Talented Folks Can Succeed While Making Their Communities Flourish
Would you rather paint full time than work at the office, garage, restaurant, etc.? Would you like to quit that day job because your artwork is so well known and bought by a lot of people?
In order to accomplish the above feats, you have to get your name out there consistently. You need to be very noticeable and attract lots of attention. This isn't as hard as it may seem, read on for a very simple but effective method to accomplish the above while also helping your fellow creative friends and making your community prosperous.
The background data that you need to pull off this project is the fact that whenever artists go into an area and create, the area stops its dwindling spiral and goes uphill. For examples, many an area in Los Angeles has gone downhill, buildings vacated and boarded up but when artists go into the area, the buildings get bought, repaired and the commerce of the area flourishes. One such place is the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District. It started as a very bad area to be in, the area was in complete ruins and has only been in existence for ten years - it is now famous, beautiful, safe, well-known and it prospers.
With the recession going on, you may have noticed that there are empty buildings in your area. The buildings may be office buildings, car lots and shops in strip malls. The best use for the empty spaces is for creative endeavors, don't you agree? Can you imagine artists creating in every single empty building space?
The project that follows has been tried and found to work. It's practically free to start. This project will help you succeed in your artistic endeavors, create success for your fellow artists and help your local community flourish, too.
This is what you do:
1. Locate creative people in your own area - artists, poets, craftsmen, musicians, actors, etc. These people will help you with the project.
You can find other artists many ways - free classified ads on craigslist.com or kijiji.com will work. Search the internet for other free classified ad sites. Put your zip code in the ad, so it stays in your area.
Make some fliers to distribute house to house in your neighborhood.
Put the postcards or flyers in the businesses nearby.
Ask friends and neighbors if they know any creative folks. You can even knock on doors to find people that are talented.
2. Once you have people to work with, create a presentation pack. You do not need to be elaborate with this presentation.
At an office supply store you can buy white glossy paper (about $10), clear plastic sheet covers (100 for about $11) and a presentation binder ($2-$5).
Fill your presentation pack with a page for each artist or musician or actor, etc., in your group. Each sheet should contain a photo of the person, a photo of his or her artwork (or performance), short biography, artist's statement and information on how to contact the artist.
3. Find empty buildings in your area. You and the artists that you found are going to create there and you will have a salesperson to sell your artworks.
To get a salesperson, just ask around to find a friend, family member or neighbor that is in need of work. Work out a percentage of the sales to pay the salesperson with. Bonuses are good incentive, such as if the sales go over a certain amount, then the salesperson gets a bonus. Also, Find out the legal rudiments that your salesperson needs to be able to sell which is easily obtained through the local town or city offices.
When you find the building you want to use, find the owner or real estate agent responsible for the property.
4. The next step is to call the owner or Realtor and set up a date and time to do a presentation. You could mention that you and a group of artists have an interest in getting the building leased.
5. Present your ideas to the agent or owner keeping the emphasis on the benefits for the owner, including these points:
The way to get the building leased fast is to get artists into the area to create there because each time that artists go into an area, the commerce picks up, buildings get leased or sold and the community flourishes. It has been proven to work time and again.
You can bring up the Los Angeles Arts District as an example of a place where artists succeeded and raised the general standards of the area.
Show the presentation pack - get the owner/agent familiar with the artists' work.
6. If you find out that the realtor/owner wants you to have insurance in order to use the space, team up with a local Alternative School or local charity as either will have the insurance that is needed.
7. Make signs and post them.
"Artists at Work" or "Artists Ahead" on large signs with arrows will attract attention. Put some balloons on them to make them stand out more. You can make these signs in bright colors on plywood, poster board or on A-frames and put them on either side of the street about beginning at about 50 yards from the building and getting closer. Attach the signs to posts with bungee cords.
8. Start Creating.
You must start with something for the salesperson to sell, so have each artist bring in already finished works. Then bring in supplies and materials for studios and set up workspaces and have the artists get busy. There will be plenty of inspiration because one artwork created inspires others. The creative energy will bring in sales.
9. Persist.
You will not have instant success within the first day and the first hour. However if you persist, you will get attention and then sales. Don't give up! It is persistence that pays off.
10. Do whatever you can think of to bring attention to your area and to your group of artists.
Create flyers and place in the local stores.
Invite newspaper representatives, someone from local radio stations, galleries, gift stores, etc., to come visit.
Write a press release for newspapers. Two web pages that can help you with this are: http://help-2-succeed.com/blog/index.php/press-release-tips-aamp-generator tells you how to write a press release and http://help-2-succeed.com/blog/index.php/press-release-distribution-services gives you the data on how to distribute it.
You can also use social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to get the word out. Just put posts about how you and a group of talented folks are creating, where and when. Other posts can be about the latest pieces that you are working on, the inspiration and so on.
If creative people stop by, invite the artists to join you.
The two things that will help you make your goals and get the show on the road are persistence and attention. You keep on doing what you are doing and you continue to implement ideas that will attract attention to your work and sales will expand and the community will begin to go up.
Soon, you will find that the realtor/owner has leased or sold the space. This isn't a problem. Get the realtor/owner to put in a good word for you so that you can keep your space, after-all, you will be helping the new tenant to get business that is always needed.
Help other artists and areas create and thrive by continuing to pass around this article. It is a free project.
