2012:

>07/25/2012 Understanding Intellectual Property: Works Made for Hire (available in French)
>06/25/2012 Selling your work through a gallery (available in Korean)
>05/21/2012 Digital Channels to Sell Your Work (available in Spanish)
>04/19/2012 Networking Strategies to Try (available in Chinese)
>03/27/2012 Networking Event Etiquette (available in Spanish)
>02/28/2012 Taking Full Advantage of Your Artist Business Card (available in Spanish)
>01/24/2012 Cost Effective Ways To Promote Your Show (available in Spanish)

2011:

>12/20/2011 How to Approach Art Space for Exhibition (available in Spanish)
>11/22/2011 Researching Your Gallery or Exhibition Space (available in Spanish)
>10/25/2011 Selling Your Art: How to Approach Pricing and Your Market (available in Spanish)
>09/19/2011 How to Use Social Media to Find New Opportunities (available in Spanish)
>08/25/2011 Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer's Immigrant Rights and Services Manual (available in Chinese)
>07/21/2011 Online Portfolios (available in Spanish)
>06/23/2011 Immigrant Access to Healthcare (available in Spanish)
>05/25/2011 How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of an Immigration Scam (available in other languages)
>04/28/2011 Legal and Other Related Resources for Immigrant Artists (available in other languages)
>03/24/2011 Selling Your Work Online (available in other languages)

French

What is intellectual property? The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) defines it this way: "Intellectual property (IP) refers to the creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce". It is part of every artist's work life.

The copyright in a work ordinarily belongs to the person who authored or created the work. However, there are many cases in which a company, organization or another individual, will hire an artist to create a work and these employers then become the "authors" and owners of the copyright. Works made under these conditions are known as "works made for hire". Here are some facts that may help in understanding intellectual property as it plays out in works made for hire, gathered from The Profitable Artist.

• A "work made for hire" as expressed in Section 101 of the Copyright Act is:
  • "A work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment."
  • OR "A work specifically ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work, as part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, as a translation, as a supplementary work, as a compilation, as an instructional text, as a test, as answer material for a test, or as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire".
• A work created by an "employee" is automatically a work made for hire, while a work created by a non-employee is not (unless there is a written agreement). Thus, frequent disputes arise over whether the creator was an "employee" or an "independent contractor". Some important legal factors considered include:
  • how much control the commissioner had over the artists work(location, tools, etc.)
  • how much control the commissioner had over the artist him or herself (schedule, manner of employment, ability to assign other work and responsibilities)
  • tax issues (whether taxes were withheld as for a salaried employee)
  • whether the work produced fits in with the commissioning party's regular business.
• Joint work: The issue of ownership arises frequently in the art world,as so many works are collaborative. You should be aware that when an artist creates a work with one or more other artists, and they intend to create the work as collaborators, the resulting art work is called a "joint work".
  • All co-creators own an undivided interest in the entire work.
  • BUT when one entity merely contributes ideas, money, or logistical support it is not considered a sufficient contribution into a "joint work".

    Because of the oft-ambiguous employee status of any artistic colleague, knowing rules about works for hire can save a great deal of time and confusion. It highlights why written contracts can be a vital part of collaborative artistic endeavors. Even if you are sure of the agreement, it is always safe to request one from the outset in order to avoid difficulties later.

    06/25/2012

    Selling Your Work Through a Gallery

    Korean

    Depending on your immediate goals, selling your work through a gallery can be advantageous if you are willing to sacrifice some immediate gains. Here are some things you should know about selling your work through a gallery as well as some tips, gathered from The Profitable Artist.

    • Galleries take a percentage of your earnings:
      • Galleries usually take 50%.
      • If the work is commissioned, the artist usually gets 60%.
      • Not-for-profit galleries tend to take smaller percentages, usually between 10% and 30%.
    • Discounts: galleries add incentives to buy your work by agreeing to discounts for regular customers (10% is common) and museums may get as much as a 40% discount.
    • Accustomed price range: most galleries have developed a core group of clients and buyers who are accustomed to purchasing works in a certain price range.
    • It is better to raise the price rather than lower it: it is a good idea to price your work without adding the additional 50% that a gallery would take. Rather, if you find a similar work in a gallery by an artist with a comparable resumé, you would set your price to what the artist would receive from the sale rather than the list price.
    • Promotion: most galleries have developed a core group of clients and buyers and will promote your work to their clients. The association can add some prestige to your career.

    Don't get discouraged or feel undervalued if a gallery takes a percentage of what you earn or sells your work at a discount. While you may make less on a discounted sale, it means that someone has responded to your work and if that buyer is a significant collector, that will only enhance your status and exposure and may also lead to more profits-per-sale in the long run.

    05/21/2012

    Digital Channels to Sell Your Work

    Spanish

    So your networking has been successful, your artwork has garnered attention and you’re beginning to make sales. How do you make this area more efficient? Whether you’re an emerging artist selling at a small volume or an established artist filling a larger quantity of orders, a system for selling your artwork and collecting payments will help your selling process become more efficient and thus make you more profitable. These tips, which reference the New York Foundation for the Arts' co-published book The Profitable Artist, help you explore the most efficient methods available today for selling your artwork and collecting payments.

    • Selling your work online – Web-based sales are often a major part of an artist’s revenue and since an overwhelming number of online transactions take place via credit card, the easiest solution may be to use a web-based credit card payment service. These services essentially accept payment for you and charge a small fee for doing so. Here is a list of some:
    • PayPal: www.paypal.com
    • CCBill: www.ccbill.com
    • Google Checkout: http://checkout.google.com
    • ProPay: www.propay.com
    • Shopping cart feature - Adding a “pay now” or “shopping cart” feature to your website is a common practice and saves time by making purchasing more straightforward. It can be set up automatically when you use a third party merchant, and also comes standard in many website templates.
    • Merchant account – If you will be engaging in a large volume of sales, it may be more economical to open your own “merchant account.” This is usually established directly through a bank or credit card company, and is also costly. Ultimately your decision to use a third party merchant or open your own account will come down to sales volume.
    • Selling your work through digital media – If you are a performing artist, much of your work can be sold through digital media like CD’s and DVD’s. The market for this media is pretty well established because the technology and materials involved are so inexpensive. Most single CD’s and DVD’s sell from between $10 to $25 with digital downloads priced a few dollars less. One example of a website dedicated to promoting and selling digital media is CD Baby which allows Indie artists to sell their work.

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    04/19/2012

    Networking Strategies to Try

    Chinese

    As an artist wishing to sustain your practice and share your art with the world, there are now more ways than ever to take advantage of networking on and off-line. From how to make business cards to how to approach people in networking events, we conclude this series on Artist Networking with some strategies to try gathered in part from Arts Business Institute and OpenZine, so you can be ready for your next networking opportunity.

    • Internet is your gallery space - Having an online identity for your art will maximize your chances of having a larger online presence such as engaging with blogs. Research every social media site you can find and search for the latest technology. See what fits you. Finding social media sites before they hit critical mass is one trick to gaining more followers.
    • Document it - Document your progress on your artwork while it is being created and periodically get it out on social media sites or blogs. Doing so will generate more interest in your work and remind people about you. As some of the most effective ways to share your progress, utilize social media like Twitter and Facebook.
    • Do something unique - Find a unique angle of communicating your art and then research the proper community and/or mass media to channel your vision through. As long as you are true to your vision, your enthusiasm for your singular work will show through.
    • Befriend art lovers - Although art dealers are important for established artists, hounding them to recognize your work can be counterproductive as many art dealers exhibit work from people they have gradually built a relationship with. Conversely, art lovers are usually more willing to buy and support your work and also talk to their friends about you. Art lovers can also be found everywhere, from neighbors to local business people, so don’t be afraid to talk about your art with them.
    • Invite people to your studio - Inviting people – from fellow artists to curators to journalists – is a good way to dialogue about your work and cultivate personal interest among the arts community. Provide due hospitality like beverages and snacks and present pieces you are currently working on or have finished and wish to share. This personal attention may go a long way in the future in terms of potential opportunities and press.

    Remember, the key benefit to effective networking is exponential growth as your contacts begin to spread news about you on their own. Follow these tips and you should see your network gather momentum.

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    03/27/2012

    Networking Event Etiquette

    Spanish

    As an artist, meeting people and self-promotion can be very difficult particularly when your work is the subject of discussion and is very personal. However networking is an essential component to success in an artist's career as your network is what often promotes your work, even without your direct involvement. Fortunately, like any skill, networking can be improved with practice. These tips gathered from OpenZine and the Arts Business Institute utilize the business cards that you created in last month's edition and prepare you to make the most of your next networking or mixer event.

    • Preparation steps for the event:
    • Dress appropriately for the venue.
    • Be sure to eat prior to the event so that you can have enough energy.
    • Bring your business cards.
    • Perfect your elevator speech - This is a clear and concise explanation of what you do to create a picture in the listener’s mind so that they understand and remember you. Sum it up in 30 seconds or less.
    • Make goals so that you can identify if you've accomplished them. This can help you measure your effectiveness and improve your networking skills for the next event.
    • Things to remember during the event:
    • Do your best to be polite and relaxed.
    • Don't eat too much food or drink too much wine.
    • Striking up a conversation with a group of 3 people is often easier than jumping into a two-way conversation. Don't hesitate to strike up a conversation with someone who seems alone as you may find a great conversation or opportunity with that person.
    • Ask open-ended questions, not "yes" or "no" questions in order to keep the conversation flowing.
    • Refrain from trying to keep conversations going for longer than needed.
    • Remember that if you want to receive, you first must give - If you want business referrals, make sure you are giving business referrals. Making the first step to help others will open the flow to them as well.
    • Offer to exchange business cards at the end of the conversation. If you give out your business card, always ask for one in return.
    • Steps to take following the event:
    • Take notes about participants - a good place is on the back of the business cards that they give you.
    • Follow up - This is the most important step after the event. Follow up with interesting contacts by e-mail or phone the next day because your contact will likely be more excited about your work if you speak to them sooner rather than later. Also note that it takes persistence with contacts to get results. With most new business connections, it takes about seven contacts to get a "yes" or a first order.

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    02/28/12

    Taking Full Advantage of Your Artist Business Card

    Spanish

    An artist's business card differs in certain ways to those of other types of businesses. A Salesman would carry a card to represent his/her company or a Realtor would carry a card to represent his/her realty group, but you, as an artist represent YOURSELF! How can you ensure your card effectively does that while making you stand out?

    In the vast world of business and art, business cards are constantly being passed around. A really creative artist business card can make people do a double take when they see your card which may cause them to want to show it to others, thereby extending your publicity. In these tips gathered from designrfix and learntoart.com, you can learn how to effectively leverage the power an artist business card can have.

    • To create a business card whose message keeps on selling you and your art, your card needs to serve 4 major purposes:
    • Identify you
    • Include your contact information
    • Identify your art product or major field of work
    • Include a tagline
    • Utilize both sides of your business card.
    • Gear your card to the public: Remember that, as a general rule, the clients of your art products are not artists.
    • Contact information: Include your domain name, your name, mailing address, e-mail address and phone number.
    • A mailing address listed on your card is recommended. There are still some clients who communicate via the US postal service (i.e. invites to openings, application materials, etc.)
    • It is not advisable to include your home address. Perhaps you can use your studio address or PO Box instead.
    • All print needs to be in easy to read fonts.
    • Include your art: This is perhaps the most memorable feature on your card. The image should be an example of what you create and your trademark style. If you participate in art festivals, it helps to have that particular item with you wherever you exhibit your work.
    • Include a tagline: Simply stating that you are an artist does not help the client identify you. A tagline is a further identification of what you create so try to be specific. For example if you work with glass, state what type of glass you work with. Both the written word and the visual photo should reinforce each other.

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    01/24/12

    Cost Effective Ways To Promote Your Show

    Spanish

    Once you've convinced your chosen gallery's decision makers that your artwork should be exhibited at their space, your final step is to promote your show. The following features ideas and information from emptyeasel.com on how to cost effectively promote your show.

    • Print 100 or more fliers announcing your show and distribute them to businesses and community bulletin boards throughout your area. Plan to distribute your fliers a month before your show and then take advantage of the free advertising provided by community cable, radio and newspapers along with any other art marketing channels you know of.
    • Contact your local newspaper a week before your show with a press release providing who, what, when, where, and why. Remember, editors want stories their readers will be interested in hearing, not a sales pitch. Don’t hesitate to contact individual journalists on your own, either—specifically those who write for the arts and entertainment sections of the paper. For more tips on how to create an effective pitch for the newspaper, click here.
    • For some tips on utilizing other marketing channels effectively, click here.
    • Don’t forget to add your contact number and information to the press release. (You can research sample press releases on the net for proper formatting.) Hopefully you’ll be contacted to do an interview, but there’s never any guarantee.
    • Once you've booked your location, set a date, and advertised your show, here are some final details to keep in mind for your show:
      
      • Plan to spend about $30 for finger foods and drinks. Don't go gourmet but don't go cheap. This shows your customers that you care about them even if they don't make a purchase.
      • Make sure everything is priced properly. As a bonus, it could add to the desirability of your pieces to write down the history of each piece, along with the name, price, size and medium, and posting it next to your work.
      • Most of all, keep in mind that when it comes to art, people want to buy more than just an image—they want to buy the experience as well.

    If you're creative, efficient with your resources, and willing to put in the effort, it's quite possible to have a successful show without breaking the bank.

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    12/20/11

    How to Approach Art Space for Exhibition

    Spanish

    After locating potential galleries or exhibition spaces where you would like to exhibit your artwork, your next task will be to convince the decision makers that your artwork should be exhibited by presenting a well planned and organized portfolio and also figuring out the best way to introduce yourself and your artwork. The following features ideas and information from art-support.com and emptyeasel.com on how to convince decision makers that your artwork should be exhibited, how to choose the right date, and if you so desire to, how to add appeal to your show with a theme.

    • Portfolio: Read Artist Portfolio Guidelines to learn how to organize your portfolio, the best way to present your portfolio, and other advice on your art presentation.
    • First impressions: Remember that first impressions are as important as a well-organized portfolio. Always act in a professional business-like manner and master your portfolio presentation skills.
    • How to choose the right date: Unless you’re located in a popular tourist destination, plan your show for the middle of the week and avoid the summer months. If you don’t, you may miss a large portion of your potential audience to vacation and travel.
    • Coming up with a creative theme: Present your exhibit in a way that ties in with your artwork and leaves visitors with something they’ll remember. For example, if much of your art is about beaches, oceans or waterscapes, plan your exhibition with that theme in mind.

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    11/22/11

    Researching Your Gallery or Exhibition Space

    Spanish

    After completing a body of work, the goal of most artists is to have their artwork shown in an exhibition. In order to find good art galleries and exhibition space, you'll need to do some research. The following features ideas and information from art-support.com on how to locate art galleries and exhibition space to display your artwork:

    • Local Newspapers: Art gallery listings in local newspapers will usually be found in the arts and entertainment section and appear once or twice a week. Most newspapers also have online versions making the internet an important resource for locating art galleries. Newslink.org provides comprehensive links to online daily newspapers: http://newslink.org/daynews.html.
      
    • Gallery Guides: Regional or national photography and art guides are excellent sources to search for galleries. Here are four that provide good online listings:
      • Photography-guide.com - New York, as well as national and international listing.
      • ArtAccess.com - The Northwest, including Seattle and Portland art galleries.
      • Artscenecal.com - Southern California art galleries.
      • Galleryguide.com - Several cities, including Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York.
      
    • Monthly Magazines: B&W (Black & White Magazine) includes a listing of photography exhibitions. For a list of current photography magazines.
      
    • Network: Speaking to friends, art professionals, museum curators, etc. may give you insight into possible exhibition spaces in towns you haven’t visited or other sites you can get in contact with and they might be able to introduce you to galleries they are affiliated with. Get active online and use e-mail. Local art consultants and corporate art consultants also can have valuable ideas about possible venues to show your work. You will usually find art consultants listed in the yellow pages along with art dealers.

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    10/25/11

    Selling Your Art: How to Approach Pricing and Your Market

    Spanish

    Art Marketing Strategist Aletta de Wal has been been consulting with entrepreneurs and coaching artists for more than 20 years. As a contributor to the online art magazine Empty Easel, she shares some guidelines for pricing your work and making it visible to the appropriate market.

    • Network with people who are potential buyers and with people who know potential buyers, including other artists. Make sure everyone you know is aware of your art and who your potential buyers are. When your connections come across a good match, they’ll think of you first.
    • In tougher economic times, sales may be slower, fewer, or simply less predictable. But there are always collectors and dealers in the market for the “right art at the right price.” Stay in touch with them until they are ready buy or exhibit the kind of art you create.
    • Know your niche market—who’s in it, where are they showing, and what prices are they getting for their work? Galleries and serious collectors are especially interested in similar sales as tangible proof that there IS a demand for your work.
    • Art dealers and collectors have a sense of the factors that create value in all types of work. Part of your job is to be equally well versed so you can set prices that are appropriate and timely. When you do the research and act on it with confidence, your prices will be received favorably.
    • What makes your art more valuable to your collectors than any other artwork they have the option of purchasing? If you don’t know this, it will be harder to pitch your art.
    • Start with an attitude that your art is worth selling, otherwise no price will feel right to you. A big part of sales is self-assurance, so be confident about yourself, your art and your value. At the same time, keep an attitude of respect for your audience. Without that respect, no price will sound right to them. If you do not value your viewers, it’s unlikely you will build relationships that lead to sales or representation.
    • Learn about your audience’s past art purchases. What is their threshold for styles and price points; how, where and how often they like to buy art? With this knowledge, you can more easily overcome pricing obstacles by negotiating a payment plan or suggesting a smaller piece that fits their budget.
    • Always know the actual costs and overhead expenses of creating your art. This means assigning a value to everything in the creative process, including hard costs (everything you pay for) as well as soft costs (the value of our time as if you paid yourself wages). Keep track of your sales. The highest sales price you consistently get should become the minimum for your next series of work.
    • Don’t raise prices without proven demand. It can be tempting to raise your prices because you need more money. If you are selling 1/3 to 1/2 of the work you create each year, you are probably safe to raise your prices by 10 - 15%. If you want to keep your current cash flow steady, then keep your prices stable on the current body of work and offer the next work for higher prices.
    • Don’t lower prices without a reason. If you aren’t selling as much work as you would like, or need cash flow, you may be tempted to lower your prices. If a collector has already purchased a piece from the same body of work and then sees the lower price, they may feel that they overpaid and may not buy from you again. If you lower your prices rather than changing your overall marketing approach, you may not get any more sales, and yet you will find it harder to raise prices in the future.
    • Don’t have different prices in different places. Fluctuating prices put doubt in viewers’ minds, and doubt kills sales. They may think that the pricing is done on a whim. For those of you exhibiting your work online and offline, make sure that your prices are consistent. Once you fix a price with a gallery, honor the scope of the agreement to the letter. If the gallery allows you to show the same work on your website, make sure to pass on any commission for sales initiated by the gallery. If you breach the trust you have with them, it may cost you your reputation down the road.

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    09/19/2011

    How to Use Social Media to Find New Opportunities

    Spanish

    In IAP's July Newsletter, we picked three online portfolio publishing services for artists that make it easy to show your work on a custom website. But once the website is created, how do you broadcast it? How do you make your website visible to industry peers, curators and commissioners? This month's Helpful Tips lays out a multifaceted, cohesive social media strategy to make the most of your presence online.

    It is a good idea to maintain a blog on your site where you upload documentation of your works in progress and talk about concepts for upcoming projects. Publishing a work diary allows others to engage with your work and makes it easier for them to approach you for collaboration. You can use Tumblr or another blogging platform, but it is better to integrate blogs with your online portfolio on the same website.

    After publishing photos or videos of what you've been working on, you can feed the blog posts to Twitter and Facebook with a social media publishing tool like Twitterfeed. Twitterfeed is integrated with bitly, the url-shortening application that you can use to create custom urls and track clicks on links you shared. This video explains the easy steps to creating a personalized, branded url every time you want to share a link. To find out who clicked on your links, share the url as a bitly and add "+" to the end of each bitly link you wish to track.

    You can share selective Twitter updates on Facebook by ending a tweet with the #fb hashtag. It's very simple to install the "Selective Tweets" Facebook application and this site shows you how. Separate your Facebook connections into different groups with lists. That way, you can funnel relevant information to the appropriate list and avoid spamming your connections.

    One social media network where you won't risk mixing the personal and the professional is Linkedin. People visit LinkedIn specifically to make business contacts. When you update your LinkedIn profile, your connections are notified via email so those in your network can stay abreast on new projects. Take advantage of the recommendations feature. In recommendations, collaborators and commissioners can testify to your work ethic and ability to work well in a team, qualities that aren't showcased as easily in your portfolio. You can display a multimedia portfolio on your LinkedIn profile with the LinkedIn Creative Portfolio Display application.

    Flavors is a great tool for pulling all the components of your online presence into one package. Watch this video to see how others use Flavors to present their personal brand: http://vimeo.com/hiidef/flavors

    Once you're confident that your social media presence accurately reflects you and your work, reach out. Use all social media channels to interact, not to broadcast. In addition to sharing your own updates, share your thoughts and feedback to other artists you are following on Twitter, Tumblr, etc. Treat each social media channel as a separate source of conversation that can lead to both digital and real-world opportunities for collaboration.

    08/25/2011

    Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer's Immigrant Rights and Services Manual

    Chinese

    In July 2010, the office of Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer released the first Manhattan Borough President's Office Immigrant Rights and Services Manual. It includes a breadth of information that is unprecedented in one manual or publication in New York, focusing on issues of vital importance to newly-arrived New Yorkers -- ranging from health care, education, housing and voting to deportation and detention, consumer rights, domestic violence and small business information. Stringer's office released Chinese and Spanish translations of the manual this summer. A translation in Korean is underway. Here is some of the information that can be found in the manual. You can download the entire document here.

    How is a worker protected from discrimination?

    The law prohibits employers from discriminating based on national origin (includes birthplace, ancestry, culture or language) or citizenship status.

    Employers are required to make sure that employees have proper work papers within a few days of starting employment, and are allowed to ask only for certain immigration papers. Employers may not check an employee's or applicant's papers because of their national origin, or because the person looks or sounds "foreign."

    Workers who experience discrimination have the right to file a complaint with one of the following offices:

    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
    33 Whitehall Street, New York, NY 10004
    (800)-669-4000
    
    New York State Division of Human Rights - Headquarters
    One Fordham Plaza, 4th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458
    (718) 741-8400
    
    NYC Commission on Human Rights - Manhattan Office
    40 Rector Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10006
    (212) 306-7450 or (212) 306-5070
    

    For more information about how to address discrimination against immigrants in the workplace, you may also contact the New York Immigration Coalition at (212) 627-2227.

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    07/21/2011

    Online Portfolios

    Spanish

    These days, it is very difficult to promote your work without a website. Many artists have discovered services that make it easy for them to present their work online without having to learn how to code a website from scratch. Wordpress.com and Tumblr are two free, popular platforms among the proliferation of options for presenting work on the internet. IAP did some research to find out which website customization services have integrated tools to promote online portfolio discovery, as well. After reviewing several portfolio-publishing platforms that target artists, we recommend the three services below.

    
    

    Squarespace: Images are uploaded and hosted on fast Amazon S3 servers, customer support is efficient, and a 14-day demo (no credit card required) is available from their website. Squarespace accounts at all three price points include full analytics (website traffic overview and referrers), their visual style designer, 20+ widgets and modules for customizing your site, and a custom domain. All domain owners can point their domain directly to the public Squarespace server in order to mask the squarespace.com domain.

    Pricing

    	$12/month or $144/year	$20/month or $240/year	$36/month or $432/year
    Pages	10	unlimited	unlimited
    Bandwidth: Bandwidth indicates the amount of data that is downloaded from your website. High bandwidth is important for sites with a high volume of media content (photos, videos, etc.) or visitor traffic.	1 TB	unlimited	unlimited
    Storage: The website storage capacity determines how many media files can be stored on your account and how large the site can become.	3 GB	unlimited	unlimited
    Audiences: Squarespace allows you to create password-protected areas of your website.	1	3	6
    Additional Features		unlimited editors	unlimited editors; priority support; form builder; user registration; business features

    Community

    The Squarespace blog publishes interviews with users about their projects and careers. Visit it here.

    
    

    Cargo Collective: Browse available design templates, websites customized by Cargo users and media display options here. Cargo sites are initiated by invite but memberships can be awarded to unaffiliated talents who share a sample of their work. You can apply for a Cargo account with this form: http://cargocollective.com/#/contact

    Pricing

    Free basic service includes:
    
    • Cloud hosting
    • 12 Projects, 3 Pages
    • 100MB storage
    • 16 Cargo Designs
    • Edit CSS
    • 5 Membership Invites
    $9/month or $66/year includes:
    • Projects and Pages up to 6GB storage
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Advanced Editing (Edit CSS and add HTML)
    • Custom URL
    • All Cargo Designs

    Community

    Cargo websites have a front- and a back-side. The front is a member's public website and the back is their Personal Network, connecting them to the people they follow on Cargo. A personal network of their own creation allows members to follow and comment on the work of others, making themselves known by their artistic engagement with the community.

    Enhanced Personal Networks now include newly designed Image Galleries, offering new ways to browse the work of the people you follow, and a new feature called Cargo Comment to encourage interaction between Cargo users. Cargo Comments do not affect public websites, only appearing in Personal Networks. Participation in Cargo Comments is strictly voluntary; members can opt out at any time in their Account Details.

    
    

    Behance Network: Behance Network is a platform for creative professionals that allows members to create multi-media portfolios to showcase their work within the network, as well as throughout partner sites and organizations. Your work can be pushed to the following Behance partner sites: LinkedIn, The Creators Project Gallery, AIGA Member Gallery, Adweek Talent Gallery, ADC Young Guns, and SVA Portfolios. In the Behance Network, artists can broadcast work on Facebook and Twitter, sync with LinkedIn and peruse job listings for creatives. Integrate e-commerce to sell items directly from your portfolio: link to an existing online store or set up shop in minutes.

    Pricing

    Build an online portfolio for free. Go live for $11/month.

    Community

    Any member can form a group and invite other members to join. Groups can be public or private, and can be used to work together, share tips and media, get feedback, and more.

    Behance staff also curate projects from the portfolios of their users and highlight them in weekly emails. To see Behance's curated projects, click here.

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    06/23/2011

    Immigrant Access to Healthcare

    Spanish

    For this month's Helpful Tips, the IAP researched specialized health care options for low-income or freelance artists in New York. We also remind you of your right to free communication assistance when seeking health care and direct you to an attorney who can help you if language barriers have prevented you from getting proper care in a New York State private or public hospital.

    Association Plan

    The Actors Fund's Artists Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC) has been connecting artists, craftspeople and entertainment industry workers around the country to health insurance and affordable health care since 1998. AHIRC.org is an up-to-date database of health care resources for artists, performers, freelancers and the self-employed. One suggestion for freelancers to consider is to join an association plan, which will allow you to purchase health insurance at a reduced rate. AHIRC recommends these association plans available to freelancers in New York:
    • The Freelancers Union
    • Fractured Atlas (for people in the arts)

    The Dancers Health Insurance Resource Center

    The Actors Fund has received a grant from the Doris Duke Foundation to create a Dancers Health Insurance Resource Center (DHIRC). The goal is to have every dancer – and dancer's family – insured by 2014. To discuss your health insurance options, call Jim Brown at 212-221-7300 x280 or e-mail him at jbrown@actorsfund.org. Nonprofit dance companies that want to pursue small business health insurance for their staffs should visit the DHIRC website for more information.

    HOWL Emergency Life Project

    The Howl Emergency Life Project (HELP) was created to provide emergency financial assistance and social service support to artists who have participated in the annual Howl Festival or who make their careers in New York City's East Village and Lower East Side arts community and whose work challenges the traditional boundaries of dance, theatre, music, multimedia and the spoken word

    Services include linkage to community resources for such needs as medical care, legal services, public benefits or elder care. Workshops are offered on a variety of topics and include: finding affordable housing, financial education as well as health insurance options. For eligibility rules and application guidelines, visit the HELP website: http://www.actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/howl-emergency-life-project.

    Artist Access

    How about painting a mural to pay for your next check-up or giving a concert for your next prescription? Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center (located right off the J,M,Z Flushing Ave train stop in Brooklyn)'s Artist Access program provides uninsured artists, musicians and dancers -- anyone making their living through a creative means -- the option to exchange creative services for medical care. Qualified artists in the program are offered a range of comprehensive services including doctor visits, hospitalizations, emergency care, medical and surgical procedures, prescriptions, MRI and ambulatory surgery, at any hospital or clinic within the North Brooklyn Health Network. For every hour of art, music, dance, any other artistic service you give to Woodhull, you get 40 health credits toward medical care there. Each credit is worth $1, so one hour equals $40 worth of medical care. A medical visit fee will be between $15 and $60 under the program, depending on income, and can be paid for out of pocket or with credits earned.

    Participants include musicians who perform for staff and patients, actors that role-play with medical residents as they practice communicating difficult news to patients and their families, artists who make art with children in the pediatric unit, dancers that teach children with diabetes how exercise can be fun, and photographers who take pictures of new born babies for their parents. This video profile shares some great visuals:

    All participants have to be enrolled in HHC Options, a low to medium-income NYC healthcare program. Once you're accepted to HHC Options, you're qualified for the Artist Access program, provided you live in the five boroughs; are uninsured; and can prove you make your income through visual art, acting, music, writing, poetry, filmmaking, dancing- almost any form of art. Call Program Director Amy Duquette at 877-244-5600 or email her at amy.duquette@nychhc.org to arrange a meeting. She will walk you through all of the enrollment steps. Make sure to bring some proof-of-income and a good idea of how your art can be expressed to help someone at the hospital.

    Affordable Care
    Individuals who do not have health insurance can still access affordable care at hospitals and community health centers. Sliding-scale fees based on an individual's income are available at all hospitals and community health centers in New York. Here are five Brooklyn destinations for cheap medical care: http://www.brokelyn.com/no-insurance-guide-to-brooklyn-healthcare/.

    Language Access in Health Care

    The following information is courtesy of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC):

    On September 13, 2006, new communication assistance regulations went into effect for all private and public hospitals throughout New York State. The new rules are intended to improve your access to health care and protect you from medical harm from communication problems in hospitals. If your ability to communicate in English is limited, or if you are hearing- or vision-impaired, you have a right to free communication assistance and should expect the following when you go into any hospital:

    The hospital must:
    • Ask you about your language preference during your first visit, and communicate with you in your language. The hospital should be ready to help you in your language if you visit again.
    • Provide an interpreter for free who is skilled in your language.
    • Make an interpreter available for as long as you need help communicating with hospital staff. The hospital may use bilingual staff, telephonic communication services and/or in-person interpreters to meet your communication needs.
    • Have information available telling you how to access free language assistance services.
    • Post signs telling you about the hospital's free language assistance services.
    • Explain your bill, insurance information and financial assistance options in your language.
    • NOT use anyone under the age of 16 to be your interpreter.
    • Provide interpreter services even if a family member and/or friend goes with you to the hospital for emotional support and to help you make decisions about your health care.

    If any of the following has happened to you in the New York City area, please contact the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest at 212-244-4664 (ask for Nisha Agarwal). She can help you to attain better care and will work with hospitals to improve services and correct violations.

    If you:
    • Were told that the hospital could not assist you in your language.
    • Were not offered a free interpreter even though you do not speak enough English to communicate about medical matters.
    • Were forced to wait for a long time to see a doctor because you requested an interpreter, or because the hospital did not understand your language.
    • Were asked to bring your own interpreter with you to your appointment, or if the hospital asked a family member or person in the waiting room to be your interpreter.
    • Could not understand what people at the hospital said to you because they did not communicate in your language.
    • Were asked to sign papers that you could not understand because the papers were not translated into your language.
    • Were provided with an interpreter who did not speak your language well enough to discuss medical matters.
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    05/25/2011

    How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of an Immigration Scam

    Korean

    Common Scams:

    • Pretend to be federal immigration agents and offering special treatment or services.
    • Promise employment or work VISAs they cannot provide.
    • Provide false promises that they can get special treatment for their clients from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
    • Produce and sell fraudulent Social Security cards, licenses, passports and other documents.
    • Represent themselves as accredited representatives or attorneys when they are not.
    • Offer services but instead just take money from customers and disappear.

    DOs & DON'Ts:

    • DO NOT sign any blank paper, application, petition or other document.
    • DO NOT sign any document that you don’t understand.
    • DO NOT sign any document that contains false or misleading information.
    • DO make sure that you read and understand any documents that are filed on your behalf and that all questions are answered truthfully.
    • DO make copies of all documents prepared or submitted for you.
    • DO be aware that you can cancel a contract for services in writing within three business days and obtain a full refund.
    • DO get a receipt for all payments, and keep proof of payment.
    • DO verify that your attorney is licensed or that your accredited representative is authorized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) to represent you.

    * Extracted from the brochure of the New York State Consumer Protection Board.

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    04/28/2011

    Legal and Other Related Resources for Immigrant Artists

    Korean

    As entrepreneurs, freelancers, and community leaders, artists confront complicated legal issues. Artists who come to the US from abroad often face additional legal concerns, especially at a time when harsh immigration policies in this country have become a subject of heated debate. Furthermore, it is a challenge for many of these artists with English as a second language to sift through the layers of paperwork, technical language, bureaucracy and conflicting information. There are a number of organizations that offer resources, which can alleviate some of this burden. Please view some legal and other related resources below:

    • Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts- Pro-bono legal services to low-income artists and arts organizations, offers workshops on legal issues confronting artists, and advocates for the arts community through legal action. You can call the VLA Art Law Line with all your legal questions: 212.319.2787 x1, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm.
    • The Legal Aid Society - Offers a number of specialized direct support programs and an online Self-Help Guide of legal resources.
    • Starving Artists Law - Self-help legal information for artists online - everything from Free Speech Resources to Copyright Law to Disputes.
    • Artists From Abroad - A complete online guide to immigration and tax requirements for foreign guest artists in the US.
    • Business of Art Articles on nyfa.org - These articles cover all manner of legal and financial issues that artists confront, from marketing to housing to website development to budgeting and tax preparation.
    • Arts and Business Council - They offer discounts, professional development services and more to member organization and individuals.
    • The Artists' Health Insurance Resource Center - The Actor's Fund provides this online directory and resource center for all artists, including those who are self-employed and act as freelancers, who seek affordable health insurance in the US. They also offer local seminars and opportunities to advocate for health care reform.
    • Fractured Atlas - They provide multiple programs and services that help artists and arts organizations be more effective as businesses, from health and liability insurance to advocacy and professional development.
    • Freelancer's Union - A free national membership organization that offer benefits like insurance and retirement to members and provides political advocacy for all independent workers.

    For immigrant artists interested in learning more about artist visas, please view our Helpful Tips on this topic here. You may also find more details on Fractured Atlas's page on Artist Visas here.

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    03/24/2011

    Selling Your Work Online

    Korean

    For visual and craft artists and others selling a tangible product, there are a number of online outlets for marketing your work.

    • Check out Etsy.com for an online platform for buying and selling handmade goods, or 20x200 for artist's prints at tiered prices and IAP artist Chin Chih Yang's project 123soho.com for an example of an online art gallery that allows you to purchase the works within.

    • Check out Kickstarter.com for a great example of an innovative web-based fundraising tool. Kickstarter allows invited artists to post a project proposal in any discipline - a book, a film, food, a voyage or an iPhone app - and appeal to the site's visitors to contribute towards a target funding goal, often by offering incentives for different levels of contribution. See IAP artist Hidemi Takagi's Blender project proposal on Kickstarter.

    • There are a number of ways to receive payments directly online. If you have a website, you can add a Google Checkout or Paypal component to your site, and anyone can set up a Paypal account to receive payments online.

    • Whether you are a musician promoting an upcoming show or an illustrator maintaining professional contacts, online social networking can greatly affect your ability to generate income from your work. Writing a blog, staying active on Facebook and similar sites, and actively updating your phone and email contacts to send out announcements and build relationships are all key components of a successful art marketing strategy.

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05/21/12

Canales Digitales Para Vender Su Trabajo

Ahora que su red ha sido un éxito, su obra de arte ha captado la atención del público y que está empezando a obtener ventas, es importante dar el siguiente paso obteniendo un sistema para vender su obra y recolectar sus pagos. Tanto si eres un artista emergente y tienes un volumen pequeño de ventas o, si eres un artista establecido es importante utilizar un sistema eficiente para recolectar los pagos y llenar sus pedidos. De esta manera, lo ayudará a tener un proceso de ventas más eficaz y por lo tanto hacerlo más rentable. Aquí les presentamos algunos consejos que hacen referencia al libro, coeditado por NYFA The Profitable Artist (El Artista Rentable) que le ayudarán a explorar los mejores métodos hoy en día para la venta de su obra y la recolección de pagos.

• Ventas en línea – Las ventas en línea son una parte importante de ingresos de un artista ya que la solución más sencilla para hacer pagos por internet es a través de una tarjeta de crédito. Los sitios que le presentamos ahora son servicios de pago. Estos servicios esencialmente lo que hacen es aceptar el pago por usted y le cobran una pequeña comisión por hacerlo. Aquí está una lista de algunos sitios confiables:
• PayPal: www.paypal.com
• CCBill: www.ccbill.com
• Google Checkout: http://checkout.google.com
• ProPay: www.propay.com
• La función de compra en su página de internet - Agregar la función de "pagar ahora" para su sitio web es una práctica común y ahorra tiempo ya que hace la compra más sencilla. Se puede configurar de forma automática cuando se utiliza un comerciante de terceros, y también viene de serie en muchas plantillas de sitio web.
• Crear una cuenta de mercante – Si va a realizar un gran número de ventas, puede ser más económico abrir su propia cuenta. Esto suele establecerse directamente a través de un banco o compañía de tarjeta de crédito y es un poco costoso. Su decision de utilizar un comerciante de terceros o abrir su propia cuenta deberá basarse en el volumen de ventas que vaya a realizar.
• La venta de su trabajo a través de los medios digitales – Si usted es un artista en arte performance, gran parte de su trabajo puede ser vendido a través de medios digitales como CD y DVD. El mercado para este medio es establecido, debido a la tecnología y los materiales que se usan para crear en este medio son económicos. La mayoría de los artistas que venden su trabajo en CDs y DVDs, lo hacen entre $ 10 y $ 25 y las descargas digitales en unos dólares menos. Un ejemplo de un sitio web dedicado a la promoción y venta de medios digitales es CD Baby, que permite a los artistas indie vender su trabajo.

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03/27/12

Consejos para Extender su Red de Contactos en Eventos de Etiqueta

Como artista, conocer gente y promover su trabajo puede ser muy difícil, especialmente cuando su trabajo es el objeto de discusión y es algo muy personal. Sin embargo, la creación de contactos es un componente esencial para el éxito de su carrera como artista ya que las redes suelen promover su trabajo, incluso sin su participación directa. Sin embargo, como cualquier habilidad, la creación de redes puede mejorar con la práctica. Los consejos que le presentamos a continuación fueron reunidos por OpenZine y Art Business Institute para que pueda utilizar sus tarjetas de presentación que creó en la edición del mes pasado y prepararse para sacar el máximo provecho en su próximo evento.

• Consejos para la preparación del evento:
• Utilice ropa apropiada para el lugar.
• Asegúrese de comer antes del evento para que pueda tener la energía suficiente.
• Lleve sus tarjetas de presentación.
• Perfeccione su "discurso de ascensor" - Este discurso es una explicación clara y concisa de su trabajo para crear una imagen en el oyente, que lo entiendan y lo recuerden. Concise toda su información en 30 segundos o menos.
• Escriba sus metas de modo que usted puede identificar si las ha logrado ya. Esto puede ayudarle a medir su eficacia y mejorar sus habilidades para extender su red de contactos en su próximo evento.
• Cosas que debe tener en cuenta durante el evento:
• Haga lo posible por ser amable y estar relajado.
• No coma demasiada comida o beber demasiado vino.
• Entable una conversación con un grupo de 3 personas ya que es más fácil que conversar con sólo una persona. No dude en conversar con alguien que parezca estar solo ya que puede ser una oportunidad para tener una conversación interesante y una gran oportunidad.
• Realice preguntas abiertas. No haga preguntas donde pueda obtener respuestas como "sí" o "no" ya que así mantendrá viva la conversación.
• Evite tratar de mantener conversaciones por más tiempo del necesario.
• Recuerde que si usted desea recibir, primero hay que dar - Si desea referencias de negocios, asegúrese de que usted otorgue referencias de negocios. Sea used quien dé el primer paso ayudando a los demás para que ellos lo hagan también.
• Al final de la conversación, ofrezca intercambiar sus tarjetas de presentación. Si usted da su tarjeta de presentación, asegúrese de pedir una tarjeta de regreso.
• Pasos a seguir después del evento:
• Tome notas acerca de los participantes - un buen lugar es en la parte posterior de las tarjetas de presentación que le dieron.
• Seguimiento - Este es el paso más importante después del evento. Haga un seguimiento con los contactos interesantes. Lo puede hacer por e-mail o por teléfono al día siguiente porque el contacto es probable que esté más entusiasmado si le habla más temprano que tarde. También tenga en cuenta que se requiere la persistencia con los contactos para obtener resultados. Con la mayoría de las nuevas relaciones comerciales, toma cerca de siete contactos para conseguir un "sí" o una primera orden

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02/28/12

Cómo sacarle provecho a su tarjeta de negocios como Artista

La tarjeta de negocio de un artista difiere en ciertos aspectos a las de otros tipos de negocios. Un vendedor que lleve consigo una tarjeta de representar a su compañía o agente de bienes raíces sería un portador de una tarjeta para representar a su grupo de bienes raíces, pero usted, como artista representarse a sí mismo! ¿Cómo puede asegurarse que su tarjeta es efectiva y hacer al mismo tiempo que usted sobresalga?

En el amplio mundo de los negocios y el arte, las tarjetas de negocio son repartidas con frecuencia. Una tarjeta de negocios muy creativa puede hacer que la gente la revise cuando vean su tarjeta, y a su vez puede hacer que la quieran mostrar a los demás, extendiendo así su publicidad. En estos consejos recopilados de designrfix y learntoart.com, usted puede aprender a utilizar efectivamente el poder de una tarjeta de negocios.

• Para crear una tarjeta de negocios, cuyo mensaje sigue siendo vender su arte y a usted mismo, su tarjeta debe cumplir con 4 objetivos principales:
• Identifique
• Incluya su información de contacto
• Identifique sus obras de arte o el campo principal de su trabajo
• Incluya un lema
• Utilice ambos lados de su tarjeta de visita..
• Prepare su tarjeta para el público: Recuerde que, como regla general, sus clientes en su mayoría no son artistas.
• Información de contacto: Incluya su página de internet, su nombre, dirección postal, dirección de correo electrónico y número de teléfono.
• Le recomendamos incluir una dirección postal. Todavía hay algunos clientes que se comunican a través del servicio postal de EE.UU. (es decir, invitaciones a aperturas, aplicaciones de materiales, etc.)
• No es recomendable incluir su domicilio. Quizás en su lugar, puede utilizar su dirección de estudio o PO Box.
• La impresión y la tipografía tiene que ser en formatos fáciles de leer.
• Incluya imágenes de su arte: Esta es quizás la característica más importante de su tarjeta. La imagen debe ser un ejemplo de lo que cree y su estilo de marca. Si usted participa en festivales de arte, ayuda a tener sus tarjetas con usted y en dondequiera que exhiba su trabajo.
• Incluir un lema: Con sólo decir que es artista no ayuda a que sus clientes lo identifiquen. Un lema es una identificación más precisa de lo que usted hace, así que trate de ser específico. Por ejemplo, si usted trabaja con vidrio, mencione el tipo de vidrio con el que trabaja. Tanto la palabra escrita y la imagen visual debe reforzarse mutuamente.

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01/24/12

Formas Rentables Para Promover su Exposición

Una vez que haya convencido a sus galeristas de que su obra de arte debe ser exhibida en su espacio, el paso siguiente consiste en promover su exposición. Aquí les presentamos algunas ideas e información de emptyeasel.com sobre cómo promocionar su show de manera rentable.

• Imprima 100 o más volantes anunciando su espectáculo y distribúyalos en las empresas y en los tableros de anuncios comunitarios cercanos a su área. Un mes antes de su exposición distribuya sus volantes y aproveche la publicidad gratuita en la televisión, en la radio, en los periódicos asi como de cualquier otro canal publicitario de arte que conozca de su comunidad.
• No dude en ponerse en contacto con los periodistas por su propia cuenta, o bien, específicamente los que escriben para las artes y las secciones de entretenimiento del periódico. Para más consejos sobre cómo promover su exposición en un periódico, haga clic aquí.
• No se olvide de agregar su número de contacto e información para la nota de prensa. (Usted puede investigar de comunicados de prensa en la red para obtener el formato más apropiado). Esperamos que sea contactado para dar una entrevista, pero no es necesariamente una garantía que suceda.
• Para algunos consejos sobre la utilización efecitva de otros canales de comercialización, haga clic aquí.
• Una vez que haya reservado su lugar, haya establecído una fecha, y la publicidad aquí le presentamos algunos detalles finales para su exposición:
  
  • Planée gastar alrededor de $30 para bocadillos y bebidas. No lo haga gourmet, pero tampoco lo haga barato y de baja calidad. Esto es una manera de demostrarle a sus clientes que usted se preocupa por ellos, incluso si no realizan ninguna compra. Asegúrese de que todo tenga un precio adecuado.
  • Adicionalmente, para beneficio de sus piezas de arte, puede colocar la historia de cada una de sus obras junto con el nombre, el precio, el tamaño y el material que le corresponden.
  • Por encima de todo, debe tener en cuenta que cuando se trata de arte, la gente quiere comprar algo más que sólo una imagen, sino que buscan comprar la experiencia también.

Si usted es creativo y eficiente con sus recursos, y está dispuesto a poner un esfuerzo, es muy probable tener un programa exitoso sin gastar mucho dinero.

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12/20/11

Cómo acercarse a Espacio de Arte para la exposición

Después de localizar posibles galerías o espacios de exposición en donde le gustaría exponer sus obras de arte, su siguiente tarea será la de convencer a los responsables de que su obra de arte debe ser expuesta con una cartera bien planificada y organizada, así como averiguar la mejor manera de presentarse usted y su obra de arte. Lo siguiente muestra ideas e información de art-support.com y emptyeasel.com sobre la manera de convencer a los encargados de estos espacios que su obra de arte debe ser expuesta, cómo elegir la fecha correcta, y si así lo desean, la manera de añadir un tema a su presentación para hacerla más atractiva.

Después de localizar posibles galerías o espacios de exposición en donde le gustaría exponer sus obras de arte, su siguiente tarea será la de convencer a los responsables de que su obra de arte debe ser expuesta con una cartera bien planificada y organizada, así como averiguar la mejor manera de presentarse usted y su obra de arte. Lo siguiente muestra ideas e información de art-support.com y emptyeasel.com sobre la manera de convencer a los encargados de estos espacios que su obra de arte debe ser expuesta, cómo elegir la fecha correcta, y si así lo desean, la manera de añadir un tema a su presentación para hacerla más atractiva.

• Portfolio: Lea las pautas del Artist Portfolio Guidelines para aprender a organizar su portafolio, la mejor manera de presentar su obra, y otros consejos sobre su presentación.
• Las primeras impresiones: Recuerde que las primeras impresiones son tan importantes como un portafolio bien organizado. Siempre actué de forma profesional y domine sus habilidades de presentación.
• ¿Cómo elegir la fecha correcta: A menos que esté situado en un popular destino turístico, su exposición debe ser programada para la mitad de la semana y evitar los meses de verano. Si no, puede perder una gran parte de su público a las vacaciones y los viajes.
• Un tema creativo: Presente su exposición de una manera que su obra concuerde y deja a los visitantes con algo que puedan recordar. Por ejemplo, si gran parte de su arte es sobre las playas, mares o paisajes de agua, planee su exposición con ese tema en mente.

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11/22/11

La investigación de su galería o espacio de exposición

Después de completar un cuerpo de trabajo, el objetivo de la mayoría de los artistas es que sus obras de arte aparezcan en una exposición. Con el fin de encontrar buenas galerías de arte y espacios de exposición, tendrá que hacer algunas investigaciones. A continuación presentamos ideas e información de artsupport.com sobre cómo localizar las galerías de arte y espacios de exposición para mostrar su obra de arte:

• Periódicos locales: listados de galerías de arte en los periódicos locales por lo general se encuentran en la sección de arte y entretenimiento y aparecen una o dos veces por semana. La mayoría de los periódicos también tienen versiones en línea que hacen del Internet un recurso importante para la ubicación de galerías de arte. Newslink.org proporciona enlaces a los periódicos en línea: http://newslink.org/daynews.html.
• Guías de Galerías: guías de fotografía y arte regional o nacional son fuentes excelentes para buscar galerías. Aquí hay cuatro sitios que pueden ser buenos recursos en línea:
  • Photography-guide.com - galerías en Nueva York, así como una lista nacional e internacional.
  • ArtAccess.com - galerías de arte en el Noroeste, incluyendo Seattle y Portland.
  • Artscenecal.com - galerías de arte en el sur de California.
  • Galleryguide.com - Varias ciudades, incluyendo Boston, Chicago, Filadelfia, Nueva York.
  
• Revistas mensuales: B&W (la revista Blanco y Negro) incluye un listado de exposiciones de fotografía.
• Red de trabajo: Hablando son amigos, profesionales del arte, conservadores de museos, etc. puede darte una idea de posibles espacios de exposición que usted no ha visitado o de otros sitios que usted puede contactar. Incluso podrían presentarlo a las galerías a las que pertenecen. Conéctese a Internet y utilice el correo electrónico. Consultores de arte también pueden tener ideas valiosas sobre posibles lugares para mostrar su trabajo. Se suele encontrar consultores de arte en las páginas amarillas, junto con comerciantes de arte.

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10/27/11

Venta de su arte: Cómo Acceder a los precios y su mercado

El arte de Marketing Strategist Aletta de Wal ha estado consultando con los empresarios y artistas de entrenamiento para más de 20 años. Como colaborador de la revista de arte en línea Empty Easel, que comparte algunas pautas para el precio de su trabajo y lo que es visible para el mercado adecuado.

• La red con personas que son compradores potenciales y con gente que conoce a los posibles compradores, incluyendo a otros artistas. Asegúrese de que todo el mundo está consciente de su arte y que sus compradores potenciales. Cuando las conexiones encontramos un buen partido, van a pensar por primera vez.
• En tiempos económicos más difíciles, las ventas puede ser más lenta, menos o, simplemente, menos predecible. Pero siempre hay coleccionistas y comerciantes en el mercado de "el arte correcto al precio correcto." Manténgase en contacto con ellos hasta que son listos comprar o exhibir el tipo de arte que cree.
• Conozca a su nicho de mercado que está en él, ¿dónde están mostrando, y qué precios están recibiendo por su trabajo? Galerías y coleccionistas están especialmente interesados ​​en las ventas similar a la prueba tangible de que existe una demanda para su trabajo.
• Marchantes de arte y coleccionistas tienen un sentido de los factores que crean valor en todos los tipos de trabajo. Parte de su trabajo es ser igualmente bien versada lo que puede establecer los precios que son apropiadas y oportunas. Al hacer la investigación y actuar sobre ella con confianza, sus precios serán acogidos favorablemente.
• Lo que hace que su arte más valioso para los colectores que cualquier otra obra de arte que tiene la opción de compra? Si usted no sabe esto, será más difícil que el tono de su arte.
• Comience con una actitud que el arte vale la pena vender, de lo contrario no tiene precio se sentirá como en su caso. Una gran parte de las ventas es seguridad en sí mismo, por lo que tener confianza en sí mismo, su arte y su valor. Al mismo tiempo, mantener una actitud de respeto para su público. Sin ese respeto, no hay precio que suena bien para ellos. Si no valoran a sus espectadores, es poco probable que construir relaciones que conducen a la venta o representación.
• Aprenda acerca de las compras de su público el arte del pasado. ¿Cuál es su umbral de estilos y precios, cómo, dónde y con qué frecuencia les gusta comprar obras de arte? Con este conocimiento, que es más fácil superar los obstáculos de fijación de precios mediante la negociación de un plan de pago o de lo que sugiere un pedazo más pequeño que se ajuste a su presupuesto.
• Siempre conocer los costos reales y los gastos generales de creación de su arte. Esto significa asignar un valor a todo lo que en el proceso creativo, incluyendo los costos duro (todo lo que usted paga), así como costos indirectos (el valor de nuestro tiempo, como si usted pagó salarios a ti mismo). Realizar un seguimiento de sus ventas. El precio más alto de ventas que recibe constantemente debe ser el mínimo para su próxima serie de trabajos.
• No aumentar los precios sin una demanda comprobada. Puede ser tentador para aumentar sus precios debido a que necesita más dinero. Si usted está vendiendo 1 / 3 a 1 / 2 de la obra que crea cada año, usted está probablemente seguro para aumentar sus precios en un 10 - 15%. Si desea mantener su flujo de caja corriente constante, a continuación, mantener sus precios estables en el cuerpo actual de trabajo y ofrecer la siguiente obra a precios más altos.
• No bajar los precios sin una razón. Si usted no está vendiendo tanto trabajo como le gustaría, o la necesidad de flujos de efectivo, usted puede tener la tentación de bajar sus precios. Si un coleccionista ya ha comprado un pedazo del mismo cuerpo de trabajo y luego ve a un precio más bajo, es posible que sientan que en exceso y no se puede comprar de nuevo. Si usted baja sus precios en lugar de cambiar su enfoque de marketing general, usted no puede conseguir más ventas, y sin embargo, le resultará más difícil de subir los precios en el futuro.
• No tienen diferentes precios en diferentes lugares. Fluctuación de los precios poner duda en la mente de los espectadores, y la duda mata a las ventas. Ellos pueden pensar que los precios se hace por capricho. Para aquellos de ustedes exponer su obra en línea y fuera de línea, asegúrese de que sus precios son consistentes. Una vez que fijar un precio con una galería, el honor del alcance del acuerdo a la carta. Si la galería le permite mostrar la misma obra en su sitio web, asegúrese de pasar parte de cualquier comisión de venta iniciado por la galería. Si usted no cumple con la confianza que tiene con ellos, le puede costar su reputación en el camino.

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09/19/11

¿Cómo usar las redes sociales para encontrar nuevas oportunidades

En el boletín de la IAP de julio, elegimos tres servicios de publicación en línea de la cartera de artistas que lo hacen fácil de mostrar su trabajo en un sitio web personalizado. Pero una vez que el sitio web se ha creado, ¿cómo lo transmiten? ¿Cómo se hace visible su sitio web a la industria de los pares, conservadores y comisarios? Consejos útiles de este mes se establece una estrategia multifacética y coherente de medios sociales para sacar el máximo provecho de su presencia en línea.

Es una buena idea para mantener un blog en su sitio en el que cargar la documentación de sus obras en curso y hablar de conceptos para futuros proyectos. La publicación de un diario de trabajo permite a otros a participar con su trabajo y hace que sea más fácil para ellos acercarse a usted para la colaboración. Puede utilizar Tumblr u otra plataforma de blogs, pero es mejor para integrar los blogs con su cartera en línea en el mismo sitio web.

Después de publicar fotos o videos de lo que hemos estado trabajando, se puede alimentar las entradas del blog a Twitter y Facebook con una herramienta de publicación de medios sociales como Twitterfeed. TweetDeck se integra con bitly, la URL de la aplicación de acortamiento que puede utilizar para crear URL personalizadas y los clics en los enlaces de la pista que has compartido. Este video explica los pasos para crear una URL personalizada, de marca cada vez que quiera compartir un enlace. Para saber que han hecho clic en sus enlaces, la participación de la url como bitly y añadir "+" al final de cada enlace bitly que desea rastrear.

Puede compartir selectiva actualizaciones de Twitter en Facebook, poniendo fin a un tweet con el hashtag # fb. Es muy sencillo de instalar los "Tweets selectiva" aplicación de Facebook y este sitio le muestra cómo. Separe sus conexiones de Facebook en diferentes grupos con las listas. De esta manera, usted puede canalizar la información relevante a la lista adecuada y evitar el correo basura a sus conexiones.

Una red de medios de comunicación social en el que no correrá el riesgo de mezclar lo personal y lo profesional es Linkedin. La gente visita LinkedIn específicamente para hacer contactos de negocios. Al actualizar su perfil de LinkedIn, las conexiones son notificados vía correo electrónico para que los de su red pueden mantenerse al tanto de nuevos proyectos. Tome ventaja de la función de las recomendaciones. En recomendaciones, colaboradores y miembros de la Comisión puede dar fe de su ética de trabajo y capacidad para trabajar bien en equipo, cualidades que no se mostró tan fácilmente en su cartera. Puede mostrar una cartera multimedia en su perfil de LinkedIn LinkedIn con LinkedIn Creative Portfolio Display application.

Flavors es una gran herramienta para tirar de todos los componentes de su presencia en línea en un solo paquete. Vea este vídeo para ver cómo otros utilizan Sabores de presentar su marca personal: http://vimeo.com/hiidef/flavors

Una vez que estés seguro de que su presencia en los medios sociales refleja que usted y su trabajo, llegar. Utilizar todos los canales de medios sociales para interactuar, no transmitir. Además de compartir sus propias actualizaciones, compartir sus pensamientos y comentarios de otros artistas que están siguiendo en Twitter, Tumblr, etc Tratar a cada canal de medios sociales como una fuente independiente de la conversación que puede llevar tanto a las oportunidades digitales y del mundo real para la colaboración

07/21/11

Sitios de Web Han Integrado Herramientas de Portfolio

Hoy en día, es muy difícil para promover su trabajo sin un sitio web. Muchos artistas han descubierto servicios que hacen que facilitan la presentación de su trabajo en Internet sin tener que aprender a leer y manejar el código de un sitio web desde cero. Wordpress.com y Tumblr, dos plataformas gratuitas, populares entre la proliferación de opciones para presentar el trabajo en Internet. IAP hizo una investigación para averiguar qué servicios de personalización de sitios de web han integrado herramientas de portfolio. Después de revisar varias plataformas de publicación de portfolio dirigidas a artistas, se recomienda los siguientes tres servicios.

Squarespace: Se cargan las imágenes y alojado en los servidores veloces de Amazon S3, atención al cliente es eficiente, y un periodo de demostración de 14 días (no se requiere tarjeta de crédito) está disponible en su página web. Las cuentas de Squarespace, en sus tres niveles de precio incluyen análisis completo de pagina (vista general del tráfico web y referentes), su diseñador de estilo visual, 20 + widgets y módulos para la personalización de su sitio, así como un dominio personalizado. Todos los propietarios de dominio pueden apuntar su dominio directamente en el servidor Squarespace pública con el fin de ocultar el dominio squarespace.com.

Precios

Comunidad

El blog Squarespace publica entrevistas con los usuarios sobre sus proyectos y carreras. Visita aquí.

Cargo Collective: Navega por plantillas de diseño, sitios web personalizados y media display disponibles para los usuarios de Cargo aquí. Los sitios Cargo se inician por invitación pero membrecías pueden ser concedidas a los talentos no afiliados que compartan una muestra de su trabajo. Usted puede solicitar una cuenta de Cargo con esta forma: http://cargocollective.com/#/contact

Precios

Servicio básico gratuito incluye:

• Cloud hosting
• 12 proyectos, 3 páginas
• 100 MB de almacenamiento
• 16 diseños de Cargo Collective
• Editar CSS
• Invitaciones para 5 Miembros

• Los proyectos y páginas de almacenamiento de hasta 6 GB
• Ancho de banda ilimitado
• Edición avanzada (Editar CSS y HTML añadir)
• URL personalizada
• Todos los diseños de Cargo Collective

Comunidad

Los sitios web de Cargo tiene una parte delantera y trasera-. La parte delantera es el sitio web público de un miembro y la parte de atrás es su red personal, la conexión a la gente que usted siga en Cargo. Una red personal de su propia creación permite a los miembros seguir y comentar el trabajo de los demás, darse a conocer por su compromiso artístico con la comunidad.

Redes personales mejoradas ahora incluyen nuevos diseños y galerías de imágenes, ofreciendo nuevas formas de ver el trabajo de la gente le sigue, y una nueva característica llamada Cargo Comment para fomentar la interacción entre los usuarios de carga. Cargo Comment no afecta a los sitios web públicos, sólo aparecen en las redes personales. Participación en esta característica es estrictamente voluntaria, los miembros pueden optar salir en cualquier momento en los detalles de su cuenta.

Behance Network: Behance Network es una plataforma para los profesionales creativos que permite a sus miembros crear carteras multimedia para mostrar su trabajo dentro de la red, así como en todos los sitios y organizaciones asociadas. Su trabajo puede ser llevado a los sitios asociados a Behance siguientes: LinkedIn, The Creators Project Gallery, AIGA Member Gallery, Adweek Talent Gallery, ADC Young Guns, and SVA Portfolios. En la Behance Network, los artistas pueden difundir su trabajo en Facebook y Twitter, así como sincronizarse con LinkedIn y los listados de trabajo para creativos. También puede integrar el comercio electrónico para vender artículos directamente desde su cartera creando un enlace a una tienda en línea existente o con la creación de la tienda en cuestión de minutos.

Precios

Construir un portafolio en línea de forma gratuita. Publicar por $ 11/mes.

Comunidad

Cualquier miembro puede formar un grupo e invitar a otros miembros a unirse. Los grupos pueden ser públicos o privados, y se puede utilizar para trabajar juntos, compartir consejos y medios, obtener retroalimentación, y mucho más.

El personal de Behance también cura los proyectos de las carteras de sus usuarios y los resalta en sus correos semanales. Para ver los proyectos curados por Behance, haga clic aquí.

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06/23/11

Acceso de los Inmigrantes al Sistema de Salud

Consejos útiles para este mes, IAP ha investigado las siguientes opciones de atención especializada de salud para los artistas independientes o de bajos recursos en Nueva York:

Plan Asociación

El Centro de Recursos de Salud para Artistas, del Fondo de Actores, ha conectado a artistas, artesanos y trabajadores de la industria del entretenimiento en todo el país a los seguros de salud y cuidados de salud accesibles desde 1998. AHIRC.org es una base de datos actualizada de recursos de atención de salud para los artistas, intérpretes, profesionales independientes. Se recomienda a los trabajadores independientes unirse a un plan de asociación que le permitirá adquirir un seguro de salud a un precio reducido. AHIRC recomienda estos planes de asociación a disposición de los trabajadores independientes en Nueva York:

• The Freelancers Union
• Fractured Atlas (para personas en las artes)

Centro de Recursos de Salud para Bailarines

El Fondo de Actores ha recibido una subvención de la Fundación Doris Duke para crear un Centro de Recursos de Salud para Bailarines (DHIRC). El objetivo es que cada bailarín - y la familia del bailarín – cuente con un seguro para el 2014. Para discutir sus opciones de seguro de salud, llame a Jim Brown en 212-221-7300 x280 o por correo electrónico jbrown@actorsfund.org. Compañías de danza sin fines de lucro quienes buscan adquirir un seguro para pequeñas empresas, deben visitar el DHIRC sitio web para más información.

HOWL Proyecto de Emergencias

El HOWL Proyecto de Emergencias (HELP) se creó para proporcionar ayuda financiera de emergencia y servicios de apoyo social a los artistas que han participado en el HOWL Festival o que hacen sus carreras en el las comunidades artísticas del East Village y Lower East Side de Nueva York así como aquellos cuya obra desafía los límites tradicionales de la danza, el teatro, música, multimedia y la palabra hablada.

Los servicios incluyen vínculos a los recursos comunitarios para necesidades como atención médica, servicios legales, beneficios públicos o cuidado de ancianos. Los talleres se ofrecen en una variedad de temas que incluyen: la búsqueda de viviendas accesibles, educación financiera, así como opciones de seguro médico. Para las reglas de elegibilidad y las normas de solicitud, visite el sitio web de HELP: http://www.actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/howl-emergency-life-project.

Acceso a los Artistas

¿Qué tal una pintura mural para pagar por su próximo chequeo médico o dar un concierto para su próxima receta? El Programa de Acceso a los Artistas de Woodhull Médico y Centro de Salud Mental (ubicado al lado de la parada de tren J, M, Z Flushing Ave en Brooklyn) les da la opción a artistas, músicos, bailarines – y personas que se ganen la vida a través de un medio creativo – sin seguro de intercambiar algún servicio creativo por atención médica. A los artistas en el programa se les ofrece una amplia gama de servicios que incluye las visitas al médico, hospitalizaciones, atención de emergencia, procedimientos médicos y quirúrgicos, medicamentos, resonancia magnética y cirugía ambulatoria, en cualquier hospital o clínica dentro de la Red de Salud del Norte de Brooklyn. Por cada hora de arte, música, danza, o cualquier otro servicio artístico a Woodhull, se obtienen 40 créditos hacia la atención médica allí. Cada crédito es equivalente a US $ 1, así que una hora es igual a $ 40 dólares en atención médica. La cuota de visita médica será de entre $ 15 y $ 60, dependiendo de los ingresos, y se puede pagar de su bolsillo o con los créditos obtenidos.

Los participantes incluyen a músicos que llevan a cabo presentaciones para el personal y los pacientes, actores quienes hacen juegos de actuación y obras con los con los médicos residentes, ellos practican como comunicar situaciones difíciles a los pacientes y sus familias. Los artistas plásticos hacen arte con los niños en la unidad pediátrica, los bailarines enseñan a niños con diabetes cómo el ejercicio puede ser divertido, y los fotógrafos toman fotos de los bebés recién nacidos a sus padres. Este vídeo comparte algunas grandes representaciones visuales:

Todos los participantes tienen que estar inscritos en el HHC Options, un programa de salud de bajos recursos en Nueva York. Una vez aceptado a HHC Options, usted está calificado para el programa de acceso del artista, siempre y cuando su residencia se encuentre dentro de los cinco condados, no tenga seguro médico, y puede demostrar que hace su ingreso a través del arte visual, la actuación, la música, la escritura, la poesía, el cine, el baile o casi cualquier forma de arte. Llame a Amy Duquette, Director del Programa al 877-244-5600 o por correo electrónico a amy.duquette@nychhc.org para hacer una cita. Ella le guiará a través de todos los pasos de inscripción. Asegúrese de llevar alguna comprobante de ingreso y una buena idea de cómo el arte puede ayudar a alguien en el hospital.

Atención Accesible

Las personas que no cuenten con seguro de salud aún pueden tener acceso a atención médica accesible en los hospitales y centros de salud comunitarios. Les recordamos que existe la opción de pago personal con una escala de honorarios ajustable según los ingresos con previa presentación de prueba de ingresos disponible en todos los hospitales y centros de salud comunitarios en Nueva York. Aquí hay cinco destinos de Brooklyn para la atención médica barata: http://www.brokelyn.com/no-insurance-guide-to-brooklyn-healthcare/.

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