What some people told me about the arts
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This document discusses some of the challenges facing artists in the digital age. It notes that the arts sector consists of many different "villages" or disciplines that require different marketing approaches. While the internet has democratized distribution and given artists more control, success is still difficult to achieve alone without significant resources. Competition for attention is also overwhelming, and true financial success through independent online channels remains elusive for most. Larger organizations still dominate prominent platforms and venues, and relying solely on the internet often does not provide a livable income for artists. Overall, the "revolution" brought about by new technologies is an ongoing process, and significant support is usually still needed to achieve widespread success.
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What some people told me about the arts
- 1. How can digital help the arts market thrive…?
- 2. Some things I’ve learnt about the arts... This talk seems easy at first…
- 3. But things get complicated very quickly
- 5. People I spoke to: Independent visual artists Gallery represented visual artists Gallerists Independent musicians Signed musicians (big and small labels) Managers Agents Film & TV actors TV actors Bookers Producers
- 6. “Things people told me when I rang them up”
- 7. 1/ It‟s a bunch of villages, not a world
- 8. I learned this lesson first hand…
- 18. Just a few villages... • Architecture • Carpentry • Sound engineering • Electronic arts • Directing • Photography • Animation • Live action • Lighting • Acting • Set design • Poetry • Novel writing • Painting • Printmaking • Voice overs • Sculpture • Modelling • Graphic design • Fashion design • Textiles • Publishing • Classical music • Rock music • Graffiti • Games • Conceptual art • Dance • Culinary arts • Composition • Conducting • Arts promotion
- 19. The different portions of the arts sector couldn‟t be more different. No „one size fits all‟. Marketing varies wildly across villages. There are no silver bullets here. Know your village, don‟t try to take over the world.
- 21. The story of democratisation: • The labels and galleries had complete control • Artists had no control over their marketing, sales, and destiny • The internet puts artists in charge • Allows you to build, and sell directly to an audience • Distribution is no longer a problem
- 22. “The internet has revolutionised the arts world, power has shifted to the artists and their audiences”
- 23. This story is inspiring… It‟s why many of us are here.
- 25. Here‟s a story about Alex meeting „one of the big guys‟… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj B_dtebaRQ
- 26. 3/ The revolution is far from over
- 27. Yes, distribution is no longer a problem
- 28. Yes, you can have your art seen by millions, with a single click
- 29. Yes, you can go direct to the audience…
- 30. But…
- 31. There is a discrepancy between this story, and how many artists really feel about making a living…
- 32. In reality „Alex Day‟s are few and far between…
- 33. Why?
- 34. It‟s still tough out there…
- 36. Overwhelming competition for attention…everyone has an outlet to the public
- 38. The cost of success can be prohibitive
- 39. Audience vs Time
- 40. Audience vs Time
- 43. Without VC backing, success can be a massive problem…
- 44. What‟s the result of this?
- 45. In 2013 not a single album in the top 10 was released by an independent label
- 46. The exhibition calendars of major galleries dominated by established, gallery represented artists
- 47. The film industry becoming dominated by franchises and sequels
- 48. Often it starts to look like a binary choice…
- 50. What would happen if you just used the internet?
- 51. £0-£200/month
- 52. „I‟d have to go back to waiting tables‟
- 53. “Without the big players backing me… I couldn‟t do what I do.”
- 55. “Of course it‟s the future… but I don‟t know how yet.”
- 56. 4/ „Good stuff rises (eventually), even by accident‟
- 58. “The internet rewards relentless generosity. The less you worry about being paid, the more you get paid” – Seth Godin
- 59. “The apparatus of success will assemble around those people who are relentlessly amazing at what they do.”
- 60. “They‟ve all got a team behind them. No one is amazing at everything”
Editor's Notes
- When simon first asked me to do this talk, I though… yeah no problem
- The more I really dug into the relationship between the internet and the arts sector, the more complex it became, and the more paniced I got
- The bottom line is, the relationshop between the arts, and the internet is a complicated one. It deals with funding, public and private, incumbent interests, disruptive business models, money, integrity, etcetc,
- The first thing that kept cropping up in my conversations with these people was how broad a sector the arts is…
- This is one of the lesson that I’ve come across myself… to give you a bit of backgroud. Like everyone in the arts, I got into it because it easier than maths… and I did art and drame at school…
- I was one of those drama kids… This is a video of me in school.
- Then I went to art school, did a foundation course, and wen to goldsmiths…
- Then I went and Interned at Christie, the auction house in St James. This is a picture of their digital marketing team having a daily scrum… they’re big into Agile over there.
- Then I went and worked with an art dealers, and As an arts journalist got to learn about the big galleries…Gagosian, Hauser and Wirth, White Cube. This is a picture of larryGagosian…
- Then I went and worked with an art dealers, and As an arts journalist got to learn about the big galleries…Gagosian, Hauser and Wirth, White Cube. This is a picture of larryGagosian…
- One day she’ll work with the most talented and respected artist out there… like Dappy from Ndubs
- Other days independent musicians…
- Some shiny, and famous
- Some struggling to get parts
- Digital arts differs wildly from the contemporary painting community, Dramatic theatre is totally different from the stand up world, Indie music is a world away from the classical music.
- The second thing that came up again and again in these conversations is demorcatisation.
- This is an amazing thing to be part of. Its one of the main reasons I moved from being an art journlaist into digital. I wanted to be part of this revolution.
- One of the best examples of this revolution is Alex Day. Musician, and YouTuber.
- He had a lot of success with his YouTube channel, and released music from there. He’s made a lot of noise, and has been invited to sign with record labels loads of times. Here’s alex telling his YouTube follwers about a meeting with a record label exec, who said ‘ What can we do for you?’
- Often people can get out stuff for free anyway
- Everyone has an outlet, and a route to an audience, so there’s more competition for attention than ever before in human history.
- The internet can get you noticed suddenly, but…
- If big label of gallery got you there, it’s easy. If you got yourself there... It can be tough to keep going.
- Once you get noticed… you’re still on your own. Your next move can be difficult…
- These are the kinds of things you need
- If big label of gallery got you there, it’s easy. If you got yourself there... It can be tough to keep going.
- Independent artists either sign up with a major label or agllery immediately, or go back to a moderate audience
- The charts, cinemas, and galleries focus on bankable artsist, who are safe investments
- The oscars this year was full of ‘financing talk’… even Martin Scorsece has trouble getting funding, cos he’s not making Iron man 4.
- The biggest obstacle to winning a long, drawn out campaign, if thinking it over when its not.
- There often seems to be an positive correlation between the extent to which someone ignores success, and the success they receive.
- The best way to pay the bills, is to be out there practicing.