How to make money as an artist and designer in Slovenia - guide

If you are an artist or designer in Slovenia and want to sell work alongside a job or build a full-time practice, this guide describes where paying customers actually come from, how to set a first price and talk about money, what the first ten customers often look like, what to sort out with authorities, common early problems, and how a Websta profile can fit into your workflow.

Updated October 21, 2026

Where paying customers come from

Paying customers for artists and designers in Slovenia tend to come from a handful of predictable places. Neighbours and friends often provide the first commissions - small pieces, logos, prints or interior projects. Local small businesses, cafés, restaurants, galleries and shops hire design or decorative work when they need menus, signage, posters or commissions tied to a physical place. Schools, community centres and local cultural organisations can hire workshops, murals or illustrations for events.

Online search and social media bring customers who are farther away in the country or abroad. Word of mouth is important - a single client at a workplace or a happy shop can lead to several local referrals. If you do branding or digital design, workplaces and startups in larger centres will be customers even if you are remote. In short - look locally first, keep a simple online presence for people who search, and ask every paying client for a referral.

  • Neighbours, friends and local community
  • Local shops, cafés, galleries and schools
  • Workplaces and startups in different towns
  • Online search, social media and marketplaces

Setting your first price and talking about money

Set a first price based on time, materials and the value to the client. Estimate how many hours the work will take, add the cost of materials and a margin for overheads such as utilities and tools. If you have no local benchmark, ask peers or search for similar works online to see what others charge - do not copy blindly, use it to check realism.

When you talk money, be clear about what is included and what is extra - revisions, travel, printing, framing or multiple formats. Prefer written estimates or a short email that spells out scope and price. Consider asking for a deposit for larger projects - a modest percentage up front reduces late cancellations and clarifies commitment. Never promise a number of clients or income; present pricing as a clear offer that you can deliver.

  • Calculate time + materials + overhead
  • Clarify scope, revisions and extras in writing
  • Use a deposit for larger jobs
  • Compare peers but adapt to your costs and skill

What your first ten customers usually look like

The first ten paying customers are usually a mixed group: family or friends who commission a piece; a local shop owner who needs a poster or packaging; a small company that needs a logo or social-media images; a school or local cultural project hiring a workshop or illustration; and a few online buyers who found you through search or social media. Expect many of the earliest jobs to be small, varied and helpful for building a portfolio.

Treat these early customers as both income and learning opportunities. Get permission to photograph finished work, ask for short testimonials, and keep notes on how long tasks actually took so you can refine pricing. Many early customers will not be repeat buyers immediately - focus on delivering clean, documented work that you can show to new prospects.

  • Friends and family commissions
  • Local shops, cafés and events
  • Small businesses and startups
  • Schools and community projects
  • Online one-off buyers

Legal and tax basics to sort out in Slovenia

Before you regularly accept paid work, check registration and tax obligations. For factual, current answers contact these authorities and ask the suggested questions: AJPES - ask whether you should register a sole trader (s.p.) or another legal form and what registration steps apply. FURS - ask about income tax reporting, VAT registration requirements and invoicing rules. ZZZS - ask how health insurance contributions apply to self-employed income. ZPIZ - ask about pension contributions and contribution rates for the self-employed. If you work under a specific craft or regulated activity, contact the relevant professional chamber or OZS for guidance.

Do not assume thresholds or exemptions without confirmation from the authorities. Ask each office what documents you must keep, what forms to submit, whether you must issue invoices, and what deadlines apply. If you are unsure about bookkeeping or taxes, a short paid consultation with an accountant who knows creative freelancing in Slovenia can save time and fines.

  • Check registration with AJPES - what legal form fits your activities
  • Ask FURS about income tax, VAT and invoicing
  • Confirm health insurance rules with ZZZS
  • Ask ZPIZ about pension contributions for the self-employed
  • Get professional advice on bookkeeping if needed

Common early problems and how to avoid them

Several things tend to go wrong in the first months. People underprice their work, which leads to burnout and difficulty covering taxes and contributions. Scope creep - doing extra work without adjusting price - eats margins. Late payments are common; solve them by having a simple written agreement, setting payment terms and using deposits for larger jobs. Bookkeeping often gets delayed - keep digital copies of invoices and receipts from the start.

Other problems include inconsistent marketing - you must show work regularly - and unclear ownership or usage rights for designs and artwork. Put usage rights in writing, particularly for logos and commissioned work, and agree on whether you retain the right to display the work in your portfolio.

  • Avoid underpricing - track real hours
  • Use simple written agreements to prevent scope creep
  • Ask for deposits and set payment terms
  • Keep bookkeeping and receipts organised from day one
  • Clarify usage and portfolio rights in writing

How a Websta profile fits into your workflow

A Websta profile gives you a single page that looks like a small website - list services, show photos, set prices, include a contact form and enable online booking. In the marketplace people nearby find providers by service and place, or post a task for providers to make offers on. You can use the profile as the page to send to prospects, link from social media, or point clients to for bookings.

Card payments that customers make through the platform are paid out to your own bank account through Stripe; you set your prices and receive payouts. If you want to appear in the site's category for creative work, note the exact path and category label - "/marketplace/art" and "artists and designers" - and the country code used for listings is "SI". Treat the profile as part of an overall presence - use it alongside social media, email, and local contacts.

  • Single page to show services, photos and booking
  • Marketplace visibility - people search by service and place
  • Payments paid out to your bank account through Stripe
  • Category and path to note - "/marketplace/art" and "artists and designers" in country "SI"

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register as a business to sell a few pieces?
Check with AJPES and FURS. Ask AJPES whether occasional sales require a legal form such as s.p., and ask FURS how to report occasional income and whether you must issue invoices. If in doubt, get short advice from an accountant.
How should I ask for a deposit or payment?
State a clear percentage or fixed amount in writing before you start major work. Use a simple estimate or agreement that lists what the deposit covers, the total price, payment schedule and deadlines. Deposits reduce cancellations and show commitment.
Can I show commissioned work in my portfolio?
Ask and agree with the client up front. Put usage and display rights in writing - whether you can photograph and share the work, and whether any client confidentiality or exclusivity applies.
How will customers find me online?
Local search, social media, and marketplaces matter. A Websta profile is a single page you can send to people and that the marketplace lists by service and place. Also ask satisfied customers for referrals and keep your portfolio updated.

About the numbers

Counts in this guide were read from the Websta catalogue when the text was written and are refreshed above from the live catalogue. Part of the catalogue was built from the public business register and is marked as such on each profile.

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