Career Management for Artists: A Practical Guide to Representation and Sustainability for Your Studio Practice

by Stacy Miller

Overview

Both pragmatic and motivational, this book addresses what it means to have a successful long-term career in the arts, taking stock of the current landscape of the art world, introducing new venues in the field, reflecting on issues of social media and exhibition, and ultimately encouraging artists to take control of their professional lives.

Weaving conversations from a range of internationally based artists who have negotiated alternative paths to success, lauded artist and teacher Stacy Miller provides a practical, lively reflection on what it takes to be an artist in our new global landscape. This book covers practical needs, different approaches, and philosophical ways of creating a life and career in the arts. It lays out conventional and nonconventional means to representation, describes being an entrepreneur versus funding independent creative projects, and examines social media for the potential powerhouse it is. Most importantly, it gives artists a way to think about being a professional and the different paths to a successful career in the arts.

Perfect for emerging, mid-career, and experienced artists, this book encourages readers to redefine personal success and to act locally, nationally, and internationally in an expanding art world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138335219
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/26/2020
Pages:	174
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Stacy Miller, Ed.D., is an exhibiting artist, arts educator, and startup innovator with over 25 years of experience. She has worked as the first Curator of Education at the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum USA; as Director of Research and Professional Development at the College Art Association USA; and as the Director of Art and Design Education at Parsons School of Design, New School University, USA. She currently teaches in the photography department at Parsons and is co-author of Starting Your Career as an Artist.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments x

Introduction: Re-Imagining Creative Lives xi

1 The Foundations: A Basic Tool Kit 1

The Business of Your Creative Career 2

Communications 9

Chronicling Your Artwork and Life 12

Health and Safety for Artists 19

Time to Do the Support Work for Your Art and Life 20

2 Creating a Life in the Arts on Your Own Terms 21

What Is a Professional? 22

What Does It Mean to You to Be Successful? 26

Dealing with Rejection 29

A Few Positive Thoughts about Failure 31

3 Representation of Your Work: Conventional and Non-Conventional 36

The Conventional Route: Finding a Gallery to Represent Your Work 37

Interview with Sara Maria Salamone, Co-Founder with Tyler Lafreniere of Mrs. Gallery, Maspeth, Queens, NY 47

The Unconventional Route: Other Paths to Sustaining Your Work 57

Final Words 65

4 Connectivity: Networking and Technology 67

Community Building 68

Analog and Digital Connectivity: Their Commonality 69

Benefits, Returns, and Cautions for a Connective Life 70

About Analog Connectivity 71

About Digital Connectivity 72

Interview with Larry Ossei-Mensah, Curator and Co-Founder of ARTNOIR 75

A Brief Look at Current Platforms for Connecting on Social Media 77

Images 80

Content Is Key 80

Memes 82

Hash tags 82

Digital Cautions 82

Relationship Building/Audience: The Exchange System 83

Case Studies 85

Conclusion 90

5 Entrepreneurship and DIY Movements: Models for Artistic Production, Collaboration, and Socially Engaged Practice 93

The Entrepreneur 93

Values 96

Goals 96

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship (What It Takes) 98

Real Estate for Artists: Work Space and Possible Solutions 100

The Spirit of DIY 104

DIY and Non-Conventional, Off-Beat, or Unusual Spaces 104

Grants 106

Case Studies for DIY Projects 108

Hybrid: A DIY Entrepreneur 111

Conclusion 112

6 The Whole Artist: Art/Work/Life Introduction 114

Sustaining Your Life as an Artist: Your Artistic Identity and Practice 115

Language 116

Culture and Language 116

Thinking Differently 117

Debunking the Myths and Industry Buzz Words in Your Mind 117

When Are You Successful? Labels Will Bury Us All 118

Your Vision 118

In for the Long Run 118

Family and Children 119

Taking Care of Yourself and Your Workplace 120

Your Artistic Identity 121

Disconnects 122

Academe: Navigating Your End Game 123

To Adjunct or Not 124

Mentoring 125

Studios/Workplaces 126

Documentation 126

Dealing with Finances: It's Expensive to Be Poor 127

Freelancing or the "Gig Economy"-Thinking Like an Entrepreneur 128

Professionalism 130

Asking Questions and Research 130

Truth Be Told 131

Our Cultural Institutions 131

What Now? 132

Legacies 134

Powerful 135

Idea Incubator-The Inside Out Factor 136

Life Long Learning 136

What Ifs 137

Conclusion 137

A Selected Resource List for New Ideas, Strategies, and Actions 140

Selected Bibliography 151

Index 155

Editorial Reviews

With decades of experience, Stacy Miller is my most trusted voice in professional development for artists. Her latest book, Career Management for Artists hits the market at a historical cultural moment and offers real strategies for artists to sustain their careers on their own terms. Building on the necessities such as an artist portfolio and teaching dossier, Miller puts the art market in proper focus and takes a singular approach to social media as an essential career building tool. I am excited to share this book with my students to reinforce what Miller so passionately believes: we need artists now more than ever.

Melissa Potter, Art & Art History Department of Columbia College Chicago

Stacy Miller is a widely respected expert on careers in the arts and is a passionate advocate for artists. With her new book, Career Management for Artists, Miller brings her considerable experience as both an educator and practicing artist, to this essential guide. Miller encourages artists to take control of their lives by employing the creative decision making process they use in the studio and applying that to their professional lives. I look forward to sharing this guide with our students and alumni who will benefit from Miller’s important insights and ideas.

Angie Wojak, Director of Career Development at the School of Visual Arts

From the Publisher