What is the plural of artist?
Similarly one may ask, what is the difference between artist and artiste?
An Artist refers to a person who produces works in any of the arts subject to aesthetic criteria. He could be a person practicing fine arts like a painter or sculptor. An Artiste is an artist specific to performing arts; an actor, a singer, a dancer, an acrobat or other public performer.
Keeping this in consideration, is the arts singular or plural?
The noun art can be countable or uncountable. In more general, commonly used, contexts, the plural form will also be art. However, in more specific contexts, the plural form can also be arts e.g. in reference to various types of arts or a collection of arts.
'Art' is a singular, abstract noun, and as such it is uncountable (as love, taste etc.). Since it is uncountable, it does not have a plural form. Alan P. "Art" may be considered countable when it applies to different art form.