Podcast Searching with Tina Mammoser

Tina Mammoser, an artist in London who some of you now follow on Twitter, has been following our activities here in What’s Your Story, and she sent me an email in response to some of the questions that were raised last week about how to search for relevant podcasts.

Here’s what Tina had to say:

I heard in the talk that a couple people were asking how to find podcasts. So went and found these links:

http://audio.search.yahoo.com/audio

http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Podcasts/

other directories to search:

http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Podcasts/Directories/

Results on any of these will depend on whether the podcaster has submitted their page to the directory with keywords and a description and things. Which I now realise I haven’t! oops. Google doesn’t have a podcast-specific search like it does for blogs. Surprising!

So there you have it!

This is very timely advice for me, as I am heading out to Western Massachusetts this weekend for my 15th college reunion at Mount Holyoke College, and I was looking for some podcasts to listen to on the drive.

Thanks, Tina!

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You can download Leslie and Chris’ presentation on Social Networking for Artists here.

Thank you!

Podcasting for Artists Wrap Up

We had a great session tonight with Len Edgerly, who led us through the basics of podcasting and videocasting. I live-twittered the class, which you can find here on Twitter.

Len recorded the audio during the session, and has promised to post it at www.lenedgerly.com soon.

If you’d like to check out some of the links Len talked about during the class, checkout the bookmarking page he created for the class here: http://del.icio.us/lenedgerly/yourstory08.

In the meantime, why not check out this Utter I made tonight, inspired by and in response to tonight’s session?

Edited:

Also, check out class participant Loretta Feeney’s Utter! Go Loretta!

Last Word from Jessica - Wrapping Our Weeks With A Bow

From Jessica Burko:

Working with all of you for four weeks has been really invigorating. Your questions have made me think about arts marketing from new perspectives, your cocktail speeches were impressive, and seeing each one of you blossom into new artist professionals was worth every minute of that long drive to the Cape and back.

I want to leave you with a few things to remember as you continue down the path of your developing careers as working artists:

• Take control of your career — if a venue is not selling your work, talk with them about it and/or look for a new venue that will be more suitable for your work. If a gallery and your work is a good fit THE WORK WILL SELL.
• Try something new — don’t keep banging your head against the wall. If your web site isn’t attracting visitors, REDESIGN IT AND ANNOUNCE THE CHANGE. If you’re not selling work through the traditional gallery/artist arrangement, TRY NEW AVENUES like art fairs, open studios, and showing/selling on-line. If you haven’t been getting into juried shows, REDESIGN YOUR MATERIALS, TAKE BETTER PHOTOS OF YOUR WORK, AND FIND SHOWS THAT MATCH BETTER YOUR WORK. Don’t give up, just do something different.
• Explore the on-line world — places like http://www.etsy.com/, http://www.indiepublic.com/, https://www.guild.com/, are great places for you to show and sell your work, and connect to other artists and creative people in New England and beyond.
• Ask your friends — what they are doing, where they are successfully showing/selling, how they make it happen for themselves. SHARING RESOURCES is a great way to reinvigorate, and get new ideas and tools. Maybe start a monthly artist group for these types of discussions.
• Live outside of your bubble — get out of the studio! Go to art shows, museums, lectures. Through observation you will gain creative INSPIRATION, discover NEW VENUES AND OPPORTUNITIES, get ideas for DISPLAY OF YOUR WORK, and MEET OTHER ARTISTS. All these activities will come together to enrich your life as an artist.

You are all serious about advancing your art careers, and that is MONUMENTAL.  Don’t lose momentum, keep creating, keep exploring, and you will find that by applying the same dedication to the MARKETING of your work that you apply to DEVELOPING your art, you will achieve all of your professional goals as an artist. I look forward to seeing what you do next!!

Please keep in touch,

Jessica Burko

Artist, Arts Marketer, Independent Curator

Design@JessicaBurko.com

a word from len edgerly

An Audio Podcast Sampler

In preparation for my Arts Foundation of Cape Cod “Tell Your Story” presentation, I have prepared a sampler of audio podcasts that might be of interest to you.

All of these podcasts are available for free at the Apple iTunes Music Store. If you don’t have the iTunes program on your computer, you can download it for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes

Once you have downloaded iTunes and are running it, click on “iTunes Store” in the column at the left of the iTunes window, then enter the name of the podcast in the “Search iTunes Store” field at the upper right. When you see the podcast in the search results window, click on the “Subscribe” button. This will download the latest episode of the podcast to your computer, where you can listen to it, or you can sync the podcast(s) with your iPod or other portable audio player to listen to them while driving, working out, etc. You can also manually download older episodes of a podcast if you want to.

Here are 12 suggested podcast titles, taken from my own personal favorites:

1. Technology in the Arts (from Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Arts Management & Technology)
2. In the Box: The Business of Live Entertainment
3. Book Review (hosted by editor of The New York Times book review)
4. Audio Pod Chronicles (shameless plug for my own bi-weekly audio podcast)
5. 10 Golden Rules of Internet Marketing Podcast
6. Marketing Over Coffee
7. MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art
8. Slate’s Political Gabfest
9. Bloomberg on the Economy
10. Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
11. Poetry Magazine Podcast
12. The Economist

We will be talking about how arts organizations and artists can take advantage of the fast-growing phenomenon of podcasting, so if you’ve had a chance to listen to a few yourself it will help spark ideas for action.

If you have any questions about finding and listening to podcasts, please feel free to call me on my cell phone at [redacted - ask Beth for number] or email me.

–Len Edgerly

artists overcoming sales anxiety

Jim Hill, our presenter from Week I on Personal Branding, sent me the link to a fantastic article on how some artists are overcoming their anxiety about selling their art and promoting themselves.  It’s an excellent article, and I think you would all enjoy it.

But Geiger says what most sellers need to know doesn’t require any formal education—just the right tools (a business card, a Web site, and e-mail list sign-up), common sense, and a good role model to observe and ask questions. For most artisans, she says, the biggest hurdle is psychological. Because many artists see their work as an extension of themselves, not just a product, dealing with the fear of rejection at the root of sales anxiety (BusinessWeek.com, 3/15/07) takes confidence and practice to get over.

Check it out!

how to get published in print & online

It was great seeing everyone again in Cape Cod!

Here is a summary of what we discussed in the workshop on April 29:

REVIEW…

Hopefully you are working on developing an Artist Statement and a Bio or re-working these materials from past versions. Artist Statements and Bios should be revised regularly as your work develops and your art career progresses. As you are working on these written pieces read them aloud to yourself, and ask artists and non-artists to read them. The more ears/eyes for your writing the more you will know if it makes sense to others.

Remember what makes an effective Artist Statement:

• A blend of technical, conceptual, and personal information.

• Making the connection between what is seen visually, and what you the artist think when creating your work.

• Be brief and to the point. 1 - 3 paragraphs for an artist statement is ideal.

Remember what components make a complete Bio:

• Your higher education degrees, perhaps with dates included.

• Major shows/collections/awards/grants, recent if available.

• Small amount of personal info such as where you live or where you’re from.

Your Bio and Artist Statement can be used in:

• Press packets you send to publications and critics.

• Gallery and show submission packets.

• As materials to give collectors.

• In your own studio for an open studios event.

• On your web site in an on-line media kit.

press releases, press packets, and how to use them to effectively get your self some attention in print…

For a reminder of how to write a press release, check out the blog post from April 25th for a step-by-step PDF.

Occasions worthy of a press release:

• Upcoming show opening

• Upcoming Open Studio event

• Announcement of a major commission (such as a public art project)

• Announcement of a major grant, or residency

• Announcement of a new studio location

• Announcement of a new web site

When to send a press release:

IF you have something to announce, once a month is an appropriate frequency for sending press releases. All publications have a “lead time” which they will publish on their web site, or in print, or you can call and ask for this information. “Lead time” is the amount of time before publishing a specific issue in which they need to receive your information in order to consider it for publication. If you are targeting a monthly publication and they are scheduled to go to press next week, you will not have a chance of being included in the upcoming issue. Daily publications can have a lead time of a couple of weeks to a couple of days, while publications that go to press on a more seldom basis may have 2-3 months of a lead time for each issue.

Where to send your press release:

The possibilities are endless! But a good place to start is your local newspaper, and the newspapers published in nearby towns and cities. If you are having a show in another location, investigate what daily publications are available there and send them a press release about your show. DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOUR GALLERY WILL DO THIS FOR YOU, but asking where they target press is appropriate. Other press targets to keep in mind are:

• Alumni magazines (from where YOU went to school)

• Art associations (that YOU are a member of)

• Trade magazines (Ceramics Monthly, Glass Art Magazine, Aperture, etc.)

• Local magazines

• Local TV stations

• Local NPR station

What is the best way to submit a press release?

Press releases are best sent to the Editor of the Arts, Lifestyle, Living Arts, or a similar section. If you are unsure of what section of a certain publication features art pick up a print copy, or look on-line to do your research. Either of these methods is also how to find the name and contact info for the proper section and Editorial Staff. Many publications provide email addresses for Editorial Staff or a fax number will be listed for particular departments. When sending a press release via email copy and paste the text of your release with NO FORMATTING onto the body of an email and be sure to include a web address for reference for your show/event/studio/art if you have one. When faxing a press release make sure it is printed on your letterhead and formatted properly (see How To PDF for formatting). The “contact us” link usually found at the bottom of a publication web site is a great way to find the info you are looking for.

Calendar listings

In addition to sending press releases about events you have coming up a great way to get the word out is to utilize calendar listings. These are generally free and many publications will include listings of upcoming events in print and on-line versions of their publications. Find where and how to send calendar listings the same way that you research whom to address your press releases. At the beginning of a calendar section in a print publication often it will say where to send listings and what the lead time is. If you are viewing an on-line publication look for links called “calendar” or “events” to submit your listing. In addition, there are many web sites that are all about listing events. To get started check out:

http://upcoming.yahoo.com/

http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html (look for ‘events’ under ‘community’ in your location)

http://eventful.com/

http://boston.going.com/

What should these materials, the artist statement, bio, and press release look like?

How should they be incorporated into a press packet?

Making your materials coordinate, and showing yourself in the most professional light is important when putting together a press packet.

• Letterhead: print each piece of writing on a letterhead containing your contact info, and web site address. Develop your own letterhead, or hire a graphic designer to do it for you. Having a unified look to your press materials and your press kit, or even your gallery submission packet makes a huge difference in how your work is received.

• For great tips on how to put together your artist resume check out these guidelines from the College Art Association: http://www.collegeart.org/guidelines/resume.html

Once you have your written materials printed:

• Put them all into a folder with an image and your name on the front.

• Include additional materials in your folder like

- postcards from past shows

- photocopies of past press

- a CD of high resolution, 300dpi, CMYK images (preferably with a CD label graphically coordinated with your other materials)

- a brief cover letter

Hopefully you will soon begin regularly sending press releases, and once you assemble these additional materials a press packet can be sent approximately once a year. In addition to generating editorial coverage for yourself, you will be letting publications know that you are an expert in your field, and the next time they need to speak with someone about the arts, or a big local art event, they will know to call you.

We covered a lot of territory in the workshop this week, so if there is any additional information you are looking for, or anything you’d like to see added to this post please leave a comment – thanks, and see you on May 6th!

Jessica

guest post by Jessica Burko

Great seeing everyone again the other night!

I was really impressed with your “cocktail speeches” and with all the thought and work that you have put into them. Now grab a cocktail and practice!

This week we talked about written elements that you need to have ready to go for galleries, collectors, juried shows, and for sending to the press. We discussed what makes a good (and bad) Artist Statement, Bio, and Press Release.

Some things to keep in mind when you are putting together these pieces for yourself are:

What is the purpose of an Artist Statement?

• an entry point into the work
• an introduction
• an explanation
• a view into the artists mind

What makes an effective Artist Statement?

• a blend of technical, conceptual, and personal information

• makes the connection between what one sees and what the artist thinks

Always remember to be brief and to the point, 1 - 3 paragraphs for an artist statement is ideal

What is the purpose of an artist bio?

• to provide factual biographical information to the press, a venue, a collector

• think of it as a conversational, one paragraph, version of your artist resume

What are the components of an effective bio?

• your higher education, perhaps with dates (the year) attached

• major shows/collections/awards/grants, recent if available

• small amount of personal info such as where you live or where you’re from

And as for the press release - here is a PDF version of the instructions I provided to you the other night.

Remember that being able to write an effective, eye-catching press release means that you are able to promote your own shows, generate your own accolades, promote your own work. A press release can be written about upcoming shows, studio events, a newly completed body of work, a residency or grant you have been awarded, a major commission you have received, a piece of public art you are working on - and much more! You can send press releases to any on-line or in-print publication including alumni newsletters and magazines, and even the New York Times. You never know when someone will print your information or contact you as an expert in your field.

Next week we will talk more about what to include in a press packet and what it should look like. Please bring your first drafts of your Artist Statement, Bio, and even a Press Release if you can! For examples of these types of writing beyond what I distributed in class, utilize the internet for finding examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly, and if you come across a particularly choice example please bring it in to share! See you on Tuesday,

Jessica

twitter for artists

Tina Mammoser is a London artist I know through Twitter. She just posted an insightful rumination on the usefulness of Twitter to her as an artist, and how this and other new media might alter how artists live, work, and communicate.

The bulk of the post is a copy of an email she sent to Alyson Stanfield, an artist business coach who I also follow through her blog. Alyson has just written a very interesting book called I’d Rather Be In The Studio: An Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion (yes, I have a copy if you’d like to borrow it).

Check out the conversation Alyson started with her readers last week when she asked what they thought about Artist Blogs…

So Tina wanted to explain to Alyson what she sees in Twitter. Here’s a bit of what she said:

The benefits of Twitter for me have been indirect I suppose. I’ve gotten very interested in social media projects through it, by following a few interesting people, including Beth Dunn who blogs about social media for small businesses and non-profits. I’ve found several people whose blogs I now follow (Seth Godin and Chris Brogan) through Twitter.

I think with all the Web 2.0 sites there is a growth curve, it’s about nurturing relationships rather than directly measurable marketing–>benefit results. So it takes time. But as Katherine Tyrrell once told me (she runs MakingaMark.blogspot.com) it took a couple years for her blog to hit a sort of critical mass and suddenly be popular and a place artists responded as well as read.

I admit that I mix personal and business on Twitter, but I’m very comfortable with that. That’s what interested me about your topic today. The online world, in my life, has been almost as important as “real” life. At various points in my life there has been little separation. I realise the rest of the world is still getting used to this idea, hence the question about blogging.

She goes on to say:

Finding the right people to follow is tricky, but I started but a couple people and looked at their followers and kept ones that were interesting. I, like many others, do also share personal notes but that’s a bit inevitable with the chatty instant format of Twitter. So if you want to see my links to blog entries with business advice for artists you might also have to hear that I dyed my hair purple one evening. Why the mix? Because it’s a human interface. On Twitter we’re not just businesses and marketers but actual people too.

If you don’t already follow Tina on Twitter, she’s tina_m. Here’s a link to her profile.

And her blog, by the way, is an excellent example of an artist’s blog. She posts thoughts on all sorts of things, not just her art, but she also links to her Twitter updates (so you can get to know her better), her Flickr account (so you can see more of her art), and her Etsy shop (so you can buy her art).

What do you think?

blogs galore

Many thanks to everyone who posted links to their new blogs in the comments! I have linked them all in the sidebar to the right.

If anyone would like to add their link, just post it in the comments and I will be happy to oblige.

I see that many of you have questions about how to post pictures. I always post pictures in my blog from Flickr, and have never used the WordPress “media library,” which is a rather new feature of wordpress, actually.

Let’s try!

…

OK, well that seemed to work just fine. I uploaded an image by clicking the photo icon next to the words “Add Media” in the Write Post taskbar. Then I filled out the information it asked for (I didn’t bother with a caption or description, since they weren’t required, however these are undoubtedly good to fill out, as they are probably stored as metadata, which helps Google do its job).

Then I chose the location I wanted, and hit submit, and the image went right to where I had left my cursor when I started the process. So of course you have to first place your cursor within your post right where you are going to want to place your image, then click “Add Media.”

If you’re still having problems with images, or any other related bloggy item, just let me know, either in the comments or at the beginning of class next week.

Thank you again for all the enthusiastic comments and congratulations to all you first-time bloggers! Now, I’m off to read your blogs!