I wrote a similar article for Professional Artist magazine, in the December 2011 issue. For more information about Professional Artist magazine visit http://www.professionalartistmag.com

Many artists are extremely successful at expressing their beliefs about social issues through their art. You may recall my article in the April 2011 issue of Professional Artist magazine "When Creative Impulse Meets Social Consciousness." However, many artists fall behind when it comes to getting the well-deserved attention for their art however socially valuable it may be.

As you will observe in this article, among the most successful artists are those who know how to communicate their messages through public relations efforts as well as partnerships with other individuals and organizations.


Rachel Manley:"BIRTH"

Rachel Manley, “BIRTH”, 2010, acrylic and gouache on paper, 11” x 8”, originally from Sketchbook 2010 series "Guide to Being an Expat" and now the flagship image for Save the Cord Foundation. Her Sketchbook has been featured in a national tour and is part of the Brooklyn Art Library permanent collection.

Rachel Manley www.rmanley.com is an artist who was born in North Carolina and currently lives in North Africa. She stated, "After finishing a small series of paintings in 2010, the group Save the Cord Foundation identified one of my paintings in the series, BIRTH, to be their flagship image for its national educational campaign.

(Save the Cord Foundation (www.savethecordfoundation.org/ and http://savethecord.wordpress.com/) is a 501c3 non-profit, whose mission is to bring factual, noncommercial information to expectant parents and the public about the life-saving medical value of umbilical cord blood and the options for preserving it.)

Rachel has since become the Fine Arts Partner of Save the Cord Foundation to advance cord blood awareness and education through the BIRTH art exhibit. This exhibition debuted last summer in San Francisco at the Cord Blood Symposium before traveling to Arizona where it was hosted by Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. and SAACA (Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance). Next, it will be featured at a launch for a new birthing wing at the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Arizona and is scheduled for several major events this coming Spring in Maryland and New Jersey.

"As the Fine Arts Partner to Save the Cord Foundation, I am actively involved in building partnerships with host institutions as well as customizing the exhibit, press outreach (print, TV, web, etc.) and promotional materials for each location. We are adding new locations everyday. For example, we are using the BIRTH Art Exhibit to kick-off educational seminars for large hospital groups throughout the country. The exhibit adds sophistication to the seminar and encourages discussion about this often misunderstood subject."

What started as a simple poster campaign for a few doctor's offices blossomed into a national educational campaign and traveling art exhibit complete with a commemorative book.


What made the difference?
The answer is "Partnership"!

Rachel emphasizes, "Partnership is the key word here. Both parties share responsibilities for the promotion of the exhibit and both see the benefits, either financial or otherwise." She explains, "This partnership has been rewarding to me on many levels. Although the financial rewards may be nominal, the emotional rewards are huge. I feel so honored to have my art used in such a meaningful way and for a cause that I genuinely support (we saved our child's cord blood). Not to mention, I truly find the group's passion for what they are doing a source of inspiration for my own work."

Rachel impressed me with her detailed and comprehensive 13-page Proposal and Press Packet she shared with me that goes to prospective exhibition partners. It includes: "Benefits To The (prospective) Hosting Organization"; "Specifications of the BIRTH Art Exhibit"; and "Exhibit Profits and Costs". This package also includes an information-packed18 question interview Rachel conducted which serves as an excellent springboard for generating future publicity.


Amy Guidry:"In Our Veins"

Amy Guidry, "The Wild West", acrylic on canvas, 30” x 24".

Amy Guidry www.amyguidry.com is an artist from Louisiana, who works in series, all of which deal with a range of social issues. She states, "I rely on my work to bring up issues, get people talking, questioning, and (hopefully) taking action. Currently my series 'In Our Veins' deals with environmental concerns through an almost apocalyptic narrative. This series explores the connections between all life forms and the cycle of life."

In reference to viewing Amy Guidry's work, Deborah Norsworthy, Curator of the Heymann Historic Ceiling Tile Art Exhibit for the Children's Museum of Acadiana stated: "I felt, when I walked into that room that I was back at the Hirshhorn in Washington, D.C., or at the Museum of Modern Art. Her technical rendering, of course, is superb. But it's her vision, her conceptualization, that catapults her above the rest."

Amy's website is among the best artists' sites I have seen, which is an integral component to communicating the significance of your art. It is clear she has concentrated on building an online presence. She also credits her exhibitions that have lead to getting her message out.

"As I exhibit at more and more venues and network with more people, I've had much more opportunity to be featured in publications as well as online, which has given me an even greater audience. In addition, I've had more opportunity to discuss my work through interviews, which also helps me to further explain my motivation behind each series. Social media sites have also proven helpful due to the direct contact I have with those that are interested in my work and the meaning behind it."

Amy also knows the value of being an active publicist of her work. "I pursue publicity through press releases to my local media and well as sending proposals to art blogs that tend to feature interviews -- both of which borrow from my artist statement, which helps relay my message as well as give the media an angle for the interview. I also search the internet for 'non-art' groups of similar interests. For example, I'm a vegan and my latest body of work reflects this, so I did an interview for a vegan site (www.vegansarecool.com)."



Fran Hardy: "Creative Native Project"

"TreeBeard Lives in the Tallgrass Prairie", colored pencil on acrylic ground on panel, 48 " x 38", which is part of Fran Hardy's installation on the trees of Oklahoma that will be in the exhibition she is curating of Oklahoma artists interviewed in the "Artist's Process-Going Native in Oklahoma" at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art.

Fran Hardy www.franhardy.com is an artist from Santa Fe, New Mexico, who concentrates on art and ecology. She reveals, "My passion is ancient trees and that is what most of my art concentrates on now. I am also doing a series of educational documentaries called the Creative Native Project (www.creativenativeproject.com and www.creativenativeproject.blogspot.com) that show the intersection of art, ecological sustainability, cultural preservation and creativity."

On her Creative Native Project website you can access youtube to see excerpts of her documentaries which are collaborative efforts with her husband. "It is a very fulfilling partnership for both of us." Fran is presently working on an Oklahoma program with partial underwriting from the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art.

"I will be curating a show at the museum of my work and the work of the other creative individuals we interviewed. I will also be developing educational curriculum and materials to accompany the exhibition and the program. Next year we will be starting on our New Mexico show. Our shows have aired on PBS stations, on FEC-TV, national educational channel and at museums and botanical gardens."

To attract underwriting to promote her causes, Fran says she uses her contacts and collectors as much as possible. Furthermore, because her work is highly respected it continues to gather momentum on its own merit.

"The first PBS station we aired on was due to one of our supporters who gave generously to the station. After our supporter passed on and their previous president left they continued to air our documentaries because they were impressed with the quality."

She continues, "FEC-TV found out about us through one of the museums where I had a solo show and again continued to air everything we produced because they loved our documentaries."

"Now we find we have more leverage and reputation to approach stations and channels on our own or through recommendations. The museums that have aired them know and respect my work as an artist. The museums in Oklahoma that gave us underwriting already respected my work as an artist and thought that our concept for the Creative-Native Project in their state was great. I keep building on that for potential shows in other states where my work is known."


Janelle Baglien: "Studio Art Direct"

Janelle Baglien has 20 years experience as a project manager, artist, and environmental graphic designer, from Portland, Oregon. She is also founder and president of Studio Art Direct, corporate art consultants, www.studioartdirect.com.

"We provide turnkey corporate art programs for hospitality, healthcare, institutional and corporate environments. We specialize in art created by Oregon & Washington artists. We are committed to sustainability - local business supporting local artists and organizations."

Janelle explains, "We also have worked with non profits in the arts and place their works in our corporate art projects. For example, we have placed work by Focus on Youth. This is a program for at risk youth to learn how to capture beauty with a camera. Kids are teamed with professional photographers to learn the craft."


How do they get the word out?
Several Ways

Janelle states, "We believe that the support of regional arts is a social cause in itself and not only do we advertise it on our website and in other media, we believe that encouraging our clients to get involved with art is educational to the client, their staff and visitors." In addition, Janelle believes in the art of communication.

"We typically create an "art book" for the project that is a guide to the art and gives details about the art non profit.

We also try to integrate information into the client's website or collateral when possible.

We also throw art parties where we introduce staff to the local artists represented in their building (hotel, hospital, senior care, etc...) and let the artist explain their creative process. If the staff embraces the art, they typically educate clients and visitors."


Susan Collings: "The Art Connection"

If you want to do something positive with your work, there are many ways you can donate it for worthy causes. Susan Collings is Executive Director of The Art Connection in the Boston, Massachusetts area www.theartconnection.org.

Susan states, "The Art Connection is all about increasing public access to original art by connecting art donated by artists and collectors to deserving nonprofits and healing environments who want to install original art but do not have budgets to buy it."

Since its inception in 1995 the organization has enriched and empowered under-served communities by expanding access to original works of art.

"We facilitate the choice of art, from artists and other donors, by those who may not have the opportunity to experience the transformative possibilities of art in their lives."

The website provides information about how artists can be philanthropic with their work while developing new audiences.


Increase Your Communication

The socially motivated artists featured in this article are proactive and provide insight into how you can take your message to the widest audiences possible. As they have proven successfully it is important to work in a series, create business plans, and produce and circulate in-depth proposals and press releases. If writing is not your best skill find a professional writer.

I also recommend you look around you for possible partners and collaborators with whom you can further your cause. And, continue to build your professional reputation so that you can rely on the referrals of those individuals in positions of influence.