for art sake

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for art sake" is not correct; it should be "for art's sake." You can use it when discussing the value of art or creativity in its own right, without regard for practical considerations.
Example: "She believes in creating art for art's sake, rather than for commercial success."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There's no making art for art sake, you've got to make the best art you can.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

For one, it prejudices the list against the "art for arts sake" crowd.

The New Yorker

People in the arts often assume that applying the arts to social purposes diminishes the art; art should be for arts' sake.

Huffington Post

What is dangerous is when the center ignores the edges or the edges ignore the center -- art for arts sake or science without a humanist and societal perspective.

Huffington Post

"Art for art's sake, not art for life's sake" is the watchword of formalism.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Art does not exist for art's sake: it exists for people's sake.

The Guardian - Books

"Art for art's sake," not "art for ego's sake," will make us deeply happy.

Huffington Post

It's about art for art's sake, with no commercial interest.

The Guardian - Music

This is an artful gesture, but it's not just for art's sake.

The New York Times

Phadke, who advocated art for art's sake, and V.S. Khandehar, who countered the former with an idealistic art for life's sake.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Phadke, who advocated "art for art's sake," and Jnanpith Award winner V.S. Khandekar, who countered the former with an idealistic "art for life's sake".

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct form, "for art's sake", to maintain grammatical accuracy and credibility. Using the incorrect form can detract from your message.

Common error

Avoid omitting the possessive apostrophe and 's' ("'s"). Remember that "art's" indicates that the "sake" belongs to or is associated with art. Using "for art sake" changes the meaning and is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for art sake" functions as a prepositional phrase, but it is grammatically incorrect. It is intended to modify a verb or noun, expressing the reason or purpose behind an action related to art. Ludwig AI confirms this and suggests the correct form is "for art's sake".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

34%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "for art sake" is an incorrect form of the phrase; the proper usage is "for art's sake". This phrase conveys the idea of doing something purely for the love or value of art, disregarding practical concerns. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's essential to use the correct possessive form to maintain grammatical accuracy. While the incorrect phrase may appear in some sources, it's crucial to use the grammatically correct version, "for art's sake", in your writing. Alternative phrases include "for the sake of art" or "art for art's own sake".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for the sake of art

Uses a more common and grammatically correct structure with "sake".

art for its own sake

Emphasizes that art is created for itself, not for external purposes.

art for art's sake

A well-established idiom emphasizing the intrinsic value of art.

for artistic purposes only

States that the only reason is because the work is artistic.

solely for the love of art

Highlights the passion and enjoyment derived from creating art.

art's intrinsic value

Focuses on the inherent worth of art, rather than the reason for creating it.

the inherent value of art

Similar to "art's intrinsic value", highlighting inherent worth.

purely for artistic reasons

Highlights the artistic motivation behind creating something.

with artistic merit as the sole criterion

Focuses on artistic quality as the only standard.

driven by artistic vision alone

Emphasizes artistic vision as the primary driving force.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "for art sake"?

The correct phrase is "for art's sake". The apostrophe indicates the possessive case, showing that the "sake" belongs to art.

Is "for art sake" grammatically correct?

No, "for art sake" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "for art's sake". Ludwig AI confirms this as well.

What does "for art's sake" mean?

"For art's sake" means doing something purely for the value of art itself, without considering other practical reasons or benefits. It is similar in meaning to "art for art's sake".

Are there alternatives to "for art's sake"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "for the sake of art" or "art for art's own sake", depending on the context.