OK, folks, let’s brainstorm for a bit. :)
So far this year we’ve launched Artwork Reveal—a new artwork discovery subscription list—and created several new features and website plans for Foliotwist, our artist website service. We’ll keep working on both those things, but we really want to make sure we’re building things that you (our readers) can make use of.
So here’s my question: what are YOU most interested in participating in?
We’ve got three ideas on the table, and I’d love to get your feedback. If you have just a couple minutes today (it won’t take long, I promise!) please read through each of the ideas below, and then vote here. Thanks so much!
Option 1. An EmptyEasel art gallery
If we were to set up an art gallery where EE readers could display and sell their art, would you want to participate?
My (personal) goal for this gallery would be to use SEO to make sure it shows up in the first page of Google, thus making it easier for buyers to find your art. I can’t guarantee that would happen, of course, but I feel pretty confident I could make it competitive with other online galleries out there.
Does that sound interesting? And, if so, here’s a second question. How would you like it to be run?
For example, should it be free or paid? Juried or open to all?
I’d love to get your thoughts on this, and see—in general—if this is something that a good number of artists would like to do. Because if so, I’d love to take on this challenge. :)
Option 2. A cooperative art advertising group
One of the things that separates artists (specifically, artists who sell their art) from other small business owners is that we rarely advertise. It often feels like a risk to spend money advertising, especially if we don’t know a lot about HOW to advertise.
But. . . what if we formed an artist cooperative, with the goal of advertising for the entire group as a whole?
Maybe we’d start out just by having a quarterly donation drive. Any artist who wanted to be involved could donate as much or as little as they’d like, and 100% of the funds donated would go towards advertising.
We could advertise for a single gallery that we’re all involved in—like the EmptyEasel gallery mentioned above—or we could advertise for Artwork Reveal, and attempt to grow the number of subscribers that would receive the next issue (here’s what an Artwork Reveal issue looks like, by the way).
The artists who donate the most would get top billing, either in the EE gallery or Artwork Reveal, but every artist who donates would be included.
This option would be fairly easy to start, we’d just need to know ahead of time that enough artists would want to be involved. If you’re interested, mark this option on the survey!
3. An art critique app
My last idea is for an app that helps artists get quick, actionable feedback on their works-in-progress.
In the same way that Twitter keeps messages short, our goal would be to create a smartphone platform where artists can upload a photo of their artwork on the easel and receive short, helpful advice from other artists around the world.
I won’t spill all the beans about this idea, but in general, it’d be a service that makes it easy both to GET feedback and to GIVE it. I imagine it might even be a little addictive, for anybody who’s into art. :)
OK, so there you have it—which idea is your favorite? Head on over to our survey and let us know!
Thanks everyone!
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