How to create a small art business in Switzerland
Starting a small art business in Switzerland: challenges, choices and opportunities
Starting a small creative business in Switzerland is both exciting and complex. There is a lot of freedom in being able to start small and experiment, but also quite a few structural realities to understand early on. This article is mainly focused on small shops selling art or handmade or illustrated products.
There is no single right way to do it, only the one that fits your situation.
Creating a business: official or not?
One of the first questions is whether to register your business officially.
In Switzerland, if your annual revenue stays under CHF 100,000, you are generally not required to register for VAT, and many small activities can be run without creating a formal company structure at the beginning. This gives a lot of flexibility when starting.
However, things are a bit more nuanced. Some platforms, payment providers, or advertising tools may require a business registration or at least a clear legal status. Also, depending on your personal situation (for example if you receive unemployment benefits), even a small side income can have implications.
I won’t go into all the administrative details, mostly because I’m still figuring some of them out myself and there are better official resources out there. But one thing I would say is: don’t let administration block you completely. You can start small, learn as you go, and adjust your structure as your project grows.
The language dilemma in Switzerland
The question of language is very specific to Switzerland, and it can feel like a real dilemma.
There isn’t a single best choice, but rather different strategies. Choosing a national language like French, Swiss German or Italian can anchor your brand locally and potentially open nearby markets. Focusing on a very regional audience can also create a strong identity.
On the other hand, choosing a more international language like English or German allows for a broader reach, including across Switzerland itself.
In my case, as a French-speaking person living in Zurich, I chose to work mainly in English and French. It allows me to stay connected to my roots while still being accessible across regions and internationally. I also sell in the German-speaking part and am slowly working towards integrating German on my boutique.
Building a local identity
At the beginning, I focused a lot on an international audience through social media. It felt like the most natural entry point.
But over time, through local markets and in-person events, I started to realise how important the local dimension is. It’s not just a strategy, it’s also part of the work itself. My environment, my references, and the people I meet here all influence what I create.
Meeting people in real life also changes everything. It gives immediate feedback, creates real connections, and brings a different kind of value than online interactions. Today, strengthening the Swiss aspect of my brand is something I want to develop further.
The resarch for Ondine's logo
Making art in Switzerland: costs and realities
Creating and selling art in Switzerland comes with specific challenges.
The cost of living is high, and that affects everything. Production costs are often higher than in other countries, and pricing your work becomes more complicated. Online, you are competing with a global market where prices can be much lower, which creates a difficult gap to navigate.
There is also relatively limited structured support for small creative businesses compared to some neighbouring countries. Information exists, but it is not always easy to access or adapted to niche artistic paths.
At the same time, there are real advantages.
Having a part-time job with a stable income is relatively common and can make it possible to build a creative business without immediate financial pressure. In some sectors, part-time work is quite accepted, which helps a lot.
Switzerland also offers an environment where quality, craftsmanship, and higher-end positioning can make sense. And because the market is smaller, there can be space to stand out.
Choosing where to sell and show your work
If you want to sell your work online, there are many options. Probably too many.
You have marketplaces like Etsy or eBay, social media shops on TikTok, website builders like Shopify or Squarespace, and wholesale platforms like Faire. Each has its pros and cons, and it’s worth doing some research before choosing.
The main thing is not to try to be everywhere at once. Some platforms will simply not fit your budget, your products, or your audience.
On social media, you probably already have an intuition of what suits you. Instagram works a lot like a portfolio today, but it’s not absolutely necessary. For those who enjoy it, it can be a very powerful (and free) marketing tool. You can even use it as your only platform, if you want to sell trough DM communication.
Pinterest is often overlooked, but it can be a very strong source of traffic if you create good visuals.
A different way to grow
There is no single path. It’s important to know that there are many ways to put your business out there, and you might want to try several to see what works for you.
Some examples:
- Online collaborations: exchanges with other creators or working with influencers to present your work. There are many possibilities online, if you know how to be patient, persistent.... And careful.
- Local markets: usually one or two days. You meet people who are not necessarily in your niche. Very wholesome and often affordable, but it depends a lot on the event’s promotion and external factors like weather.
- Consignment (dépôt-vente): shops sell your products for a fee or a percentage. It’s a great way to be visible and meet other local creators, but you need to leave stock and be patient. It’s often slower but very rewarding.
- Conventions: especially for illustrators, pop culture conventions are amazing for visibility. Thousands of visitors in a few days. But they require a lot of preparation and can be expensive.
- Exhibitions / vernissages: collaborating with cafés or galleries to show your work. Very interesting if you have originals or larger formats, but it requires good communication and promotion.
All of these options depend on what you create and where you are in your journey.
Appear on conventional inventory sites
As soon as your portfolio is ready, register your business in as many places as you can. Google Business, local.ch, search.ch, directories like Yelp or even small local creative platforms all help.
I’m personally not convinced by Etsy for selling, as I haven’t managed to make it work without paying, but it can still be useful for visibility in search engines.
The idea is simple: the more places your name appears, the more familiar it becomes. Even if people don’t click immediately, they start recognizing it. Over time, that visibility adds up and makes your brand feel more established.
A small to-do list to start
If you feel lost, here are a few questions I would ask myself:
- Who am I? An illustrator selling products, or a shop built around illustrated objects?
- What are the pillars of my brand? Handmade, local, a specific aesthetic, a feeling, a community?
- What makes my brand mine and not someone else’s?
- How would I describe my brand in two sentences? (this takes time to get right)
- What are the visual elements of my brand? (colors, shapes, materials, references)
And some practical steps:
- Choose where to sell your work
- Choose where to show your work (portfolio, website, social media)
- Choose your working language
- Start with 2–3 product types
- Don’t try to launch a full collection immediately
Having even 5 products is enough to start understanding packaging, photography, and presentation. And document your process, from day 1, the good, the bad and the boring, if sharing on social media is something you want to do. You never know which B roll will be useful!
The most important thing
Make something you actually like.
It’s not the most efficient marketing advice. You could probably make more money by following trends or copying what already works. But for me, that’s not the point.
I want to build something I care about, something I can be proud of, even if it never becomes a huge success. Something that grows with me, and that creates real connections along the way.
And most importantly, start before you feel ready. You don’t need to know everything, and you don’t need a big investment to begin.
Good luck, I look forward to see what you create!