How to Use the BLKMKT
General Overview
BlkArthouse uses a multi-vendor marketplace powered by Shopify to display artwork on the BLKMKT, meaning the platform is largely driven by the artists. You're in control of the artwork you submit, your prices, and your order fulfillment. You can think of the BLKMKT like an Etsy or Amazon for Black creatives; BlkArthouse only supervises the approval process for new artists on the platform and artwork submissions. Here's a quick overview of how to start using the BLKMKT as an artist (and don't forget to review the Artist Terms of Use).
Step-By-Step Process
1. Create A Profile
Use the button below to start an artist ("vendor") profile. You will need to verify your email and receive our approval before you can upload your artwork. For verification purposes, you must upload a headshot to verify your identity.
Your "Shop Name" should reflect the name you want consumers to see with your artwork, whether that be your real name or an alias.
The information in the short description is what will be displayed on your seller profile.
2. Add Payment
Once you are verified and approved you will have a BlkArthouse dashboard, like below.
To receive payouts for your orders on the BLKMKT, you will need to specify how you wish to receive your order earnings. You can provide this information in your dashboard under Profile>Payment Details. BlkArthouse will not approve payments until the order has been fulfilled. You may contact us if you have any questions.
Why can't I upload my payment information or artwork? I keep seeing an error message.
To ensure the integrity of our platform, we manually review each artist profile and must approve your profile before you can take certain actions.
What fields are required?
Not all fields in your seller creation form are required. You should include your name, address, contact information, store descriptions (the short one is the one seen on your profile by buyers), and a profile photo.
Seller policy dimensions, and banner are NOT required.
3. Upload Your Art
Once you are verified and approved you will have a BlkArthouse dashboard. To add artwork you will select Products>Products Listing>Add Product. You should enter the required fields.
You will need to select which collection your artwork belongs, whether an "Original Work of Art," "Print," or other category within the Collections field.
"Product Tags" is how consumers will filter. Common tags include the medium (watercolor, painting, etc.) and style (collage, abstract, etc.).
We will review all art pieces submitted by artists for the marketplace. We curate a monthly collective and will rotate pieces based on sales. You can review our terms of use below.
Why hasn't my art been approved for the BLKMKT yet?
We curate our collection on a monthly basis, which means we only approve new artwork for our collection once a month. This process usually occurs around the 16th of the month.
PRO TIPS:
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Upload multiple photos of your art (preferably with one on a wall)
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Provide dimensions, medium type (paper, giclee, etc), and your inspiration behind the artwork
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Double-check correct grammar and spelling
4. Fulfill Orders
You will be solely responsible for fulfilling orders. When your artwork has been purchased by a consumer, you will be notified via email. You can access the status and details of your orders in your dashboard under "Orders." You should aim to fulfill orders within 2 weeks of purchase. You may contact us if you have any questions.
Where's my payout?
Artist payouts from artwork ordered through the BLKTMKT are distributed AFTER the artist has shipped the artwork to the buyer and entered the tracking information into the "Orders" tab.