The Business of Selling Your Art, Lecture Series With Kate Burridge
Explore Amazing Places is excited to bring you a series of posts from some of our incredible faculty that will assist and inspire you in your painting/workshop pursuits. For this first installment, we are please to present to you, Kate Burridge.
Kate Burridge, a career manager for Visual Arts professionals, has over 25 years experience in international marketing, promotion, and professional presentations. Besides managing her husband Bob Burridge’s art career, Kate is also an author, lecturer and consultant to a long list of art associations and agencies in the United States. Kate developed “Art Marketing: The Business of Selling Your Art,” an eight-week course that she and Robert Burridge teach at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. She also authored “News Releases: Getting the Media to Work for You,” published by Art Calendar Magazine. Kate and Bob have written for Art Calendar magazine, Fine Arts Magazine and the ISAP (International Society of Acrylic Painters) Newsletter. She currently is a writer and editor of the BobBlast, Robert Burridge’s free, weekly online videos.. She runs her own business as an Artists’ Advisor and is on the Board of the ISAP.
KATE BURRIDGE
Top Promotional Tips for Successful Artists & Teachers
Set Goals
•Action is always aligned with your goals.
•“A Goal is a Dream with Deadlines.”
Promotional Literature is Ready
•Photos, Bio, Resume, Statement, Brochure - Know where your stuff is. You will not be effective if you are scattered and fragmented.
•Website? Yes! Have your name included in your domain name: www.RobertBurridge.com
•Social Networking sites, including Blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Use these sites like a website. Post new photos, workshop schedule, statements, updates, press releases, invitations, etc.
Sell the Sizzle, not the Steak
•What makes you unique? Is it technique? Artistic vision? Personality? Education? Life experience?
•Make your workshop or your exhibit the one people must see. Big Events, Themes.
•Write a two-minute “elevator speech.” What do you do? What kind of workshop are you teaching? Say it with confidence!
Write Effective Workshop Descriptions
•Make use of the subject in the headline. Example: Fix & Finish, Extreme Makeover, Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting.
•Think about the students and their goals. What do they want to come away with? More time to create? More ideas and techniques? Problem-solving strategies? Live the life of a full time artist?
Get Involved
•Join as many art groups for networking as you can.
•Take advantage of free listings in newspapers and magazines - and social media
•Be visible! Yourself and your Art!
Exposure Equals Success
•Make a lot of work! Concentrate on marketing one medium, one theme, one voice. As an artist you will create in many mediums – but only market one message.