Congratulations! You had an article written about your art.
Whether it is in a newspaper or magazine or published on a blog, website, or as a podcast, you are deservedly thrilled and want to share the good news.
How do you make the most of an article about your art?
The extent to which you share the article and how you share it depends on the importance of the article and the format in which it was published.
I don’t have to tell you that not all articles are created equal.
Who will care about this news as much as you?
Who will be happy for you?
Who would be bummed if they didn’t hear?
Most importantly … Who do you need to know about this article?
Below are some ideas for leveraging an article about your art, but first we need to get something out of the way.
That Article is Copyrighted
Like your art, the words in an article—whether it’s on paper or a computer screen—are copyrighted. This means that you need to ask permission to make copies or to repost in its entirety.
If you want hard copies of an article about your art, buy copies of the print edition as soon as possible after the publication date. Then you can clip the article and share it freely and legally. You can also order back issues from some magazines and newspapers.
If you plan to share the article digitally and prefer a PDF, you need to ask for permission, as I said—even if you are scanning and making the copies yourself. Remember, the entire article is copyrighted.
Share It With Your List
If the article is substantial and has keen insights from the author, a solo email outside of regularly scheduled emails is in order.
Quote from the article and link to where it appears online or to the publication’s site. Include a photo of you with the article, as described below under social media.
If it’s an honor, but not terribly significant, mention the article in a shorter section within your regular email or newsletter.
Add It to Your Website
Of course you will update your résumé with the article info, but remember to add it to your website.
If you’re considering posting the article online, quote from it and provide a link to the online version, if available. This is legal and is better than reprinting the entire article because it connects your site to a major news source.
If you blog, you might also write a post about the interview process (if it’s interesting) or as a follow-up to what was in print. Expand on what was written.
If you haven’t appeared in the media a lot and don’t have a dedicated News page, you can include the article on your About page.
If you’ve been racking up media appearances, it’s probably time to make a Media or News page, like Victoria Veedell has done. I love the way her page is so visually engaging—not just a pile of links.
Once you’ve added it to your website, you can share that link on social media.
Post It to Social Media
Sharing your good news on social media is a given, but try to be a bit more imaginative than merely posting the link.
Take a photo of it within an interesting composition. Perhaps:
- Hold it up next to your smiling face.
- Stage a shot with your pet.
- Arrange it with some art supplies.
If it’s digital only, snap a selfie pointing at the screen where it appears. Add a quote from the article in the post’s description and tag the author.
You’re an artist. Use your creativity muscle for your marketing as well as your art!
Now to the most critical step.
Tell Your VIPs
If, again, the article is substantial, use it as a promotional piece.
Your collectors will be proud to know of your accomplishments, and potential venues and buyers might be equally impressed. Consider sharing it with consultants, designers, and gallerists.
If you are lucky enough to have your art in a museum collection, be sure the museum registrar or curator adds the article to your file. Always keep them informed of your accomplishments.
This is where you really want print copies if they exist. Recipients will be much more likely to read and be impressed by an article that you went to the trouble of sending in the mail.
You might even send the entire publication with a handwritten sticky note flagging the page where the article begins.
And, I realize this isn’t always possible.
If your article is online, send a personal email to these individual VIPs with an enticing reason for them to click and, when appropriate, add a note of gratitude for their support to this point.
That brings me to a separate, but related point.
Say Thank You
Send the reviewer a Thank You note after the article has appeared. Gifts are inappropriate because of journalism ethics. Share your appreciation by sending a nice handwritten note with one of your images on the front.
Art reviewers and critics are dropping like flies these days as newspapers scale back their operations. We need for them to know they are appreciated as an important part of the art ecosystem.
You need them around to write about your art so that you can have more articles to share.
In Context
Pivot Leads to Newspaper Article
Art Off the Beaten Path
My husband and I have been doing some nearby exploring. Every so often, we get out a metro Denver map and select a neighborhood we’ve never been to before. Usually we just drive around, but you never know what will capture your attention.
On a recent outing, we ran into this outdoor installation at a park by, as we later found out, local artist and curator, Collin Parson. We got out and walked around—fascinated by the giant fireplace remains along with the obvious tracing of a structure’s footprint punctuated by mirrors.
The piece was commissioned by the city of Lakewood, Colorado, for its 50th anniversary and is called Echoes and Reflections: Lakewood’s 50th Anniversary. We didn’t find explanatory text with the piece, but a little searching led to this article published at the time of its dedication.
I wonder how he leveraged that article.
This article was first published on May 11, 2017, and has been updated with original comments intact.
14 thoughts on “How to Leverage an Article About Your Art”
This is a great reminder–thank you! I’m wondering what the etiquette is when you write an article and it is published in someone else’s blog?
I wrote a story about my work and it was featured in another blog– I would like to list it on my own blog as well. It is my writing and I wasn’t paid for it. Should O ask permission or just publish it with a link to the original post?
Lea: It depends on what your agreement is with the other blog.
I wouldn’t duplicate it. If time has passed, maybe tweak it a bit and republish on your blog.
I am in my 70’s and have done art my entire life. I have never had a show. How do I start to sell my work?
Here is a link to a web site run by a very nice man called Graeme – he is 80 – and dont be fooled by his atrocious website design – there are some very useful directions in there
Mandy: I removed that URL because it look like a shady site that required login.
Susan: That’s a great question! I have a self-study called Art Biz Lift Off: http://artbizliftoff.com
I also have a series of posts on this blog as a starting point.
See the first one here: https://aaartbizold.wpengine.com/2009/08/4steps1.html (leads to others)
See also: https://aaartbizold.wpengine.com/readytosell.html
Hope these help.
Alyson,
A fairly well-known art critic in our area wrote a short article about my solo exhibition for the local newspaper. Of course, I want to share it with my clients and put it on my website. Here is my question: do articles like that (or published in magazines or books) fall under the copyright law?
Christine
Christine: That’s so great! And … Yes, they do. I wrote about that here:
https://aaartbizold.wpengine.com/2012/02/reprint-review.html
That might give you some ideas.
You can also take a pic to include with whatever you decide on.
Thanks for sharing my “In the News” page. I wish I would have added it to my website earlier. I’ve always had the press listed in my CV. Now it’s easy to keep track of where my art is mentioned.
My pleasure, Victoria. I’m glad you found it. 🙂 Hopefully an uptick in visits.
Thank you Alyson. I was interviewed for a feature article several months ago. I am patiently (or not so patiently!) awaiting the summer issue to be published. I am excited to share it when it arrives! (Love the hanging on the clothesline idea!)
Alyson, I follow many advice you gave. This is very inspiring.
Very valuable information! I love these newsletters. A couple of your links do not open. (The last 4 on the page).
Still a great article!
Thank you
Judy
Thank you for reading, Judy. I’m wondering if there might be a temporary glitch. Maybe try again in a bit?