I receive many notices from art organizations and galleries which masquerade as press releases. Today I received a press release from an fairly well established gallery. The email was without a subject line. There was no content in the body of the email, it wasn’t addressed Dear Lisa or Dear Press Editor, and there was simply an attachment without explanation. This happens a lot. I hit delete.

Sometimes I get two, three or even four emails from the same organization in the course of a week . . . sometimes even within 24 hours. I generally stop reading at this point because they are approaching spam. One of the first things I learned in PR was . . . Don’t piss off the press!  No one benefits from this. As such, I thought it might be time to take a look at the proper way to write and distribute a press release.

I’m pleased to be taking part in this event, Taking Care of Business – Career Strategies for Visual Artists – April 10th, 2010.  Helping artists promote their work and supporting them in seeing themselves as true entrepreneurs is something I’ve been involved with many years. I’ll be providing one of the One-On-One Workshops, Online Portfolio Development on behalf of AIGA CT. (I’m told that all my appointments have been filled!!) The event is featured by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. Visit the website to obtain more information regarding this exciting and beneficial event. Register and join us today!!

Three-Part Statewide Professional Development
Series for Artists Continues in Hartford April 10th

Hartford, CT—The Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism (CCT) is featuring nationally recognized speakers and presenters at Taking Care of Business – Career Strategies for Visual Artists, a series of three professional development conferences.  Advance registration is required and space is limited to the first 100 artists who register.  Go to www.LetsGoArts.org/ArtistsWorkshops to register before the April 10, Saturday event.  The fee for registration is $20 for each conference in the series and includes lunch.  The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation is the workshop series sponsor.

Registration is now open for Business Strategies, the second conference within the series, hosted by the Greater Hartford Arts Council.  The event will take place on April 10th, Saturday, from 9:30a.m. to 3:00p.m. at the Robert Kinsella Arts Magnet School in Hartford with registration/networking/coffee & snacks beginning at 8:45am.  The third conference in the series, Marketing & Promotion, will take place on May 1st at the North Haven campus of Gateway Community College, hosted by the Greater New Haven Arts Council (registration will open April 1st).

Business Strategies and the Empowerment of the Artist Entrepreneur is the keynote address for April 10th with speaker Mr. James Grace of Massachusetts.  Mr. Grace will provide conference participants with some of the essential tools that artists need to be effective and thrive in their careers as well as speak to the importance of artists viewing themselves as entrepreneurs.  Mr. Grace is co-Executive Director of the Arts & Business Council and is a past Executive Director of the Massachusetts Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.  Visual artists who have experienced challenges or who have questions regarding good financial management or legal issues such as contracts, copyright and insurance will be well-served.

Visual artists attending the Business Strategies conference will choose from two of four workshops presented throughout the day along with innovative 20 minute one-on-one consultation sessions called “The Doctor is IN.”  The full roster of workshops include:

·   Before You Sign on the Dotted Line: A Crash Course in Contract Negotiation which will be led by Mr. Grace.  This seminar will discuss the ways contracts can positively or negatively influence an artist’s professional career.

·   NYFA Artist Source: Get connected to the resources you need, will be presented by Elena Dubas of the New York Foundation for the Arts.  This practicum will teach participants how to use NYFA’s extensive national directory of awards, services, and publications for artists.

·   Gallery Relationships and Pricing Your Work will be led by well-known Connecticut curator and gallery director, Janice LaMotta.  Artists will learn the fine points of establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with galleries.

·   You, Your Business & Your Money, presented by Mr. Paul Ramunni, will provide expert advice about the basics of managing money as well as important information on taxes affecting entrepreneurs.  Mr. Ramunni is a CPA and instructor in residence teaching financial literacy for the University of Connecticut regional system.

·   The Doctor is IN will offer a unique opportunity for artists to register in advance for a 20 minute one-on-one consultation with an expert in a variety of entrepreneurial topic areas for artists.  Nine doctors/topics will be available to choose from.  Check-ups for artists will include: The General Practitioner with Ray Tubbs, Evolution: Managing Changes Throughout Your Career with Dr. Richard J. Scaldini, Showing and Selling Your Art with Beth Pite, Order Out of Chaos: Organizing Your Business with Shirley M. Hall, Online Portfolio Development with Lisa Mikulski, Copywriting, Contracts and Other Things that Scare You with Todd Pickens, Initiating Partnerships: Cross-Discipline Collaboration with Jacques Lamarre and Making the Right Statement: Everything Written with Deb Wadsworth.  When artists have completed or are waiting for their 20 minute “doctor” session, they can also stop by the cafeteria for informal group lessons on business networking at Networking in a Nutshell with Chip Janiszewski.  For more information on these presenters, please visit the conference registration web site.

During the on-line registration process, artists will have an opportunity to submit digital images of their work to be featured in a “JPEG Jam” at the close of the day’s conference activities.  Attending artists will also have an opportunity to network with their peers and continue seminar discussions during a lunch provided by the conference.  For more information, visit the registration site www.LetsGoArts.org/ArtistsWorkshops or call the hosting organization, the Greater Hartford Arts Council, at (860) 525-8629 or email info@letsgoarts.org

Additional support for producing the series has been provided by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance; Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, Norwich Arts Council, Putnam Regional Cultural Assessment, Shoreline Arts Alliance, Arts & Culture Collaborative/Waterbury Region, and the Windham Arts Collaborative.

I had an excellent day yesterday!  It started with a productive morning with a good deal of client work accomplished… just like that!  There were many emails sent and replied to and phone conversations were exciting and on target.  It seemed like everyone was available at the exact same time I was.  I spoke with some incredibly smart people (always a pleasure). And I asked some questions of others that might have caused ripples.  I love ripples.  I question things… it’s what I do.

In considering the pros and cons of ripples, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe I’d be better off if I didn’t disturb the status quo; I have a tendency to do so.  Pondering this made me think however of one of the strongest attributes and most wonderful things about designers… And this is one of the reasons you want to hire a professional designer.

One of the designer’s great talents is to question things. They bring fresh eyes into a situation and often ask questions of their clients such as “Why are you doing things this way?”  From that question, comes much information about the client’s organization and that information is what designers use to create effective and successful visual communications. Designers can create a bit of ruckus sometimes with their curiosity but the questions we ask are not meant to be mean or judgmental. It’s fact finding. And it’s done with the intention of best being able to assist those whom we are working with.

It’s not like designers have had their jobs forced on them.  Not like the old days when an employee stayed at a job they hated for 20 or 30 years.  Designers choose to be designers and often design is our lifestyle… our air. We love to talk with clients about their dreams and their missions, to share goals together and to receive new opportunities to be our best creative selves.

So the next time your designer starts picking away at you asking questions, remember it’s because we want to create something for you based on your needs, your mission, and what you might be looking at for the future.

Do you need a creative sidekick?  Contact me… I’ll probably ask you some questions

And writers, photographers, musicians, designers and you, too.  Maybe I’m preaching to the choir here, but this morning I attended a social media and power networking breakfast and was surprised at the number of people who weren’t taking advantage of social media to promote their businesses.  Social media (blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) is one of the greatest tools available today in which to market your work and your talent. Hell, it’s a great tool just to meet some excellent people.  Never before have we been able to promote our work to people around the corner, the nation and around the world with the click of a mouse.  Social media makes it possible. Millions of people have a Facebook page and/or a Twitter account… There’s a lot of networking you could be doing right now.

You are not just an artist.  You are an entrepreneur and you’re in the business of selling and promoting your work. The world is changing.  Business models are changing.  Social media is a tool for positive change.  It’s important, now more then ever, to reach out to like-minded people and be a part of the change. I know you are probably thinking, “Holy cow, I don’t have time for that nonsense. And who cares what I had for breakfast?”  Using social media is not about what you had for breakfast.  I guarantee you that marketing using these online avenues only takes about 10 minutes a day and it will make a huge difference in your business plan.  Simply log on and tell your fans, in 140 characters, daily news from your studio or gallery.  Talk about your process or your challenges.  Create a page or group just for your business.  You can create lists to organize your followers according to your interests.  To save you time, there are applications such as Tweetdeck which will allow you to type one entry and display it over several social media networks automatically.  Update Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin all at once.  You’re done.

I’m a believer in social media.  In just the last year, social media has revolutionized my social life and my business life in the most remarkable ways.  I’m now attending art events that I wouldn’t have even know about in 2008.  I’ve met artists, photographers, gallerists, and world class journalists.  I was invited to sit on the board of AIGA CT because of my connections on Facebook.  I’ve gotten writing assignments, retained clients and even went camping because of social media.  I’ve learned a lot.  All these connections created new connections and best of all…new opportunities.

I’d love to share some tips and resources for social media here with you.  Are you using Facebook?  Twitter or Linkedin?  Or does the whole notion of social media just freak you out?

You can find me here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisa.mikulski or creativeartsguide
Twitter: @lisamikulski or @creativeartsg
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lisamikulski

ART & COPY, a new documentary film, has the advertising and design world abuzz!  The new film, directed by Doug Pray, is about the creativity and inspiration behind the work and vision of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time.  This is not a film about trashing the evil world of advertising.  It is instead a tribute to those relatively unknown few who actually helped shape our society and our culture with their work. These are the people who’ve created such slogans as “Just do it”, “Got Milk?”, and “Think Different.” They’ve created campaigns for the Energizer Bunny, Apple, MTV and so many other ads which became the signs of our times.  Despite advertising’s evil reputation, these brilliant campaigns and creative minds have helped us laugh, think, smile, and have moved us to act.

What is social media? Are you using it? Here are some amazing facts and figures as to why you might not want to dismiss the social media revolution. As freelancers, artists or designers can your business afford to overlook these opportunities? Have a look.
Found via Debbie Millman – President of AIGA

As promised last Thursday, here is part two of the Client and Designer’s Bill of Rights.  This content can also apply to practicing artists and can be adopted to reflect that industry. Last week I wrote Part I – Client’s Bill of Rights. You can read it here.

As a creative professional, the designer is entitled to:

1. The right to a written contract. A contract will help us to outline the work description, time line and terms for work. It establishes our relationship, our future, and it benefits us both as we move forward together.

2. No Spec work or work for hire situations. Please do not ask a professional designer to work for hire or to work on speculation. Doing so degrades the design industry and the standing of the designer.  Please see AIGA’s philosophy on spec work.

3. The right to be paid promptly. When we agree on payment for work being done, this means payment will be made by you, the client, in accordance with our signed contract. This will enable the designer to continue on with process and devote time to the project rather than having to inquire about payments. Please remember, as a small studio, your timely payments enable us to purchase materials that may well be benefiting you.

4. The right to sufficient time for developing ideas and solutions. Design is a creative process. The creative process requires that the designer have ample time to develop and conceptualize ideas and solutions. This will enable us to provide the best possible product for your needs. Delays in providing your materials (photos, logos, text etc…) to the designer will delay the time line for the project. Please also understand requests for emergency work or rush work may result in a rush work fee.

5. The right to accurate information and to be informed of changes in the scope of work. Please communicate accurately and honestly with your designer. Enough said.

6. The right to be treated fairly and professionally. A designer is a professional. Often we will go to the mat to provide for you, the client, superior service and results. We are happy to answer your questions and provide customer support. We often work long hours and well into the night, however, we also need time to be with our families and to attend to our personal affairs. Please don’t call late at night or after hours unless previously arranged. If you are sending email to us on a weekend understand that you might not hear back until the next business day. If you have a problem or concerns, please convey them calmly and professionally.

7. The right to present to and to communicate with the decision makers. To be able to do the best job possible, it is important that lines of communication are open with the appropriate personnel and decision makers.

8. The right to serve other clients. While we endeavor to treat every client as if they were our only client, please understand that we are independent contractors who rely on working with several clients simultaneously.

9. The right to refuse work based upon illegalities or morality. Please do not ask the designer to violate copyright, trademark laws by illegally using artwork, photos, logos or designs that do not belong to you. Also please respect our decision to not participate in work that may go against our values or principles.

*Please feel free to use this bill of rights as a guide, but keep in mind that I am a graphic designer not a lawyer.  These Bill of Rights serve as guidelines to help foster relationship with my clients and outline objectives based on my business philosophy.  Should you seek to include legal documentation within your own materials and contracts, I recommend that you consult with your attorney.

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Establishing a good understanding of what is required between client and designer is pretty important right from the beginning of any new business relationship.  I always like to avoid misunderstandings, so I have the following “Client Bill of Rights” posted on my website at Dragonfly Blu and it is part of the package that a potential client will receive from me as I prepare my outgoing proposals and contracts.  I also include the sister document “The Designer’s Bill of Rights” within my materials and I will post that here for you on Monday August 10th.

*Please feel free to use this bill of rights as a guide, but keep in mind that I am a graphic designer not a lawyer.  These Bill of Rights serve as guidelines to help foster relationship with my clients and outline objectives based on Dragonfly’s business philosophy.  Should you seek to include actual legal documentation within your own materials and contracts, I recommend that you consult with your attorney.

As a client of design services, the client is entitled to:

1. The right to a written contract. A contract will help us to outline the work description, timeline and terms for work. It establishes our relationship, our future, and it benefits us both as we move forward together.

2. The right to timely and accurate billing. The client should receive prompt invoicing as noted in the terms of the contract.  Invoices shall reflect pricing noted in the contract. Should the scope of the work change extra charges may be necessary, but compensation charges for any overages should be explained in advance and consult should be provided to the client on how to avoid any possible overages in the future.

3. The right to request and speak to references. The client has the right to inquire and speak to the designer’s past or present clientele. The designer should be upfront and forthcoming with reference contact information.

4. The right to expect fair business practices. No plagiarism ever! Copyrights of reference materials provided to the designer by the client (i.e. photos) are retained by their individual holders. Both the designer and/or client should never take credit for work which is not their own. Client should never ask the designer to steal, copy or infringe on another’s copyright.

There will be no charges incurred by the client for mistakes or corrections made due to the designer’s errors. Client has the right to review and approve all preparation design work prior execution of final work.

5. The right to be informed of time lines. The client should be informed of the designer’s hours of availability, time lines for project milestones, and deliverables. Any delays or problems  regarding time lines should be communicated to the client immediately. Should the designer fail to keep the contract through unreasonable delay or non conformance with the agreed upon contract, it will be considered a breach of contract by the designer. Should the delay be due to the client failure, it is understood that the designer will endeavor to adhere as closely as possible to the original schedule as other commitments permit.

6. The right to communicate with the designer. The ability to discuss the project freely and openly with the designer is a matter of proper customer service. The client should expect that phone calls and emails be answered in a timely fashion. The artist should make time available to meet personally with the client as needed. Customer service is as valuable as great artwork and often the two go hand in hand.

7. The right to confidentiality. As a professional, the designer should honor and protect client information and hold that information as confidential.

8. The right to consultation and education. While a client may often have a vision of the project scope and end product, the client also depends on the designer to make suggestions to save money, find alternative solutions and present more effective ways to utilize materials and assets.

9. The right to safe guarded materials. All materials provided to the designer must be kept in good condition and are returned to the client intact at the end of the project.

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