Sarah Edmonds keeps you up-to-date with up-coming trends to help showcase your artwork
Sarah Edmonds is the marketing manager for Pegasus Art, a freelance art marketing consultant and a watercolour painter. Sarah studied a short course at the Slade School of Fine Art followed by a degree in marketing and has worked in the industry ever since; www.sarahedmonds-marketing.com
THE BUSINESS OF ART: 8TH OF 12
Social media is the marketing platform of choice for many businesses, particularly small ones with a limited budget and Instagram is a fantastic, visual shop window f or artists. It’s a great place to showcase your artwork, connect with like-minded artists in your community and further afield, be inspired by other creatives and discover competitions, exhibitions and what’s going on in the art industry. The social media landscape is rapidly changing with new practices and trends emerging on a monthly basis – it can be hard to keep up. In this ar ticle we will touch on up-coming trends.
Social media remains one of the most cost-effective marketing tools available to artists. Although Instagram remains the favourite for artists, many are finding Instagram and Facebook increasingly challenging for gaining new followers as the algorithm dictates engagement rules. As platforms ebb and flow in and out of favour, it is very much trial and error – finding whatever works best for you. I would recommend engaging on one, maybe two platforms to suit your work and lifestyle. Start in a small and authentic way and build up from there.
This month we talk to Ange Bell, an award-winning artist and member of the Contemporary British Portrait Painters. ‘Instagram has had a massive impact on my practice,’ she enthuses. ‘It has provided a platform where I can sell smaller, more affordable artworks directly which not only provides revenue that supports my gallery sales but also can often act as a calling card for future commissions or the purchase of larger works.’ This extends to finding meaningful friendships and professional relationships with other artists, educating herself on the international art scene and so many other benefits. Using posting and reels to show behind-the-scenes studio moments, work in progress and finished works, it’s a platform that suits her and that she enjoys using.
New features for Instagram in 2024 include a new message editing facility, pinning of chats, a read receipts toggle, sticker saving, theme personalisation, AI stickers for Stories and direct messages. They are experimenting with longer
