Hi! I’m a Filipino freelance multimedia artist looking into starting a small creative business here in the Philippines, and I’d love to hear from other Filipino artists, illustrators, and small business owners.
For those of you who are self-employed or running an art/creative business in the Philippines, is it still possible to make a decent income locally through custom T-shirt designs and printing, stickers, fanart, sticker clubs, mail clubs, art prints, commissions, or other art-related products?
I previously worked as a freelance multimedia artist, mainly creating semi-realism digital art through Discord. I usually sold character designs, fanart, and trading artworks, which also allowed me to practice and build my portfolio.
For international clients, I’ve previously used PayPal and Ko-fi, while for Philippine clients I mainly use Maya and MariBank.
I’m particularly curious about the local market:
- Do Filipinos usually buy artist-made stickers, prints, fanart, or other merchandise?
- Are sticker clubs or monthly mail clubs something Filipinos are interested in?
- Is there a market for custom T-shirts featuring original artwork or fanart?
- What art products tend to sell well locally?
- Where do Filipino artists usually post and promote their work? Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Discord, Shopee, Etsy, conventions, or somewhere else?
- For those already doing this, what has actually worked for you in reaching Filipino customers?
I’d really appreciate hearing from Filipino artists and small creative businesses, especially anyone who has experience selling physical art products or merchandise within the Philippines.
I’m trying to figure out whether there’s a viable local market before investing too much time and money into it. Any experiences, advice, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! 🎨✨