The Artist’s Digital Toolkit
Online Resources for the Creative Process
One of my goals with this blog is to provide vital information and resources for emerging artists in formative stages of their careers. To this end, I have put together a series of posts examining the digital resources available for various stages of the creative process including:
- Connecting
- Collaborating
- Funding
- Sharing
- Selling
Each post will explore recent trends and developments in one of these areas and provide a review of online tools available to artists.
With the shift away from traditional methods of making and selling art, artists are faced with greater logistical obstacles in almost all aspects of their creative process. These burdens, once shouldered by management companies, PR firms, and record labels, have fallen to artists who are frequently ill-equipped to navigate complex issues like copyright law and non-profit regulations. Negotiating this new territory can be difficult and prohibitive for many artists. Additionally, time spent tackling administrative and legal issues is time that could be spent making art.
As a solution, artists have increasingly turned to small, web-based start-ups to outsource various parts of their arts production process. In her 2004 report, Mary Madden points out that many artists have welcomed the use of digital resources in creating, promoting, and selling art. These new tools provide a wealth of previously unavailable resources to large numbers of artists at a significantly lower cost. For example, using the internet and social networking, artists are able to create and connect with global communities of fellow artists and fans.
Artistic Networking
The first topic that I will examine is the changing face of how artists connect with each other and with their communities. An essential component of any creative process is finding an environment in which artists are inspired to create. Artists have historically gravitated towards public spaces like cafés and pubs where they can meet like-minded people and share ideas in an open forum. This model is increasingly being supplemented by online communities where artists can share ideas and information quickly and without restrictions.
Websites like Artists Forum, NewMusicBox, and Empty Easel provide a wealth of information and resources for young artists, as well as discussions on a wide range of topics. These sites offer a stimulating blend of tutorials, reviews, articles, and user discussions. The real benefit of online communities like these is the universality of access they provide; anyone with an internet connection and a passion has the power to access or create a thriving community of peers.
Recently, more selective ‘members only’ groups have sprung up as a solution for artists who seek small, like-minded communities. Pelime (People Like Me) is an invitation-only group that provides a network of creative professionals working in fifteen different creative media. Members present digital portfolios of their work which they share with other members and the public. In addition to providing a unique online experience, the creators also host real-life events for members to network face-to-face.
Of course, the established platforms of social networking also serve to effectively foster communities for artists. In a previous post, I looked at some of the ways that creative people are using Facebook creatively. At NYFA, we also provide more selective community resources through members only Facebook groups for artists participating in our professional development training programs.
Not only are online communities effective tools for connecting with other artists, but they also facilitate dialogue between an artist and her audience. This forum gives artists direct access to new and existing fans while simultaneously providing audience members with an intimate look at artists’ creative processes. This model can help inspire artists and provide a foundation for collaboration and fundraising, which I will address in later posts.
As you know, part of the mission of this blog is to foster an active and engaged community with our readership. Tell us how technology has impacted your life as an artist. Are online communities an essential part of your creative process? How do you connect with artists or community members using the internet? Do you find online communities limiting or liberating? Inspirational? Irritating?
In my next post, I will take a look at some of the ways artists are incorporating collaboration in their artistic process…
More links: Art-Support, Pixiq, WetCanvas, Artists Network.
Innovation in Berlin, Sales in New York?
In the final days of my trip to Berlin, I visited residency programs, met with government officials, and, of course, continued to meet with artists. The word ‘innovative’ was pervasive throughout these interactions; both artists and arts spaces in Berlin seemed to revolve around fostering an innovative environment for creativity.
An Innovative Residency…
Künstlerhaus Bethanian is the largest of the residency programs that I visited on my trip. Künstlerhaus, headed by Christoph Tannert, supplies living space, studio space, and professional and emotional support for artists. Each artist is sponsored by an organization or individual that pays for any other expenses the artists may have (like food or production materials).
Christoph Tannert from Künstlerhaus Bethanian
In addition to the innovative sponsor system, Künstlerhaus provides what Tannert calls a utopian, process-oriented space. Artists have the time and space needed to produce work. Furthermore, Künstlerhaus provides a platform for artists to exhibit their work. The organization houses 25 international visual artists year-round. Each artist gets 100 square meters of his or her own space to show work. This space comes complete with individualized exhibit invitation cards for publicity.
I found it interesting and rather disappointing that Künstlerhaus Bethanian had no American artists in the residency. Tannert explained that many American organizations that he spoke to did not understand the concept of supporting artists without the expectation for a new body of work. I wondered, can the model presented by Künstlerhaus conform to America’s model of supporting artists?
An Innovative Workshop Program…
Tannert also told me that Künstlerhaus recently moved from an old hospital space in the same neighborhood. The former space now houses an organization called bbk berlin, which provides studio space and workshops for artists. bbk answers to the frequently asked question: where can recent art-school graduates access the space and materials that they need to create their work?
bbk provides inexpensive classes and workshops while giving artists the opportunity to use large-scale production materials that would otherwise be inaccessible (e.g. large silk screen racks and oversized printers and computers).
Supplies at bbk
Print Workshop at bbk
Innovative Exhibition Spaces…
Berlin’s artists (and art enthusiasts) also supply space for artists to show their work. One such space is the small, artist-run exhibition called SOX. Benedikt Terwiel and Alexander Wagner run SOX, a storefront display of rotating, site-specific projects. Because SOX operates as a storefront, it can be kept open without staffing costs. This innovative solution to reducing overhead costs results in a dynamic, versatile exhibition space that meets the needs of emerging artists.
Another unexpected arts space in Berlin is found inside of the U.S. Ambassador’s house. The Department of Cultural Affairs set up a new initiative to hang American artwork in the Ambassador’s house as a ‘gallery’ space and to invite cultural leaders to a reception to view the artworks. To see Ambassador Murphy inaugurate the new project, see the video below.
But what is the benefit of all this innovation? With all of this production and innovation in Berlin, where are the new jobs and art sales? On the last day of my trip, I went to the Berlin’s Senate Department for Cultural Industries. I spoke about the unique places I saw on my trip and my interest in the emphasis Berliners place on production and innovation.
I learned that while space and time are important for artists, some officials feel that too much attention is being placed on production and not enough on sales. Berlin’s art market is struggling, despite the flourishing arts community.
Usually the arts create jobs and improve the economy. In Berlin, however, artists are producing in the city and selling elsewhere. Even Berlin’s main art fair, Artforum Berlin, could not continue due to lack of funding. Though other fairs like Preview and ABC will continue, it is clear that the art market has taken a major hit.
While Berlin may excel at providing for individual artists, it seems that one of New York City’s strongest assets lies in its continually prosperous art market. A senate staffer told me that Berlin is trying to be more like New York City through initiatives like Gallery Weekend .
This insightful information was shocking news to me, as I was investigating why Berlin was more hospitable for artists, but it is clear that New York City and Berlin can learn from each other’s successes. Perhaps rather than note why Berlin is more hospitable to artists, we should strive to understand and better implement the benefits of both cities.
Even government support of the arts is polemical in Berlin, despite artist incentives like healthcare and retirement funding. The large exhibit that I saw at the beginning of my trip, Based in Berlin, was opposed by many Berlin-based artists for its unusually large budget. The exhibit cost 1.6 million Euros in total, leaving little money for other institutions. (To read more on this controversy, visit bbk’s open letter To Have and To Need)
I left Berlin inspired by the innovative arts spaces, the vibrant artists, and the passionate administrators. I also left with a deeper understanding of how Berlin supports artists in ways that New York City and other places in the United States do not. Armed with this knowledge, we can try to adapt some of Berlin’s unique ideas to our existing infrastructure to better support individual artists. What do you think?
Special thanks to all organizations which hosted NYFA on my trip: Based in Berlin, BerlinArtLink, Co-Verlag, Art Laboratory Berlin, Estherka Project, USArtsBerlin, Dock11/ Eden****, Kunstlerhaus Bethanian, American Academy in Berlin, Radial System V, and Deutsche Guggenheim.
My Big Discovery…that’s Old News to Berlin Artists
Rebecca and Jonathan in Front of MMX
On Sunday, I went to meet Jonathan Gröger and Rebecca Loyche, a 2010 NYFA Photography Fellow, who live and work in Berlin. Jonathan and Rebecca, along with partner Jason Burgess, just completed their one-year project MMX (MMX meaning 2010 in roman numerals), an open art venue and non-profit on Berlin’s commercial gallery street in Mitte.
Rebecca and Jonathan, who also moonlights as a boat captain and photographer, gave me a tour of MMX, which ran an encore exhibit in February and is now closed to the public. Among the many impressive features of MMX, I was perhaps most intrigued by its visitor incentives.
For example, MMX offered a daily membership, which meant one daily member-fee (like an entrance fee) that included unlimited attendance of lectures and viewings that day and the option to purchase alcohol in the gallery (which, without membership, would not be legal). MMX’s programming boasted an impressive 6-week gallery rotation and a lecture series, making a daily membership ideal.
Commissioned Graffiti at MMX
As I to visit up-and-coming spaces in Berlin, I continue to see the drive and inventiveness of these young German entrepreneurs. Rebecca and Jonathan brought me across the street to their new venture, Co-Verlag. Jonathan took me through the rubble of the old building complex. He showed me where walls were taken out (frequently by his own hand, since he is handy with a jackhammer), to create more space for artists to “breathe.”
One artist currently lives in Co-Verlag, while several others, including Rebecca, have studio space there. In addition to the German artists (one of whom is also Jonathan’s dentist slash multi-media computer artists), a group of Icelandic artists have creates a makeshift “settlement” in the garden.
Standing in front of a demolished wall with an old bathroom sink still affixed to where the second floor bathroom once was, Jonathan explains that ideally Co-Verlag will become a self-sufficient artists space. Artists can work with the history and context of the abandoned East Berlin space. Jonathan adds, “Of course, it would be nice to give [the artists] white walls” as well.
Jonathan in Front of a Wall Needing Rennovation (look for the second story sink)
My BIG Discovery…that’s old news to Berlin artists
Over the course of our brunch, I of course asked Rebecca and Jonathan my main query: WHY is Berlin so hospitable to artists? After speaking about cheap rent and available larger spaces, they mentioned something that I had not heard of before: Germany’s specific Artist’s Healthcare.
Künstlersozialkasse, or KSK, is a health insurance and retirement fund program for artists. KSK works as an artist’s employer, paying half of the fees incurred while the artist pays the other half. There are minimum qualifications to be applicable for KSK, and artists of all discipline can apply. Many suggest getting a native-German speaker to help fill out application forms; the intricacies of the language become tricky, and receiving KSK has become more difficult because of the rise in artist population in Berlin.
NYFA Blog friend Kate Hers, an American artist living in Berlin, outlines how to apply to the KSK in her blog Nomadic Wanderings by Estherkaprojekt, which is a terrific resource for all American artists thinking of moving to Berlin or currently living in Berlin.
The difficulty of obtaining KSK membership is only exacerbated by the visa process. Here is the Catch-22: in order to obtain a visa, one must had health insurance. In order to have German health insurance, one must have a visa. Organizations like Bundesverband der Veranstaltungswirtschaft e.V. (BDV) can help with this process, but still most recommend getting a native-German speaker to assist you.
USArtsBerlin Potluck
Delicious Potluck meal brought by USArtsBerlin members
We met up with Co-Verlag partner Jason Burgess, and Rebecca, Jason, and I took the S-Bahn (subway) to a party hosted in honor of NYFA’s visit by the U.S. Embassy. Artists kate hers and Madeline Stillwell were kind enough to plan this potluck meet and greet with their group USArtsBerlin so that I could speak directly with artists in the group, along with Elizabeth Corwin of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
I enjoyed my time talking to the artists, who came from all over the United States. We spoke of artists’ upcoming projects and acclimation to German culture.
Kristen Tovson
As KSK was fresh in my mind, one attendee caught my eye. I spoke with Kristen Tovson, an American dancer, who is a few months along in her pregnancy. She told me about the German government’s child rearing incentives that applied to her as a taxpaying German resident.
She noted Kindergeld, a children or family allowance that helps defray some of the costs of raising children, and Mutterschutz, mandatory maternity leave for employed women working for a German company.
In the evening, I attended a dance performance at Dock11/Eden****. Kirsten Seeligmüller, one of the founders of Dock11, and NYFA Blog friend Sven Neumann showed me around the beautiful dance studios and performance spaces at Dock11 and Eden****. Afterwards, the pair invited me to a cast party barbecue, where I enjoyed the company of artists and friends and ate some truly exceptional sausage.
At the USArtsBerlin Party hosted by Art Laboratory
I left the potluck and barbecue with a sense for the artists community in Berlin, and I look forward to learning more about the positives (and perhaps negatives) of living in Berlin as an American artist as I continue my tour of the city.
Weekend Update: NYFA in Berlin, Day 1
Guten Tag from Berlin! My first two days investigating the Berlin arts scene have been very informative. In the 48 hours I have been here, I can already see the city’s innovative artistic communities and initiatives.
Saturday, June 18th
After arriving early morning Saturday, I visited the city’s project Based in Berlin. The exhibition, spread over five different locations, shows the work of 80 emerging artists who live and work in Berlin. The exhibition covers the full range of contemporary art practices from paintings and drawings to sculpture, photography, film and video, as well as installations and text-based works.
Jakob Schillinger, a Based in Berlin curator
I had the opportunity to meet with one of the five curators, Jakob Schillinger, at Based in Berlin’s main gallery at Atlelierhaus at Monbijou Park. Jakob first explained the choice of the exhibition site. The Atelierhaus was an old German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Berlin) art school. The current government decided on the demolition of the building, which Jakob explains is the fate of most GDR buildings.
Based in Berlin is a city-funded project, and the curators convinced the city to postpone the demolition of Atelierhaus. The venue became not only a container for contemporary art, but also a comment on process and reappropriation, two themes that run throughout the exhibit. For more information on the artwork and themes of the exhibition, visit the Based in Berlin website.
Michael Royce and Jakob Schillinger walking into the converted WWII bunker
The curators even used an old World War II bunker on site as an improvised art theatre for film viewings (Jakob mentions that the acoustics in the bunker were ideal).
The show only exhibited emerging artists who have become visible in the past five years and have received limited funding. Each artist received production funding and a 500 Euro honorarium for participation. Artist run centers were also invited to exhibit and continue their regular programming cycle over the six-week show (which may include more well-known artists).
Is this an exhibition model that would work in the United States? Should we use more unused open spaces, and could we create such a poignant show with a different type of national history? Or do we already have such spaces, like MoMA PS1 and the New Museum?
After walking through the exhibit with Jakob, we sat down in the exhibition café for some frozen coke-colas and got straight to our major questions about Berlin.
Why is Berlin so appealing to artists? The easy, real reason that artists go to Berlin is that it is cheap, according to Jakob. However, that is rapidly changing and the cost of living in Berlin is beginning to rise, bringing to mind the age-old question: Is the population of active artists and creatives making the city more desirable?
Jakob adds that in Berlin, the “institutional model” prevails over the “gallery model.” In Berlin, an artist can more easily survive on stipends, grants, and teaching than in New York, where one must either be successfully selling in galleries or taking 1-3 side jobs to support himself.
Jakob then introduced us to Kajsha Dahlberg, one of the artists exhibiting in Based in Berlin. Below is a short clip of Kajsha explaining her work, A Room of One’s Own/A Thousand Libraries, to me.
A Room of Ones's Own/A Thousand Libraries, Detail; Kajsa Dahlberg
Kajsha is Swedish and now in Berlin on a Swedish grant. However, she said that if she had the same option for stipend and residency in New York that she now has in Berlin, she would take it. And when asked how she supports herself, she said that it was always a bit of a mystery.
After speaking with both Jakob and Kajsha, I learned what seems to be the one of the major difference’s between New York and Berlin for artists from their perspective.
Berlin is about PROCESS, while New York City is about PRODUCT. In Berlin, artists have the time and space to create work, because of the low cost of living and many large, unused spaces. In New York, artists are continually pushed to create and sell work in order to support the high cost of living there, leading to a competitive gallery and sales scene.
Inversely, in Berlin competition among artists is low, because most artists do not sell their work at home. Berlin is a relatively poor Germany city with a very high unemployment rate. The city is rather a home base to have the time and space to create work with a supportive network of artists, but when an artist needs to make sales, he or she must go elsewhere—which is not too bad, considering the central European location of Berlin.
Keep an eye out for my next post on the second half of the weekend where I meet with NYFA artist Rebecca Loyche, attend a USArtsBerlin welcome and networking party for United States expat artists, and see a dance performance at Dock11 with one of its proprietors, Kristen Seeligmüller….
NYFA Blog Is Going International!
Tomorrow I fly to Berlin to investigate the city’s arts scene and to further understand why it is such an appealing place for artists to live and work. As a reminder, this trip is in response to a NYFA Blog poll asking what city you, our readers, would like to learn more about. Berlin was the overwhelming victor, so I planned a trip to explore Berlin and to share what I learn with NYFA Blog readers.
Over the course of my stay, I will be meeting with government officials, visiting exhibits like Based in Berlin and Sox, attending performances at venues like Dock11, speaking with curators and arts administrators, exploring institutions like Künstlerhaus Bethanien and Radial System V, and getting to know artists all over the city. I will be blogging daily in my time in Berlin and sharing my experiences on the NYFA Blog.
I’ll also be surveying artists on the benefits of living in Berlin, from the amount of community and government support for artists to the logistics of living as an artist abroad (for the many international artists in Berlin). Perhaps I will even bring some new strategies to support artists back with me.
I am looking forward to exploring what the Berlin arts scene has to offer, and I hope you will follow along with my travels. Any thoughts?
Bis bald!
The Rise of (Visual) Artists’ Rights
What does the law have to do with artists? Copyright, contracts, trusts and estates, and intellectual property are only a few of the myriad legal issues facing artists today. For this post, however, I will focus on the Visual Artist Rights Act (VARA), an interesting piece of federal legislation passed in 1990. VARA has popped up in a few recent news stories and caught my attention. I wondered: Why does this legislation only apply to visual artists? Does VARA work in favor of artists?
Some background information: VARA is found in the Copyright Act. Copyright protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. Copyright protection begins from the time a work is created in a fixed form and, with some exceptions, immediately becomes the property of the creator of the work. In order to be in the best position to protect and enforce your copyrights, registration of the work with the copyright office is recommended.
VARA goes one step beyond copyright protection; while copyright protects a creator’s financial rights, VARA protects his or her moral rights.
Moral rights represent the personal and reputational rights of a creator. Moral rights belong to an artist no matter who owns the copyright. These rights include:
- Right to claim authorship
- Right to prevent the use of one’s name as the author of a work which her or she did not create
- Right to prevent the use of one’s name as the author if his or her work is changed or altered
- Right to prevent any intentional modification of a work which would be harmful to the artist’s honor or reputation
- Right to prevent any destruction of a work of recognized stature
However, VARA only protects fine visual artworks. These include paintings, drawings, and sculptures, as well as prints existing in a single copy or in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author. The full list of qualifications for (and disqualifications) for a work to be protected under VARA can be found at the U.S. Copyright Office website.
But why are only visual artists protected in VARA? Where is the moral right protection for other disciplines? One possible explanation for the extra protection of visual art could be due to its physical nature. For example, if a physical copy of a music recording is destroyed, typically other copies of the recording exist as an mp3, CD, or vinyl record (or “phonorecords”). On the other hand, if a fine visual artwork is destroyed, that work could have been one of few existing copies.
Does VARA work in favor of artists? Critics of VARA point to the rise in artists waiving their moral rights as a negative result of the legislation. Unlike copyright, an artist can never dissociate herself from the moral rights of the work—VARA ensures that moral rights belong to the author for the duration of his or her life. Now, artists are increasingly asked to sign contracts waiving their moral rights in the work. Effectively, this means that the author will still own a work’s moral rights, but he or she will not be able to take legal action in that particular instance should her moral rights be violated.
Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, attorney and Associate Director for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in New York City, explains that an artist should not have to choose between keeping and waiving all her moral rights. First, Sarmiento emphasizes that artists should get legal advice before signing anything. Find a lawyer who understands the unique nature of art and artists. A lawyer can then suggest different possible scenarios to artists (relocation, restoration, demolition, etc.), and together the lawyer and artist can negotiate an appropriate contract (avoiding waiving all moral rights).
Organizations like Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts offer legal classes for artists and inexpensive consultations. For those interested in continuing research on the topic, books like Tad Crawford’s Legal Guide for the Visual Artists are also reliable sources of information. Sarmiento’s blog on art and law, Clancco, also offers an insightful exploration of the relationship between art and law.
Sarmiento explains that there has been a dramatic increase in litigation of both copyright and VARA cases. Cases have expanded to include not only artists versus institutions, but also artists versus artists. Artists have become much more educated on their rights and have begun to protect themselves and their work. Previously, an artist would have had to go to a library—perhaps even a law library—to find out more about her rights. However, the internet has engendered a new wave of education for artists.
The rise of copyright litigation signals a radical shift in the power dynamic for artists. Through easy access to legal information, artists have more power than ever before. In our conversation, Sariemento concluded, “The law is having an effect proactively for artists’ rights. This is a moment when artists can leverage law as a medium and affect the way that art can be produced and received in the 20th century.”
The Sustainable Artist: A Virtual Panel Discussion
In September 2010, I attended the Louise Blouin Creative Leadership Summit and blogged about my experience. Diana Goldberg, blog reader, commented on the blog that perhaps we should create a panel composed of artists who are currently working with issues of sustainability. I offered NYFA to host the sustainable artist panel that she proposed.
Each of the panelists we chose convey a unique sense of artistic purpose and desire to create work that betters our surroundings. With the devastating effects of the earthquake in Japan and tornadoes in Alabama, we are reminded that we need to continue to design better and stronger and to think about the earth as we create.
Please enjoy NYFA Blog’s production of The Sustainable Artist. Comment below, and maybe your idea will be the next virtual panel discussion!
Creative People Using Facebook Creatively
“Friend me!” is a phrase no longer reserved for teens. Although Facebook was conceived as a social networking platform, many businesses use the site to brand and market their products (in fact, Facebook is so pervasive that Obama recently hosted a town hall meeting at Facebook’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, CA). Along with services like Twitter, Myspace, WordPress, Flickr, and Youtube (just to name a few), Facebook has become a marketing tool and virtual public utility.
What does this have to do with artists? The demand for professional development programs for artists indicates that a successful career in the arts requires not only talent, but also business sense. If businesses and entrepreneurs are benefitting from using social media, perhaps it is a strategy artists should also apply to their personal business models.
Many artists have already taken the cue that social media can be professionally constructive. Zoe Keating, an avant-garde cellist, has so successfully cultivated her online presence that she can support herself and her family solely through her artwork.
Ms. Keating helped conceive of CASH (Coalition for Artists and Stakeholders) Music’s web apps that allow users to get a free song if they tweet or Facebook about an artist. She also has 1.3 million twitter followers.
Ms. Keating uses her blog and Facebook not only to promote her music, but also to build community within her fan base, receive feedback on her work, and thank her fans and patrons. Brian Newman, speaker at NYFA’s discussion “Reinventing the Arts Through Technology,” notes that we live in a participatory culture. Social media feeds into that culture by creating forums for conversation. Through fostering conversation between her fans, Ms. Keating has carved out a niche for herself in the arts world.
Whether looking to find a better audience, searching for new ways to connect to your fans, or wondering if a social media campaign is worth the effort, Max Fenton (tweet @maxfenton), technological assistant for creative professionals, has a few opinions and tips for the curious artist.
Before creating a Facebook presence, Fenton suggests that an artist create a personal website. Mr. Fenton cites Tumblr, a blog host, as an easy platform to create a personal website. For artists who heavily rely on video, like Film and Performance Art, Mr. Fenton explains that Vimeo is a simple place to post videos that are high quality and respectful of filmmakers.
A professional website allows the artist to have a professional, curated portfolio of his or her work. A Facebook presence, on the other hand, gives an artist the opportunity to connect with his or her fans and for the fans to interact with each other. A professional website and a Facebook page are both free, self-controlled press—however, they each serve a unique purpose.
After creating a personal website (or if one already exists), an artist must create a Profile. From there, he or she should set up an artist Page. Essentially, a Profile is a personal page for the artist as an individual, usually for family and friends (for example, what the artist ate for breakfast could be posted here). A Page is about the artist’s work (here the artist could post pictures of a work in progress or a recent grant received).
Additionally, anyone can Like (and thereby subscribe to updates from) a Page, whereas both people have to agree to be friends for access to Profiles.
Lisa Call’s blog Make Big Art offers helpful Facebook how-to’s and practical tips as well as more detailed information on the difference between a Profile and a Page.
But are there drawbacks to Facebook-ing? Despite the many benefits of Facebook, some artists are wary of the software. For one, the image policy dissuades many artists from posting images of their work. Artists, especially Visual Artists, do not want others to lift the images from Facebook or other software and use the images for other purposes.
Fenton says that while there are such instances, if an artist puts up the best representation of his or her work and takes advantage of the perks of social media, the benefits outweigh the costs.
Additionally, some may worry that time spent on Facebook means time not spent creating work. USA Today documented the Facebook habits of several artists in the article “Artists Draw on Facebook to Connect, or Sell Their Work.” Author Mary Marcus writes,
Many artists say they value the beauty of Web surfing and discovering a gem of a painting, the pleasure of meeting other creative souls they might otherwise never have known, and debating critics and bloggers. But they also see the limitations of the virtual world and grapple with how much time to spend online away from their studios.
Can a balance be found between using social media and working? Are there other drawbacks or benefits to using Facebook as an artist? Do you have any tips for fellow artists using Facebook?
Comment below!
Artist Etiquette 101
I recently heard some NYFA Program Directors’ stories of unhappy artists who did not receive funding or aid from an organization to which they applied. I remembered reading a NYFA Quarterly (predecessor to NYFA Current) article written by a staff member on a letter of rejection NYFA received back from an applicant to the Artists’ Fellowship Program. The applicant wrote “FUCK YOU” in large letters with a black marker across the rejection letter (to read more about the staff member’s response, check out the article).
While this may be an extreme case, professional etiquette seems to be overlooked in the arts more than in other fields. Basic tact can sometimes take a backseat to an angry response to a rejection; perhaps this is due to the personal nature of the creative work submitted by artists.
However, the need for proper “artist etiquette” is becoming increasingly important, and professional development programs for artists are in strong demand (for example, NYFA’s fully enrolled Artist as Entrepreneur Bootcamp). An individual artist is now encouraged to look at his or her career as an entrepreneur running a small business—and a business owner who sends a profane letter to his or her clients won’t be too successful.
This is not to say that all artists are guilty of lax etiquette. Typically artists are courteous and professional. But artist etiquette carries some qualities unique to the profession past good manners, and many working artists have already adopted these characteristics. But what are these rules of artist etiquette, and where can artists find them?
Organizations like College Art Association (CAA) have list of Professional Practices for Artists, noting best practices for safe use of materials, liability insurance, use of copyright notice, and contracts with art dealers. ArtSlant, the online contemporary art network, offers a few excerpts from a primer on art world etiquette, like gallery opening protocol. Publications like Heather Bhandari and Jonathan Melber’s Art/Work: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) as You Pursue Your Art Career and Jackie Battenfield’s Artists Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love also provide professional development and etiquette tips.
With some help from NYFA staff, I drafted my own version of “Artist Etiquette 101” for the NYFA blog. I directed my list towards emerging artists applying for grant and development opportunities.
Tip #1: Ask Questions
Artists should feel that they can ask questions to organizations. Organizations want to help artists to further their careers and better their applications. Panelists and program officers appreciate improved applications, and artists can feel confident that they sent in their finest work.
An example of questions when applying for a grant: How is my work going to be shown when presented to the panelists? In what order will my slides be shown, and how many slides will be projected at once? The answers will allow you to tailor your applications to each organization to make the best possible representation of your work.
Make sure to be courteous when asking questions. Felicity Hogan, Program Officer, NYFA Learning/NYFA Consults, says “thank you” can never be said enough. A small thank you is valuable, polite, and appreciated by the person sifting through hundreds of e-mails. If you have more than one question, sometimes it helps to number them for easy response.
Before you ask questions, make sure to make sure your answers can’t be found in a Frequently Asked Questions section. Always ask in advance of the due date—you will receive fuller answers. Questions asked the day before the due date may not get a response. In other words, make every attempt to be considerate. Remember, program officers are overworked, facing stacks of applications, and can be understandably annoyed by last minute questions or questions that show lack of consultation with FAQ sections.
Tip #2: Communicate with Organizations
Asking questions (Tip #1) is a good way to begin communicating with organizations. You never know where the person you are working with will wind up, and in forming relationships you can cultivate beneficial connections. Sometimes you can get something unexpected out of a business relationship—for example, outside of their work at NYFA, many staff members are independent curators or artists. In building a relationship with them, you could find an unexpected opportunity.
Follow the golden rule: do unto arts professionals as you would have them do unto you. Expect courtesy from organizations, and treat them with the same respect. Be patient when waiting for responses. You never know what might be on the person’s to-do list, or why they haven’t responded. If you don’t hear, politely check in as a reminder, but do not be a pest.
Tip # 3: Don’t Take Rejection Personally
The person sending you the message regarding your application status is most likely not responsible for the decision. Committee and panel processes are complicated. Your application could have been the last eliminated, or the last saved.
If you are rejected, do not e-mail organizations or galleries immediately after hearing from them. If you need to release some steam, Felicity suggests e-mailing yourself or a good friend instead of the organization. If you are still upset after a few days, it is appropriate to write and say that you are disappointed but would like feedback on your application. Flip the rejection into a positive experience, and learn how to improve upon your application. Constructive criticism is almost always valuable. Request it politely and learn from it.
I am interested to see what readers would add to, or omit from, my list! Comment below to start the discussion.
NYFA Is Listening
The votes are in, and 41.91% of readers said they want us to learn more about Berlin. In our post Keeping Creativity in New York, we started to investigate the reasons artists are leaving New York City and to what cities they are moving. NYFA has decided to travel to Berlin, the winner of our reader poll, to see what makes it such an appealing city for artists. I look forward to sharing my experiences in Germany with NYFA Blog readers and to bringing new strategies to support artists back to New York City.
In other NYFA Blog news, we have scheduled the panel on issues of sustainability and design composed solely of artists, suggested on our post Artists and Cities of the Future by reader Diana Goldberg. The panel will be posted on our blog and the NYFA website the week of March 20th. I welcome any ideas for questions for the participating panelists.
As always, continue to post comments and questions on the NYFA Blog, and maybe you will see us hosting or writing about your next idea.
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