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NY Resolutions – Make an Art Career Masterplan


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The start of a new year is the perfect time to reassess your art career and consider what goals need to be worked upon and which are cluttering the focus. In this guide to creating a new year art career masterplan I cover: how to decipher what is creatively working and what isn't; a brief look at marketing and online analysis (tools and methods); how to set goals that are beneficial.

 

How to Decipher What is Creatively Working


Often artists require some professional support and feedback. At art school students receive this in abundance from their peers, from tutors and often from industry professionals. For those without access to this, it can help to reach into the creative network through different methods such as organized critiques, Work In Progress (WIP) events, open studios or speaking directly with fellow art professionals to get honest constructive feedback on the following aspects:


●      Online digital profile: does the social media, online portfolio and website accurately reflect the creative practice and present the work professionally? 


●      Substance of creative inquiry: does the work communicate what the artist is attempting to explore? How is the work received by viewers? 


●      Quality of artwork: is it well executed?


●      Communication: is it reaching the right audience and delivering the intended message?


For more information about this point take a look at my post The Art of Reflecting Upon Your Creative Practice.


Marketing and Online Analysis


As an extension of the above point, it is essential to assess any online content through analytical tools as well as getting professional opinions. Online data offers a wealth of information that can help guide an artist in the right direction to creating a successful digital presence.

Here are some useful tools and methods:

 

●      Google Analytics can show which pages are performing the best, how many people are visiting a specific page via a social media or third-party link, it can also show how long viewers are spending on the site. For example, if an artist has a profile on a site such as Saatchi Art it is possible to see how many people are clicking through to their website from that profile. If nobody is visiting via a third-party platform that is subscriber based and being paid for, it is worth rethinking if the site is worth paying for or if the profile needs promoting or updating.


●      Google Search Console scans a website to check for broken links. This is important for search engine optimization (SEO) because search engines use bots to index websites and internal links to navigate a site. It also prevents potential buyers and others who are interested in an artist's work from getting stuck on pages with dead ends.


●      Social media analytics built into platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offer interesting insights to see what type of posts are gaining traction which can influence future marketing strategies.


●      SEO tools such as Frase and Surfer SEO can assess a website’s content and help to make tweaks to the text to optimize its traction in search engines which in turn can boost traffic.


Once it’s clear which website pages are getting the most views and which are not functioning it is easier to build an idea of what the digital audience wants and where best to focus and invest in development. 


How to Set Goals and Action Points


Once the previous points have been covered, setting clear action points will be much more productive. Below are some important points to consider which have been split into three key sections:

 

1. Creative Endeavours

 

How can an artist creatively evolve their practice?

 

-       Residencies and shows can help to push an artist’s creative practice in new directions

-       Art courses can help boost technical skills

 

 

2. Professional Advancement


These points look at how an artist presents on paper and digitally. Which from the below list can be improved? Which are out of date, don’t function well or are entirely missing?


-       Website, social media and third-party platforms

-       Networking both online and in person

-       Submissions and proposals for shows, residencies and other art opportunities

-       Promotional material: CV, bio, artist statement, portfolio, sales lists, press pack

 

For more tips take a look at my post Professionally Presenting Your Work Digitally

 

3. Organizational 

 

Being organized really helps an artist in the long run. An artist may have a messy studio, but the key to success comes from meeting deadlines, delivering work on time and being able to find the right tools for the job.


-       Artist studios aren’t just a space to make work but it can also be the place where a curator sees an artist's work for the first time. Make sure work is correctly stored, tools are well kept and it’s ready to receive visitors at any point. Take a look at my studio hacks for more ideas. 


-       Keep a deadline calendar for artist opportunities. This may include open call deadlines for art fairs, shows or residencies.

 

 

I hope this helps you with the new year's resolutions. Good luck!



Don't forget to sign up my monthly newsletter to get updates about new blogs, shows, events, and many more! No spam, I promise.




 

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