This week’s strongest development is one many artists may not notice until it has already reduced their profit: holiday shipping increases begin within the next two weeks.

Also worth knowing: Bonhams is testing a way for living artists to benefit when their work is resold; Etsy has shifted more of the tariff responsibility to sellers; and Richmond is using public art as part of a broader investment in commercial districts.

Meanwhile, more cities and independent organizers are experimenting with ways to bring ordinary buyers and working artists together outside the traditional gallery system. That may turn out to be the most interesting development of all, although it is still too early to call it a broad trend.

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A new round of Canadian tariffs taking effect September 8 could have an unexpected consequence for U.S. artists: original artwork and reproductions may receive very different treatment at the border.

Also this week, the U.S. government is taking a clearer position in the fight over copyrighted work used to train AI, and upcoming art fairs are offering a useful lesson about something artists sometimes overlook—helping first-time buyers feel comfortable enough to become collectors.

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Encouraging signs are emerging in the part of the art market where most independent artists do business.

New research shows younger collectors entering the market, strong interest in emerging artists, and substantial demand for work priced below $5,000. Open studios and major art festivals continue to generate meaningful sales, while evidence from one of the country’s largest studio tours reinforces the long-term value of turning first-time buyers into repeat collectors.

There are other developments worth watching. Saatchi Art is introducing paid placement for artists, while a small South Carolina town shows what can happen when art and artists become part of a larger economic development strategy.

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1. Square’s offline mode can turn completed-looking sales into no sales

An artist posting on Art Fair Insiders reported accepting 35 offline Square transactions at a Detroit show. After reconnecting, every transaction was declined. According to the artist, the app had collected signatures but did not indicate that the p…

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