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WHAT DoES NETWorkINg mEAN for you?
Networking has always played an important part in my practice,
to the extent that I have initiated and coordinated a number of
networking events in the past (including
). I consider
all my collaborative / collective and curatorial projects as networking
of sorts, and I see these as essential social activity for anyone, like
me, who is otherwise working alone in an isolated environment.
Ellie Harrison, artist,
five tips for getting started in contemporary visual art
is a user-friendly site with lots of information
and free resources. Here,
shares some tips on getting
started as an artist.
1. Network like mad and get to know people in the arts in
your locality and further afield. You need to be known to be
recommended.
2. Find practical and worthwhile ways to support your work as it
develops. Consider the benefits of further study.
3. Be prepared for rejection. Pick yourself up, shake yourself down.
t happens to all of us, honest.
4. Be self-employed. The cost of the odd tube of paint or stack of
blank DVDs adds up and can be counted against your income, from
art or other work.
5. Take advice. Don’t be too frightened or too proud to ask the advice
of someone who has been working successfully as an artist for
longer than you. They’ve experienced pitfalls, anxieties, poverty
and despair and come through it.
More on networking and getting started:
– a-n publication edited by artist S Mark Gubb
You’re less likely to drown in information if you set aside specific
time in the week/month to research resources, training or other
kinds of professional development. Store useful websites you come
across in themeantime in a folder in your favourites, so you can look
at themas a group and unfavourite the less useful ones. Use theMy
bookmarks function onwww.a-n.co.uk to quickly get back to the
most useful opportunities on the site.
Susan Jones, Director, a-n The Artists Information Company
top tip