Image via liveandletdie
There’s an old myth in the arts which some of us adhere to stronglythat art should ‘sell itself’. It is partially true. The art should be good enough and of high enough quality to draw interest and command attention.
But it’s pretty hard for the art to actually sell itself because consumers of art form relationships with the art and part of the relationship is a story.
In the visual arts, when someone owns a piece of art and shows it off in their home, they often like to tell a story about that piece to their visitors – the story of the artist, what the piece means, how they got the piece and where they got the piece. Wouldn’t it be better if the story of you, the artist who created it, is part of the story they tell their friends?
One of your jobs in marketing yourself and your art is to always connect the experience of the art back to the source of the art – you. It’s important for you to take every opportunity you can to share and influence the story.
There are three stories which should be fairly easy for you to tell. The first is the story of your process in the creation of the art. The second is the story of you as an artist. The third is explaining where you were in your journey when this particular art was created.
When I think about the visual arts, I see a golden opportunity to include the story with the object. This can occur simply by changing the text or adding additional text to the small didactic panel which lives alongside the object. It can also occur through altering the program notes which go along with the performance.
Think about the visual arts example. People strolling through a gallery might get drawn to a particular piece of art. That’s the art talking for itself. When that potential customer or fan wants more information, they go up and look at the little didactic panel and it says “90cm x 137cm acrylic on canvas”. That’s not a story. I understand that it’s not always in your control to change those little panels, but I would challenge you to push for change or to at least add a QR code which a person can scan and be taken to the longer story. However you do it, tell the story of why this piece was created, the process you went through to make it, or where this piece lives in your timeline as an artist.
Using a QR code is an example of what we call ‘pull marketing’. Your customer is intrigued, the piece has spoken, now they want more information. People are usually willing to go and find that information from another source, as long as you show them where. Always try to make it easy for them, and always provide links to more work or more background.
In the performing arts, if the customer/ audience member / fan likes what they experience or likes your performance, there’s also an opportunity to attach your stories to their memory. When they’re at the water cooler the next day talking about their experience of your performance, they can repeat some of your story in addition to their memory of the performance. The flow on effect is that others may then become interested in your work, and further customers may result. All you need to do is tell your story.
At the end of the day it’s your job as the artist to share your story through whatever medium is available.
