist Coach
Honest opinion: between working without a coach and working with the wrong one (a situation you'll hopefully never have to deal with), I would argue you're better off without one.
That being said, we wanna make sure you do find the right one.
And doing this requires careful consideration of several factors. Here are some suggestions to guide you:
1. **Evaluate Their Background**
Look for coaches who have a background that resonates with you, including experience in both the arts and other relevant areas such as business or wellness. Ideally they will have a diverse skill-set. Studies suggest that multi-disciplinary expertise can lead to more effective coaching, as coaches are able to draw from a wider range of strategies and solutions (Lingo & Tepper, 2013).
2. **Focus on Holistic Approaches**
As discussed earlier, a holistic approach is essential for ensuring that coaching addresses all areas of an artist’s life, not just their career. Coaches who focus on holistic development are better equipped to help artists maintain balance and avoid burnout (Bennett, 2010).
3. **Seek Proven Success**
Look for coaches with verified testimonials or case studies that demonstrate their ability to help artists achieve tangible outcomes. Try to check up on the case-studies they refer to on their online presence. Even get in touch with their past students/clients if need be (I have!). Successful coaching relationships are built on a whole lot of trust, rapport, and a proven ability to meet clients’ needs are a pre-requsite (Hall, 2004).
4. **Trust Your Intuition**
Coaching, though a professional relationship, often addresses deeply personal issues (including sensitive ones). that need unpacking in order to find sustainable solutions to blockages that might be holding you back. So it’s important to find someone with whom you feel comfortable. After initial consultations, assess whether the coach’s communication style and values align with your needs.
(Ideally, they'll offer a complimentary 'get to know you' call and an additional one once genuine commitment is apparent--that's what I do anyways).
Conclusion
Truth be told, I think getting coached is not a luxury, but an essential for artists in this day and age. Regardless of what stage of your career you're in, you'll need a support system. One that is not a purely commercial type like agencies who offer services on a purely transactional basis, or an academic one (if you're the college-educated type), which is often lost in the real world.
An artist coach can provide invaluable support to independent artists by offering mentorship you can 'hire' and hence count on a professional ethic. And get the kind of qualified guidance with practical business advice and emotional support, without overstepping professional boundaries.
The holistic approach which I am a vocal exponent of, ensures that artists not only develop their creative careers but also maintain a healthy balance in their personal lives. In our case, the lines are so blurred that one affects the other in ways we simply cannot ignore and need to make sure to be on top of.
Hope that helps!
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References
Bennett, D. (2010). Creative Artists or Cultural Entrepreneurs? The Shift from an Artistic to an Entrepreneurial Identity in the Higher Education Training of Professional Musicians. *International Journal of Cultural Policy, 16*(3), 257–269.
Bridgstock, R. (2011). Skills for Creative Industries Graduate Success. *Education & Training, 53*(1), 9-26.
Bridgstock, R. (2013). Not a Dirty Word: Arts Entrepreneurship and Higher Education. *Arts & Humanities in Higher Education, 12*(2-3), 122-137.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). *Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention.* Harper Perennial.
Hall, D. T. (2004). The Protean Career: A Quarter-Century Journey. *Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65*(1), 1-13.
Lingo, E. L., & Tepper, S. J. (2013). Looking Back, Looking Forward: Arts-Based Careers and Creative Work. *Work and Occupations, 40*(4), 337-363.
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation: A 35-Year Odyssey. *American Psychologist, 57*(9), 705–717.
Menger, P.-M. (2014). *The Economics of Creativity: Art and Achievement under Uncertainty.* Harvard University Press.
Runco, M. A. (2014). *Creativity: Theories and Themes: Research, Development, and Practice.* Academic Press.
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