An artist recently asked me “Why is it that some artists’ careers rise to stardom while other artists, who are equally talented, remain invisible?” It was an excellent question that led me to write this article on the subject of public relations. Having been an arts writer for 30 years and a former art magazine publisher, I am well acquainted with the role that public relations plays in the art world.
My artist client quickly reminded me that most artists may not know about the topic. So, here it is: “The Basics of Public Relations For Artists”. I hope it eliminates the mystery about why some artists get more of their share of fame.
What is Public Relations?
“Public Relations” is a broad umbrella under which community relations, networking, publicity, self-promotion, art marketing and a multitude of other activities fall.
In the business sense, it has been defined as an integral process about influencing, engaging and building a relationship with key stakeholders across a myriad of platforms in order to shape and frame the public perception of an organization.
Simply stated, if you’re on social media, everything you post is a form of public relations. You send messages about yourself with every original post you make or share.
All of these add up to what generates your public image.
As you build your art career it is important to understand the benefits of public relations for artists. This article aims at providing the basics with some history and ideas on the subject.
To see one’s name in print! Some people commit a crime for no other reason. ~ Gustave Flaubert
The History of Public Relations
Public Relations is not a new concept. The use of Public Relations in the arts goes back to Futurism, born in the years immediately preceding World War I. This art movement aimed to agitate an uneasy self-consciousness, and it incorporated advanced techniques of publicity and showmanship.
Since then, many artists have engaged the services of Public Relations specialists and self-promotion to advance their careers. For instance, Jackson Pollock and Jacob Epstein hired the same public relations agent — Eleanor Lambert — who specialized in promoting artists’ careers.
Public Relations is a multi-billion dollar industry. Most experts would agree that nothing in the media today is generated independent of the assistance provided by someone engaged in public relations. The process often begins with a single phone call or e-mail to reach the right person.
What is Publicity?
Publicity is free exposure from members of the press in the form of print, radio, TV or the Internet.
Whenever you receive publicity you experience the direct correlation between the power of the press and your professional status. You know this to be true if you’ve ever had a positive art review and watched how your art buyers reacted to the printed words and how it elevated your self-esteem.
Simply stated, the more publicity you receive the more known you become, the more value is accredited to your work, and the more influence and power you gain.
Advertising
Another form of Public Relations is Advertising. Many artists have gone this route to get the word out about themselves.
In his desire to attain fame and fortune Jeff Koons spared no expense. He bought advertising space in art magazines and billboard space around New York City.
Lynda Benglis bought a two-page spread to spread her nude body in Artforum, a leading art magazine. Painter Marilyn Minter bought TV time to announce her exhibition. They did it unabashedly and spent lots of dollars to do it. They would agree it paid off and significantly catapulted their art careers into a new stratosphere.
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.
~ Daniel J. Boorstin
The Press Release
The vehicle that drives the message to the press is the “News Release or “Press Release”. It relies on excellent writing skills and the packaging of information that tells the merits of the individual, organization, product, event or service.
The Press Release includes details about “Who, What, When, Where and How”. It is usually sent when there is an event such as an exhibition, workshop, art fair, art award or grant, art book release, or the launch of a new art business and/or website; although, it can be sent for any occasion.
The Press Release is disseminated to the media outlets which then determine if the material is worthy of an article. If so, it may be shared “as is” without any editing or a staff writer may contact the sender for more information or an interview. There are countless media outlets now including online blogs and ezines so you can imagine the power that a well-written press release has. Successful public relations in the arts is consistent and aggressive and relies on knowing to whom to direct the message and the right time to do it.
Professional publicists maintain a database of art writers, journalists, publishers, blogs, news media, feature editors, and more. They develop relationships with them and maintain strong ties with those individuals through regular communication and networking. They also belong to professional organizations to build connections.
The Public Relations Society of America is one such organization. It is the largest professional organization serving the communications community in the United States. Its mission is to “make communications professionals smarter, better prepared and more connected through all stages of their career.” Currently, its membership is comprised of more than 30,000 members.
In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes. ~ Andy Warhol
The Art Blog
A very effective form of Public Relations and self-promotion is the Art Blog. Every time you post a new article on your blog and use the “share” buttons and post in social media you are using the art of self-promotion. Many artists don’t have an idea about why or how to use their Art Blog and fail to gain the many potential benefits.
Social Media
The least expensive, albeit time consuming way to integrate a public relations program into your art marketing plans is the use of social media. It’s a place where one post can go viral and you’ll be instantly famous. But, that’s an entirely different and huge subject of its own.
Where to Begin
Most artists know it is important to promote themselves but don’t have any definitive plan or goals about the subject. Maybe it’s time for you to think about how to raise the volume on your self-promotion.
At the very least, learn about the art of writing a press release and start building a database of editorial outlets.
This is an informative and helpful article Renee, thanks for sharing.
I’ve been selling my art for the past decade although I haven’t been able to get out of first gear despite several galleries in New York who were keen to display my work. When it came to signing a contract I asked them if they could provide a win, win, win for the customers, myself and them, but they never got back to me. I’m guessing this method would not suit their business model.
I wonder if it is possible to make a living as a fair and honest artist in the art world?
From my experience I have found it extremely difficult to do business with galleries with this mindset so I had no choice but to go it alone and eventually found a home at Fine Art America where I now have some of the best selling images of Manhattan (and many other subjects). This has been very consistent for me but how do I get out of first gear?
with gratitude,
Az Jackson
https://azjackson.com/
Dear AZ, Thank you for reading my article and your comment and questions. You may find the answers to your questions by exploring this website and reading my articles on many different topics. In order to give you my best advice I would need to obtain more information about your goals and history and provide a private consultation. In 2024 I may start offering phone consultations again, a service I had to discontinue for a few years due to my commitment with 2 online galleries, writing services and online exhibitions. When/if I do I’ll announce on my NEWS page
This is a great PR article! As a student who is interested in doing public relations for the arts this was very helpful. I appreciate the breakdown and brief history of public relations, as well as the explanation of different aspects of public relations. I think it’s really important to fully understand these things before diving into the promotional work. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Renee! : )
I am constantly referring to this particular article as a means to remind myself on the importance of publicizing my works of art. It is an invaluable tool that I seek to better myself at.
My goal is to reach the World in exposing my Art and stimulating the minds of as many people as my energy will allow. I wish to consistently inspire.
Thank you for your talents and your epic writing skills!!
Corey Ceccarelli
Dear Cory, Thank you for your comment. Your art is fantastic and so versatile! I enjoyed visiting your website, viewing your art and reading your descriptions in all of your portfolios. Wishing you continued success and creative bliss, Renee
Thank you kindly Renee!!
I value your comment and compliments : )
Hi Renee,
I’m an artist in the UK and have recently had global news coverage with regard to printing my art on face masks and donating them to my local community. I’m actually with 3 galleries which is great. I have won numerous national awards in the UK. I also create all my own marketing and PR and I’m very proactive with exhibitions, competitions, art trails, blogs etc. However, it seems that I only seem to be selling around 3 artworks a year. Do you have any suggestions how I can over come this? If you google me in the UK, I seem to spring up everywhere, so my profile is really good… just lack of sales let me down. Do you think I could be with the wrong galleries?
Dear Shelley, Congratulations on receiving publicity. Make the most of it! Read What to Do After You Receive Publicity As An Artist.. Regarding your question about sales — to you and to all artists reading this with the same problem, there could be any number of reasons for lack of sales. To get to the root of it, you could start by reading articles that focus on selling and start here: https://renee-phillips.com/10-of-the-best-sales-tips-for-artists/ Also read this article about Dealing with Dealers and Art Galleries. and Questions For Artists to Ask Art Galleries. As conditions are changing in the art market, you may also learn something from reading How to Create Your Art Business Plan. As an art career consultant and coach for artists I believe there are always solutions so don’t give up learning about the business of being an artist.
Renee, great article. How does an artist know when or if their art is sellable?
Dear Gary, Thank you for your wonderful question. There are many factors and maybe I’ll break them down into one or more future articles. I visited the website you wrote with your comment and Leslie’s art is wonderful and salable. (Quick tip): On her website she may want to consider reorganizing her portfolio more accurately re: subjects/styles.
Thanks for an informative article.. It takes a lot of time to keep up with social media but it does pay off. Your article came at a good time and is a reminder to ramp it up and get word out about your new work and next show..
Great comments. First time reader.
Really enjoyed this article Renee. One of my favorite stunts is one that an artist did on YouTube. He shot his paintings with a gun. . .or it could have been arrows, I can’t remember. But the result was he got noticed and people started wanting his art. So nice to know there are ways to achieve fame outside of dying. I loved Jeff Koon’s approach. Anyway, thanks for the wisdom.
Hi Linda,
I’m glad you enjoyed this article. For artists who want to raise the volume on self-promotion it is easier today than ever… with access to the Internet, social media, ease of collaboration, multi-media, artists being able to set up their own youtube channels, popup exhibitions, etc.
All it takes is imagination and effort. Those key ingredients have always been necessary.
Good luck with your self-promotion efforts,
Renee
Excellent article Renee. Artists must “toot their own horns” to be seen. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
So true Renee, and thanks for creating this informative post. An artist should never expect sales to happen on their own. My positive experiences result from promoting art on Facebook and through private emails where there is no cost. Recently, I made an important decision to sell earlier Watercolors from the 90’s and I lowered the prices which is considered a no no. I never discount prices for my new works, but I do offer installment plans. I sell to people in all financial brackets. Waiting for the “big” buyers may not be a luxury for some of us. These recent sales are bringing in commissions for new works of art at todays prices. I “always” post the sale with a small anecdote which allows the viewer to connect with me on a personal level. I will email clients photos of art I believe will work with their esthetic or suggest a commission. They are not obligated to purchase the commission which removes anxiety. I take the time to get as much information about their piece and don’t assume anything. Before mailing the art, I send them a photo of the finished work and ask if they want anything tweaked. Happily, all my paintings have been purchased. One final suggestion, when a viewer takes a moment to make a comment on “any” of my Facebook posts I take the time to comment on their post. It is invaluable to remind future clients that you are a real person and not just words on a computer!
Hi Lisa,
Congratulations! I’ve noticed your sales on Facebook so whatever you’re doing in the way of communicating with your fans is definitely working!
You’re a natural when it comes to publicity, self-promotion and “public relations”.
Wishing you continued success,
Renee
Thank you Renee! Technology is amazing but on the negative side there may be a loss of personal connection. I try to fill that gap and always remember that my clients are spending their well earned money for my art. Hopefully I am providing a beautiful painting but I never forget it is also a business. Lisa😉
Lisa,
Your sincere, warm, exuberant personality shines through with everything you do and wherever you do it!
All the best,
Renee
Excellent article, with clear, concise instructions on how to carry out an effective P R campaign. Thank you for your advice.
Thank you for the clear and informative PR article.