Nuts and Bolts of Artist Statements, Artist Biography Tips, And Resumes

CC: The Artist by Matt Erasmus

“If you aim for a market, you’ll miss the mark.” Whoever said that, I’m a believer. It’s no good looking over the shoulder at what strangers prefer before creating. True inspiration is the optimal motivator. Quality issues from there, and its purity taps the nerves of audience attraction. That said, there are far too many masterpieces tucked on shelves behind the light of day.

Strong promotional tools may be secondary to our motivation, but they’re essential. Like the apex of an iceberg, they show first. They introduce our work, foster credibility, and mirror how far we’ve traveled along the arc of our goals. Those we know may direct us to new connections. But even then, we must support those connections with an effective “portrait” of who we are.

Selling is a part of every career.

Never underestimate the power of presentation. Why not enter the new season prepared with an updated, incisive, authentic, and powerful one?

What do you need? A dynamic artist statement, artist biography and artist resume is the beginning. Effective artist portfolios and proposals are also important. Start now and stay ahead of the pack. So, what are the important elements of these essential artist presentation tools?

Artist Statement: This is for shaping your essential bond with viewers and sales

An artist statement communicates what motivates you as an artist. It’s the most personal part of your presentation; an opportunity to bring your viewers and potential buyers closer. It offers a glimpse of the person behind the work.

While keeping it informative, let your personality show. Share your ideas and concerns, and how they are revealed in your work. Explain to viewers what your work means to you, not what it’s supposed to mean to them. They will arrive at their own conclusions. It’s okay to mention influences, but mostly keep prominent names associated with your career for your resume, where they will serve as testimonial and avoid the appearance of boasting.

Give some details about your techniques and how they help you achieve your vision. Then, you might add a segment about how your approach is unique.

Most general artist statements are around one page or less. Brevity sustains attention, so lean toward three or four concise paragraphs.

In some situations, a statement about a particular artwork may be requested. A statement can act as a marketing piece in certain commercial situations, which may be appropriate. So be sure to tailor your artist statement to its purpose.

Artist Biography: Creating a memorable snapshot of your career life.

An artist bio contains similar information to the artist resume, but is presented in paragraph form, is less formal, and is most often written in the third person. It serves to highlight the information presented on your resume. It’s a great way to convey a “snapshot” of your career experience.

Artist Resume: Detailing your career with clarity and professionalism.

Artist resumes detail the accomplishments, endeavors, and knowledge. They offer a full picture of your career, and the categories featured on the resume will depend upon your artistic discipline. It’s important to update your resume on a regular basis, adding and deleting the listed activities, as appropriate.

An artist resume can be one to four pages in length. Most artists have two versions prepared: a longer and shorter version. It’s often best to use a professional paper stock, in white or ivory. The style of type varies, and can add to the resume’s professionalism.

Artist Proposal: Standing out from the crowd with dynamic writing/shaping/editing.

Artists also use their portfolio to apply for specific projects, funding programs, residencies, or other competitive opportunities. These applications may ask you to submit a project description, details on your approach to the project, and a cover letter. These written materials should be tightly edited and tailored to the particular opportunity.

Be passionate and sincere in the presentation of your work, and always conclude with thanking the panel, juror, and/or organization for their time and consideration.

Typical questions for you to answer will be: Why are you an ideal applicant? How will you benefit the program or project? What technical qualifications, abilities, or personal assets can you contribute? How will you benefit from the opportunity? How would the project advance your career as an artist? How would you use the money awarded?

Visual Artist Portfolio: Keeping the heart and soul of your work evolving.

Your portfolio is the most valuable tool in your overall presentation. Your visuals are worth a thousand words, and an arresting portfolio can help close the gap, should your written materials be less developed, as may be the case with a young artist on the career path.

There are many approaches to a portfolio, depending upon the discipline. One universal ingredient to a successful portfolio is a sense of continuity. The transitions between and within subject matter must cohere. Color, tone, shape, scale, all must be considered when choosing what images to include and how to position them. This process involves subjectivity as well as objectivity.

Most artists benefit greatly from feedback from a trained eye, and reactions from untrained eyes can also be helpful. A portfolio is most successful when modified and tailored, with acumen, for its particular audience.

Many artists now supplement their physical portfolio with a digital version either on the Web or presented on CD-ROM or DVD. Stay current on new formats and choose the method(s) that feature your work most powerfully and support your marketing goals.

Article by Barbara Bowen, founder of: http://www.GatewaysCoaching.com – – the definitive source for Creativity Coaching and http://www.GatewaysToAction.blogspot.com

Email Barbara your questions about creativity coaching and creating dynamic artist statements, bios, resumes and proposals. Learn about creative action projects through her Web sites. She would love to hear from you.*

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Bowen

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When and How to Seek Representation From an Artist Manager For Your Music

CC by Anne-Sophie Leens of Apartment Studios – Da BO$$

I just watched 10 minutes of an 18 minute video blog from an artist who is seeking a personal (music) manager. He says he hasn’t gotten ahead like he should, since he has not had a manager – and this future manager needs to make him a priority client, yet he doesn’t say anything about his own success or what he is doing that needs management.  I turned it off. I had heard it all before.

On a weekly basis, I get up to 20 myspace friend add-requests from artists who say “I need a manager. Listen to my music.” I hit “deny” almost every time. I meet artists all the time who want a manager because they want the manager to “take us to the next level” or “hook me up with labels” or “get me shows.”

Enough is enough. They all are singing the same tune.

Artists – if you seek a manager and don’t fully understand artist management, are not sure what your needs are and don’t know how to go about properly introducing yourself to a prospective manager, this article is for you. So that artist managers like me won’t turn off your video blogs, deny you on myspace, and duck out of sight in a networking situation.

UNDERSTANDING ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Incredibly, so many artists who seek management actually have no idea what it is. They just know that the manager is their ticket to greater success.

Managers help guide the artist’s career towards the accomplishment of established goals. Managers are an integral part in finding new ways for an artist to effectively compete in the marketplace. The artist manager is involved in establishing, promoting and sustaining the artist’s career in conjunction with the efforts of the artist. But managers do a varying degree of this as their is no industry standard.

QUALIFYING

The first step is qualifying yourself (the artist). Qualifying yourself means sizing your (music artist) self up.

What are your accomplishments? Have you finished a demo, including mixing and mastering and manufacturing it or are you in the initial stages of recording? Have you been performing live? Have you sold songs on iTunes or had radio play? Do you have a buzz with press? What is noteworthy about you?

Do not start bragging you are the hottest, best so&so to hit the streets, because to us managers that means nothing, if you have nothing concrete to back it up with. You need real, measurable progress that we can back-check. There should be some momentum to your career before you seek management; that is, something to manage.

This doesn’t mean you have to be wildly successful yet, but you should be able to articulate clearly and directly what you have achieved in your career so far and also be able to articulate what goals you have for your career growth and development.

 After you qualify yourself, you also need to qualify the manager you seek. Just getting “a manager” should not be the goal. Managers tend to be connected better in certain regions, and also many focus their work within a particular genre. Time to find out who fellow artists are represented by.

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What is your least favorite aspect with regards to managing an artist?

Sometimes it can get stressful trying to coordinate a handful of things at once, especially while working with highly creative people if there are certain deadlines to meet. But the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Like, I work pretty long hours, which is something most people see as a bad thing, but I’m just constantly excited and never want to stop.

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Do research on these managers. Do they have good reputations? If so, ask for a meeting with them, explaining your success and why you seek representation from this particular manager. There are many good managers out there, but there are just as many unqualified, unprofessional managers, too. I realize so many acts write me because they see “manager,” but know nothing else about me – including the genres I work with or the state I work in. Knowing who you are pursuing is a critical first step.

NEEDS

When you did your self-analyzation, you should have identified your strengths and your weaknesses. It will be imperative for you to be able to articulate what needs you have beyond the broken record of the your desire to get to “the next level.”

Managers have different strengths (some have great experience developing an act, some have industry ears and can help you pick a song, and some have strengths in touring,…). So by identifying what you need, you can get closer to finding a manager who is the right fit.

Many hungry artists think their success rests in some manager’s rolodex and they seek this person out for one reason only – to get access to the manager’s connections in the business.

A good manager will, in fact, have a large contact list of qualified professionals. But as managers, we guard these contacts like precious gems. The manager must have a strong belief in the artist’s future success before he/she would be willing to set up meetings and engage their colleagues about you.

A better focus for you to have is to start with self-management or have a friend assist you in the business parts of your career. Work on your artistry and your popularity (fans online and offline). Seasoned managers keep their eyes and ears open to who’s next and if you are creating a lot of buzz (selling out shows, selling CDs independently, thousands of hits on YouTube, etc.), that manager will find you.

Another option is to seek a management consultation which will allow you to tip-toe into a working relationship with the manager. Sometimes managers will be willing to consult you on a project-by-project basis and that way you have some business support why you audition for the manager and they audition for you to see if it’s a right fit.

RECIPROCAL

The best management relationship is built on trust and respect. If the manager truly believes in the artist’s talent and the artist completely trusts the guidance of the manager, it can be a very rewarding relationship. Both parties should work equally hard. Remember, managers are paid a commission of the artist’s income. So, if you have no income coming in yet, make an offer to pay for the managers time in a different way (like hourly or by project), until some income is generated. Make that be the first benchmark, for you both to achieve together, finding income streams for the artist and their music.

So to recap:

• Identify your strengths & weaknesses and qualify yourself.
• Be able to clearly articulate who you are and what success you have had.
• Learn what artist managers do.
• Consider self-management while you build your fan base.
• Have something to manage before approaching a manager! Identify what your needs are.
• Research managers to approach that work in your genre of music and have good reputations.
• Build trust and respect with the manager before demanding they open their rolodex, and come up with a fair way to pay the manager for their services.

These few things will set you apart from the zillion other artists out there aimlessly reaching out to “a manager” in cyberspace. And hopefully help you start a mutually rewarding relationship to further your career.

Kerry Fiero is an Artist Manager, Director of the San Francisco Chapter of NARIP (National Association of Record Industry Professionals) and an adjunct professor at San Francisco State University teaching Music Artist Management and Music Marketing. Her company is Strive Management. —- Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kerry_Fiero

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