In order to be a successful artist, you need (among other things) talent, skill, dedication, persistence and opportunity.
There are different perspectives when it comes to talent, some believe it is an innate quality you are born with (or without) others believe it can be learned.
As to skill, dedication, persistence, those are all qualities that can be mastered a perfected. As an artist you basically call the shots on those fronts. It comes down to how much time, energy, blood, sweat and tears you are willing to invest in your art.
But what about opportunity? If you’re looking to sell your art and build a career as an artist, without opportunity, all of the above can go for naught.
There is a school of thought that believes that if you focus on the aforementioned areas, that opportunity will take care of itself. Build it and they will come. There are instances where that has worked. But, sad to say, that is generally not the case.
To create and wait is not tenable career plan. Generally opportunity needs to be nudged and nurtured. Just as you create your art, you’re wise to also learn how to create opportunity.
The good news is you don’t have to simply wait for it to gallop by on a white horse. You can take the reigns (staying with the horse metaphor here) and head it in the right direction.
How?
Learn the art of effective PR.
Or, better yet, find a consultant that can handle that part of the business for you.
Effective PR is effective storytelling. Create compelling stories with strong narratives about you, your art and your journey as an artist. Use those stories to interest various media outlets in telling your story and you become the news.
Utilizing this approach, you not only reach your target audience, you also gain the credibility and validation that comes from being featured in the media.
In essence, you’re creating your own opportunities, which in turn can launch and grow your career.
So yes talent, skill, dedication, persistence are all essential, but don’t neglect to focus on creating opportunity.
Build it; build awareness about it
And then they will come.
Copyright © PR FOR ARTISTS / Anthony Mora / Aubrie Wienholt 2016
Fine Art PR