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Failing
to plan is planning to fail,
How serious do you take your
art?
Most people that have been asked that question have replied that they take it quite seriously, even those who are not professional artists or full time art students, have, as a matter of fact replied in the same way. It is almost universally acknowledged that those who practice any form of art for a reasonable length of time are pretty serious about it. also when you calculate the investment, in terms of time and money alone that is put towards arts by everyday individuals, it is really staggering! Yet when I asked many of the artists that I come across if they have formulated any plans for self promotion the answer is almost (sadly) an astounding no. Excuses are abound, however. Short on time is one, not sure where to start is another, or “I am a starving artist, I can’t afford spending any money on such things”, this, that or the other, it sure doesn’t make any sense. Marketing yourself is vital to your success as an artist, and it shouldn’t have to cost you the earth, come to think of it. Here are few pointers that should get you started. Start by looking at your situation and try to make a realistic analysis of few things like how developed is your work, are you a full time artist? who would your art appeal to? if you couldn’t be objective enough you can always seek others’ opinion. Once you have formulated a clear picture of your situation you can then put pen to paper, yes, you must have your plan in writing, for this will serve as a visible road map and a goal reminder in one! From the information that you acquired through your analysis as above, start the plan with a list of the galleries that might be interested in exhibiting your work, you can guess that by the type of exhibits that they have, for if that the type of work is similar to yours, that could be a good sign when you approach them regarding exhibiting your own work. Just before you approach such establishments have a comprehensive portfolio ready, for that will present a profile of yourself as an artist, your education, any awards that you’ve won, any previous exhibitions that you have participated in and, of course, a collection of good quality slides of your work. Another method that is becoming rapidly popular is to have all the above on the Internet for instant access by all and sundry. Just few clicks and any art director will be able to formulate a reasonably accurate idea about your work and your background.
While Internet art marketing is
still relatively
a novel thing, it is the most cost effective way to gain wide exposure for your artwork, locally and internationally, and that is most definitely something you should be concerned about as an important part of your strategy to promote yourself as an artist. Keep in mind that art lovers, art collectors and art galleries are looking at the Internet as a quick way to discover new talented artists and that could be converted to potential sales. Remember that lot of gallery managers are not really keen on showing the work of unknown artists, so brace yourself for some rejection and try not to let this cloud your vision or your own perception of what you are set out to achieve, believe in yourself and be persistent. To complement exhibiting at galleries, find any local art shows in your locality, be it through magazine advertising or any cultural events sponsored by the local council and submit your work to participate. Once accepted and have had some work included, don’t just let it set there, get some press releases done and send or fax them to your local newspaper or community radio station to maximise the exposure and publicity. The whole idea is to make a name for yourself and while this might not translate into immediate sales, be assured it is a good investment for the future of any emerging or established artist. Another way is to join an art group, and many are around, so you can put your foot in the door and get your name up front even if it is only by association. Most of these societies are friendly organisations, and you could develop some valuable connections and gain further insight into new or old techniques. I always say, it all helps! If there is no local art group handy, why not start your own, all you need is the desire and the will to succeed. An alternative to art societies is to forge an alliance with two or three other artists that you feel that your collective work have a strong bond or intellectual underpinning and serves to promote a certain idea or a style, something that is not unheard of in the arts, this will also have the added bonus of splitting the cost of any ongoing promotional efforts undertaken. An excellent way, also, to promote your work is the occasional donation of an artwork to a worthy charity for their fund raising auctions, it is guaranteed to generate favourable publicity, and draw attention to your standing in the community, that means positive character building, and this is something you surely want. Doing all the above shouldn’t cause you to deviate from honing your skills and developing in your chosen career, don’t forget to keep that road map, that you have made at the start, under continuous assessment and review, for if your path is clearly charted your sailing will be far smoother. Happy marketing! |