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Monday, February 11, 2013

How to Promote Yourself Locally As An Artist

     We create. Art is born. Then what? As an artist, we have some choices to make. We can decorate our own homes from top to bottom with our creations. We can give our art away to everyone we know as gifts. We can store our artwork in the garage, or...we can get it "out there". The truth is, that being an artist can involve the need to know how to market yourself and your work, if you wish your art to be viewed and bought by the public. Now, I did not earn a marketing degree in college. I would venture to say that many, if not most, artists do not have a marketing degree or much marketing experience... at first. In this month's blog, I am going to share how I have gotten my name and my art out into my community. Perhaps you may try some of these things in your community!

In a nutshell here is what I suggest:
1. Join your local community art center or group (or the one in the nearest town to you if yours does not have one)
2. Enter art shows and go to art shows
3. See if you can show and/or sell your work in local businesses
4. Teach art classes in your medium through community rec programs or your art center.
5. Have business cards, a social networking account dedicated to your art, and a blog!


#1
Join your local community art center.
Check out my local art center to see what one has to offer, at
www.chicoartcenter.com
Being a member of the Chico Art Center has provided me with many opportunities to get my name and my art out there. I have been in art shows held through the Art Center. I teach mosaic classes through the Art Center. I have run the kids craft booth during our Friday night concert-in-the-park program during the summer. I have done art demonstrations at the art center during special art awareness nights. Because I have made connections with the people who work and volunteer at the art center, they think of me when a local business or organization is looking for an artist to come and do a demonstration or to hang their art in their local business. I have also been featured in our group's email newsletter. Join your local art center because it is one of the best ways to get your name known as an artist in your community.
 
#2
Be in an art show! I am going to be
in this outdoor art show in May.
http://chivaa.org/art-fiesta/
I remember the first art show I entered I was so nervous because I did not feel like an artist. I felt like I had no business entering my art alongside all these local pros! There are two kinds of art shows: Shows where you pay and you're in, and Shows where you send in your money and photos of your work, and then are either invited or rejected. This second kind of art show is known as a juried show. My local art center has a members show every January. If you are a member you can have a piece shown in a bonafied art show! This is the place to start. Entering a piece of art in juried shows can be a gamble because they almost always cost money (usually $20-$40) and you may not even get your piece in the show. You do not get your money back if they do not accept you. I most certainly have been rejected for multiple art shows, but that doesn't discourage me from trying again. I usually set a yearly goal to be in two or three art shows where you pay and you're in, and one or two juried art show attempts. One major reason I enter art shows, besides to try to sell my art, is to motivate me to finish an art piece. There are deadlines for entering shows and these deadlines help me finish pieces that perhaps otherwise would've sat for weeks (ok-months). I also recommend going to art shows even if you are not showing work in it. You can meet other artists and often, through talking with others at art shows, can discover opportunities and relationships that will help you promote your own art! This is called "networking" (those of you who are experienced in all this are rolling your eyes now...).
 
#3
Sell or show your art in local businesses
http://www.madeinchicostore.com/
My town has a wonderful, amazing store called Made in Chico. Everything for sale in the store was made by someone in Chico. Local artists and artisans consign their creations here. I have had great success selling my mosaic creations here over the years. Not every town has such a store. You may have to go out and create your own opportunity. Go to a local florist or locally owned home decor shop and see if the owner/manager would be willing to sell some of your pieces on consignment. A fair consignment deal would be that they get one-third of the retail selling price and you get two-thirds. If you can not find anyone who wants to do a consignment deal, perhaps a local doctors office or restaurant will show one or several of your pieces for a period of time. Perhaps they could display your art near the receptionist or hostess desk, or in the waiting room or main dining area. This benefits you because you can have a nameplate with contact information  and sale information on it below each artwork, and it benefits the local business because customers enjoy local art and will think favorably of the business that they, too, appreciate and support local arts.
 
#4
Teach an art class in your medium.
Check out my local rec program's art class listings:
http://www.chicorec.com/Classes/Art/index.html
I am a teacher by nature. As a young girl I would come home from school and teach my younger sister what I learned in school that day. I have a music education degree and teach music. So, teaching, for me, is natural. Teaching, for you, may be far from natural. That does not mean you should not do it! Perhaps you can team up with a friend or an experienced teacher and begin by offering a one day workshop in something very basic in your medium. Or you can teach a children's class in some form of your medium. For example, I taught a one day mosaic workshop for children and we did a mosaic using glass gem drops. The students did not have to use nippers or tweezers or deal with sharp edges. They just glued on smooth, round glass drops and then we grouted. It was great! And, by doing that class, my name was out there. These places like my local CARD, and the Chico Art Center I mentioned in #1, publicize their classes and people will see your name. The more places you have your name mentioned as an artist, the more credibility it gives you in the eye of the public as an artist. Any students that come to your class will meet you and recommend you (hopefully!) to their friends. Offer deals like, "bring a friend and save $5". This will help even more people come to your class and then get to know you as an artist.
 
#5
           
Use social media to help locals learn more about you as an artist.
Check out my Facebook page to see an example:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/KimFinlanMosaics
Here is my business card.
Get free business cards at
www.vistaprint.com
Get business cards so you can hand them out to anyone you talk to about your art. People love receiving an artist's business card. You can get free business cards (you pay for shipping) at www.vistaprint.com . You can also use social media to promote your art. I have a Facebook page. I make sure I post something about mosaics at least once a week. I post photos of works I am doing, I post links to cool mosaic blogs, I post art show openings. I even post about thrift store finds like dishes I will break up and mosaic with. With a Facebook page (different than just a regular FB account), you can have fans or "Likes" and whenever you post it'll show up on their Facebook. Then, it is possible that your post can spread to hundreds of other people as your fans share your posts with their friends. Usually, most of your Facebook friends are locals, and your friends' friends are locals. I recommend getting a FB page if you are an artist. Another great tool for getting your name out their as an artist? A blog! Hey- you're reading my blog aren't ya? ;)
 
  I am definitely not an expert in how to promote yourself as an artist, but these five things have helped me become known in my community as an artist. I believe they can help you too!