The Art of Networking
Relationships Build Your Power Base
By Renée Phillips, The Artrepreneur Coach
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Renée Phillips is the Director of Manhattan Arts International, an author of several books and a public speaker. She is known as "The Artrepreneur Coach" and provides empowering life and career strategies for creative individuals. |
The single most valuable part of your career may be the relationships you develop. Think of key events in your professional life that marked a turning point - your first sale, a great exhibition, or receiving a distinguished honor or award. When you examine the circumstances, you will realize that it would not have occurred without the help of someone -- an artist, a gallery owner, an art buyer or a juror -- making a decision or taking an action that would forever change the course of your career.
Sometimes a quick lesson in the art of "schmoozing" can make a big difference in your career. You might as well learn as quickly as possible that in the highly competitive artistic community, much of your success relies on the support and camaraderie of fellow artists, art writers and critics, grant givers, dealers, collectors and other individuals. Collectors recommend artists to dealers. Galleries seek the advice of the artists they represent when adding new artists. Grant givers require endorsements from art leaders. Art writers obtain story ideas from other art professionals. Simply, the more contacts you have, the more forerunners who know about you and your talents, the more opportunities you will have. Benjamin Franklin had this sage advice: " We must, indeed, all hang together,
or most assuredly we will all hang separately."
Networking can provide the stability that you want in life. The more people who know about you, your talents and your abilities, the more easily you will attract the opportunities, jobs, resources, people, ideas, money and results that you really want!
In today's professional world, the ability to build relationships through networking is a survival skill. The more time you spend in your art community, you will observe that it actually consists of a relatively small group of people who play musical chairs. The division among art careers used to be much more defined. In recent years, however, the roles of artists, art dealers, critics and collectors have become interchangeable. The artist is often a curator, the collector is considered a consultant, and the art dealer frequently comes from a background that contains a mixture of any of these. In this respect, it is wise to cultivate strong ties with those people who are committed to being involved in the art world for the long haul. And since that is not always obvious, you shouldn't burn any bridges along the way.
In the process of creating six editions of the book The Complete Guide to New York Art Galleries, we asked every dealer about their selection process and offered multiple choices: How many do they select from professional referrals? How many artists are selected from slides and other materials they receive? How many artists are selected from seeing their work in exhibitions and artists' studios? Many galleries state that most of the artists are selected from professional referrals.
Although galleries often discover artists from unsolicited slides mailed to them, an introduction to the gallery by a mutual friend will increase your chances. Having friends in positions to help you may not guarantee success, but the windows and doors will crack open a bit easier. Once you step inside, it's up to you.
Networking is About Cultivating Relationships
The art of networking is simply about establishing relationships with people as a result of searching for mutual benefits and by making yourself useful. The best relationships begin with mutual respect and are nurtured over a period of time.
In building relationships emphasize quality, not quantity. Rather than scattering your energy throughout several different groups of people, it is more effective to focus on meeting with fewer people more frequently, such as through professional organizations with frequent meetings.
Build Your Reputation over Time
You may have noticed that for some artists, networking comes naturally. They have acquired a few basic social skills. They attend a lot of the gallery openings and always seem to meet or already know the most important people in the room. Their antenna is always up. An artist who is successfully climbing the ladder is usually an artist who has developed many personal and professional relationships, through his or her integrity, helpfulness and, by being, reliable. These individuals know the importance of building their reputation through others.
Be a Helpful Networker
Networking is not about coveting as many connections as possible for selfish gain. Good networkers know the art of approaching others with an anticipation of exploring shared or complementary interests. A good networker is a good listener, and he or she is open to other people's opinions, ideas and is able to interact with different types of people. Artists who are self-centered, argumentative, or overly sensitive to criticism may have difficulty in this area.
Networking in groups
Relationships are based on trust, so when you join a group or an organization with the purpose of building professional relationships it is very important that you commit to the group. That means attend the meetings on a regular basis. At each meeting,
you will learn a little more about the individuals you meet, and their businesses,
and they will learn more about you.
Places to Network
Networking is an activity that takes place everywhere with everyone. The opportunities to make new contacts are endless. Some of the most productive contacts come from chance encounters - waiting for the bus or subway, in the grocery check-out line, in the doctor's waiting room, at the post office, in an elevator, at a place of worship or at your child's school.
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
SunTzu |
Tips
• Be prepared for opportunities. Carry an ample supply of business cards and visual "handouts" such as postcards or business cards that feature an image of your work, and keep them in a clean, protective case. I have two cases that are always filled - one in my briefcase and another one in my purse. After I exchange cards with someone, I immediately write a note on their card to remind me where I met them, what we discussed how and when I should follow up. • Record new acquaintances and contacts in a rolodex, computer database file or index cards. Set up whatever system is most convenient for you to nurture your new contacts. Use every opportunity to send a personal thank you or congratulatory note, or any relevant and useful information that your recipient would appreciate.
How to Increase Your Contacts
• Attend gallery receptions.
• Go to lectures, symposiums and events held in museums and art centers.
• Visit the art expositions in major cities.
• Take a job as an assistant to a well established artist in your medium.
• Take a job in a gallery. Get involved in your community and with charity organizations.
• Offer to make a donation of a portion of your proceeds from art sales.
• Volunteer to work on a committee of your favorite charity or art organization, as this position will place you in touch with other members of the business community.
• Volunteer to work on the events committee of your art organization.
• Organize lectures with leading curators, dealers and critics.
• Contact a famous artist you admire and ask to visit them in their studio, and return the invitation.
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Read more articles by Renée Phillips.
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Renée is the author of Success Now! For Artists which contains hundreds of successful strategies for artists' careers.
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