New Years Resolutions for a Fabulous 2019
Wishing you a healthy, prosperous, and creative 2019!
Speaking of having a prosperous year, a few artistic resolutions may be in order. Clear and attainable goals will help you increase sales, reduce costs, and exercise your creativity.
Connections:
The new buzz word term these days is social connections. Essentially, this means repackaging the traditional methods of keeping client contacts by creating more regular personalized engagement. One tool to help you this year is social media manager software. These programs allow you to tailor your message across platforms and keep track of engagement. PC magazine has created a detailed list of the best products on the market for 2019 that you can find
here
.
Social media interaction is a key component in consumer spending. Artists who have shifted to a robust social media strategy are able to reach potential buyers at and after the art festival.
Know Your Clients: You now have the software to help you reach potential clients but do you know who your buyers are? The truth is that within the broader market, there is a niche of people who are going to be interested in your work and who are going to be able to purchase it. The more you know about this niche, the better you will be able to target the clients and the shows that work best for you.
Building your patron base is still very old school. It takes time and organization. Get clients' emails and physical addresses to maintain an inclusive email marketing list (anyone who expresses interest in your work) as well as a dedicated snail mail list (those who have purchased from you). These separate lists allow you to personalize the information about yourself to different buying groups that is not just a sales pitch.
Organize Your Finances: Know how much is coming in (easy task) and how much is going out (the hard part). Your financial records should guide all of your business decisions, such as when to hire staff, expand inventory, or invest in equipment. But your decisions will only be as good as the information you have.
If your books are a mess, take time to get them in order. It's a hole that may seem difficult to dig out of, but this is absolutely necessary to your business. If this task is too overwhelming, consider hiring a bookkeeper. Bookkeepers can help make sense of your current records and set you up with a system for the future, regardless of whether you end up hiring them long-term.
Audit 2018: What worked and what needs to be changed?
Start with taking inventory of what you have and a hard look at what you need. Move on to what sells and which size or design has been "hanging" around for a significant period of time.
Take the time to clean your studio - it is cathartic to throw out or, better yet, donate materials that have been taking up space.
Set Realistic Production Deadlines:
Personally, I am the perfect
procrastinator as I always find the new idea more fascinating.
I need to set achievable deadlines to keep my productivity on track. By sticking to a reasonable schedule it helps reduce the amount of time available for self doubt and changing plans.
Whether this is a deadline you set yourself or something you arrange with other people, you can curate this experience to not only fit but enhance your practice. For example, you could aim to finish a painting in a month, try to teach yourself something new in two weeks, or arrange to hold a collaborative exhibition in a year's time.
Be Kind to Yourself: Most of us are our biggest critic.
Become aware of your own achievements and give yourself recognition.
One of the best ways to show yourself kindness is to take good care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat fruits and vegetables, and get some form of exercise on a regular basis.
Wishing everyone a very happy, creative and prosperous 2019
Robin Markowitz
|
Last Chance to APPLY:
Click logo for more information!
|
|
Redwood City, CA
Application Closes: 1/30/19
|
Muskegon, MI
Application Closes: 2/1/19
|
Springfield, MO
Application Closes: 1/15/19
|
Geneva, MI
Application Closes: 2/1/19
|
|
Click HERE to view more Calls to Artists:
|
What's In and What's Out 2019
To create this list Art-Linx has researched the trends discussed in home design, fashion and art. Wishing everyone a year filled with creativity and inspiration.
|
IN
|
OUT
|
|
|
|
|
Florals
|
Geometric Trellis Patterns
|
|
Layering Texture
|
Damask
|
|
Rich Jewel Tones with Black Edge
|
Cool Grays |
| Graphic Tiles |
Subway Tiles |
| Sustainable Wood |
MidCentury |
| Boho Mixed with Graphic |
Grunge |
| Mixed Metal |
Oxidized |
|
Paintings covering entire space
|
Accent Walls |
| Bright Pink |
Dusty Rose |
| Statement Lighting |
Edison Bulbs |
| Handcraft Vases |
Mason Jars |
| Curtains |
Vertical Blinds |
|
Animal Print
|
Paisley |
| Tassels / Fringe |
Ripped |
| Personalization |
Mass Market |
|
This Issue's Quote: "May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope , somewhere in the next year you surprise yourself." Neil Gaiman
|
|
|
Application Deadline February 1, 2019
|
|
 |
|
May 4-5, 2019
Rockville, Maryland
Discussion with Robin Markowitz, Festival Director
 New Name - Same Great Show: T
he 7th Annual Rockville Arts Festival (formerly A-RTS at Rockville Town Square) is now being produced by VisArts and sponsored by the City of Rockville. I am pleased to continue as Festival Director for the seventh year under the new leadership of an organization whose mission is to create a vibrant, diverse community enriched and connected by art.
The Rockville Arts Festival's mission is to create the best possible show for the exhibiting artists. The streets are closed to traffic to create an  outdoor, pedestrian-only art gallery. Every booth is a corner to showcase the artists to their best advantage. The festival curates an excellent balance of different media. This year's festival will feature many of the cultural and artistic organizations that enrich the City of Rockville. The application deadline is January 20th, 2019. Please contact me if you have any questions at rmarkowitz@visartscenter.org. I hope to see you at the show May 4-5th.
VisArts:
Montgomery County, Maryland's largest visual arts center, is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
Founded in 1987 as a grassroots organization serving local artists, VisArts has come a long way since their founding 30 years ago. They are a 25,000-square-foot hub of community engagement welcoming more than 30,000 visitors annually.
|
FROM THE DIRECTORS CHAIR: A Sad Goodbye
We are saddened to tell you that we will not be able to continue the
coming to the former Cost Plus lot, which is in the center of our
footprint and construction is slated to begin as early as March 2019. We
were excited to explore other options with hopes to create a smaller
show in our space or nearby, but unfortunately none of these options
panned out. Without a solid space to move into at this point, we could
not in good conscience try to move forward.
As we say farewell, we want to thank everyone for their contributions to
the Bellevue Festival of the Arts. Thank you to the artists, the heart
of our endeavor, whether you have been with us for one year or 34, we
can't thank you enough for bringing beauty and reflection into our world
by creating and sharing your visions with this community. Thank you to
all the patrons, volunteers, staff, musicians, food vendors, local non-
profit partner organizations, sponsors, hospitality donors, city and
community leaders, including Jon Wilson and the Bellevue Special Event
Committee.
Thank you
to our neighboring festivals, Meredith Langridge and the BAM ARTSfair
crew and Mike Ogliore and the Bellevue Downtown Association 6th St Fair
.
Our wonderful neighboring art shows during Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend
will carry on as usual
. Should you
have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us. We will keep our
website, artist catalog and social media up as a way to stay connected
to the community during this transition and we look forward to
continuing to follow the work of the artists we have had the pleasure of
working with throughout the years. Thank you for sharing your
creativity and talents with us!
Ann Sutherland, Art Festival Coordinator
Charl!e Russell
Hannah Brown Lee
|
|
|
|
|
| Application Deadline 1/20/19 |
|
Show Directors and Producers
What Can Art-Linx Do For You?
*Increase applications to your festival
*Create a positive impression of your event
*Tell artists about important developments
*Expand your pool of loyal artists
*Create a focused, cost effective marketing program to potential exhibitors
*...and much more!.
Call or email us today for a no obligation consultation on your artist marketing needs!
Click HERE for more information
|
Let us know what topics interest you and Art-Linx will work to include them in the next Art Festival Newsletter - Published March 13, 2019
Contact Robin Markowitz
202-251-0637
|
Looking for
information on festivals?
Deciding where to apply?
Need
updates on festival participation trends?
Visit our website!
www.Art-Linx.com
|
|
|
