Making connections in the art world

As artists we like to seclude ourselves in our studios and we can easily not talk to anyone for a long
time while we work on our projects. Even though the peace gives us time to reflect on our work and
focus on the process, it can be harmful when it comes to our professional connections in the art
world, which can lead to missing opportunities or losing on sales, depending on what type of practice
you have. Most of the advice written below is taken from ‘21 st Century Networking’ by David Sole and
Belinda Roberts and has been changed to make it more suitable for artists.

1. Why should I make connections?

For clarification, by ‘making connections’ or ‘networking’ I mean meeting professionals who work in
the same industry as you and by ‘professionals’ – artists, curators, writes, gallery managers/owners,
etc.

When people hear the word ‘networking’ they are often intimidated by it, but very few realise that
everyone has networks, which involve people who you hang out with (friends), colleagues (work),
etc. When it comes to networking from a business or professional point of view that means people
you know who can help you further develop in your artistic career or visa-versa. Hence, it is
important to know as many people as possible in order to develop as an artist.

2. How do I start?

In ‘21st Century Networking’, David Sole and Belinda Roberts recommend making a list of people you
already know by placing them in different categories. For our artistic purposes, one category would
be Friends, Colleagues (or Fellow artists), Art professionals (people who have ties in galleries or other
spaces), PIP – people in publication (journalists, press). You are most likely going to be shocked of
how many people you already know.

A quick reminder here, when it comes to networking quality is more valuable than quantity, so even
if you have 10 people in your network as a start, but these 10 people support you and give you
opportunities, that is more important than having 100 people who barely know what your work is all
about. If you still wish to expand your network, think about where you can make new connections
and how to approach them. Gallery visits, private views, workshops/talks/screenings are always good
events where you can meet a lot of people. When you get there, don’t be shy! Engage in
conversation with others by asking a lot of open questions such as ‘What kind or artwork do you
make?’ or ‘What was the last exhibition you visited?’. Try not to ask questions which can be
answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. After the conversation, which has lasted for a good amount of time (10
- 15 minutes) ask for their socials or email and make a connection with them via the given platform
no later than in the next 1-2 days. When you do that, always mention something that you talked
about when you met, which will remind them of who you are.

3. What do I do next?

When was the last time you talked to the people in your list? It’s always good to have a diary where
you write down in a table: TYPE (friends/colleagues/, etc.) NAME, LAST CONTACT, NEXT CONTACT. By
planning your next meeting you will be able to stay in touch with your network. You can also
prioritise your connections by how often you would like to contact them. If you haven’t talked to
someone for a long time but you want to reconnect with them, drop them an email. It’s important to
acknowledge how long it has been since you last spoke, to mention (if you can remember) what the
last thing you spoke about was, why you are reconnecting and then add some value.

4. Giving value.

Giving people value, or offering something in return, is one of the most essential parts of networking.
When you first start networking you may have to be in the position of the ‘taker’, which means you
will take more than you can give. With time, you will manage to think about how to give back to the
people that have helped you. For example, getting an internship or volunteering in a gallery works
both ways. In this case you are helping the staff by giving them a hand free of charge and in return
you will get experience, which can be added to your CV. I do know that volunteering is sometimes
frowned upon, but it is a perfect opportunity to meet people in the field and make valuable
connections. Another way to give back to your network is by taking the role of the ‘connector’, which
means you will take the time to introduce people in your network who do not know each other,
which will, accordingly, grow their network.

5. Social media.

I cannot stress enough on the importance of social media for artists. It can be used to maintain
connections, sometimes make connections, although I would recommend face-to-face meetings; and
to promote your artwork. It takes a lot of time to make socials work for you but it is worth it. Again,
quality over quantity.

Instagram:

I believe that Instagram is one of the most (if not the most) important platforms for creatives in the
visual arts field. When it comes to this particular platform a lot of people tend to focus on how many
followers they have, but if you have 50 000 followers, 0 comments, 20 odd likes on each post, etc.,
yes, the number looks great on your account but there is no engagement. You need followers who
are genuinely interested in your work, hence I would definitely not recommend paying for followers,
which in most cases are fake and in time get deleted, which then leads to a lower follower count.

I will expand the topic on social media in another post where I will be talking about different
platforms and how to engage in each one.

If you wish to learn more about networking I do strongly recommend ‘21 st Century Networking’. Bear
with it, though, since it was written about business, which means you might want to skip the case
studies and some of the charts. The book is an easy read and has more insight into first impressions,
etiquette, your personal brand, etc.

I hope that this article has given you some insight into networking in the art world and gives you the
courage to get out there and make connections.