IMG_5919Public relations and art aren’t always terms that seem to fit.  There are those in the art world who feel that there is no place for PR or marketing.  There are artists who feel marketing is a way of selling out and there are purists who feel that art is above any type of promotion

They are wrong!

Since art was bought and sold, artists have been marketing their work and the smartest artists transformed the marketing of art into the art of marketing,  But still, the marriage of art, marketing and PR remains a bit of a stormy one.

As a firm that represents those in the arts, if we simply pitch an artist to the mainstream media, without developing a specific story to pitch, generally the response form journalists is that they don’t cover art or artists, yet if we pitch that same client as a pop culture story (or some other specific angle) the media can and often will respond positively.

Why?  The media needs a narrative.  They need a story to tell.  If our pitch is simply here is an artist, or an author, or a filmmaker, there is no story.  There is nothing for the media to latch on to

One fine artist client we’ve worked with, Brendan O’Connell, was positioned as the Warhol of Walmart.  He was featured in a number of media outlets including NPR’s Marketplace, the cover of the Boston Globe and Time Magazine.   He has gone to Walmart’s around the country painting shoppers and brands.  His Walmart trips offered the media a story, an event they could cover.  A story they could tell.  He offered the media a hook, an angle, a story to write about.

Simply presenting an artist’s work, no matter how compelling, will seldom be enough to garner media coverage.  What the media needs is a strong narrative.  Effective public relations is about effective storylelling.  When I worked as a journalist and as a magazine editor, my job was to presnt stories that were of interest to my readers.  When I wrote about artists, musicians or authors, it wasn’t enough to present their works and leave it at that.  I needed a story, a narrative that would interest readers.

The same holds true for all media outlets from print, to TV, to radio to blogs and online publications.  This is the primary fact that all artists need to realize, it’s not enough to showcase your art, you need to showcase it within the context of a compelling story.

Elissa Tracy is another artist we work with.  Part abstract expressionism, part pop-art, painter Elissa, brings to life two distinct sides of her artistic vision through contrasting collections.  The intriguing depth conveyed in the abstracts reveals the inner-monologue of the artist, while her pop culture-oriented G.I. and Cobra characters seem to leap into action off the canvas. Tracy was particularly fascinated by the femme fatale villainess, “The Baroness.” Not only did the sultry anti-hero become the first subject of her G.I. Joe series, but also an alter ego for Tracy herself.   So much so that she has been seen at Comic Con and other events around the country as her alter ego: The Blond Baroness. There is a story here.  Something for the media to latch onto.

As an artist, the story you offer can be loud or subtle. It can be about your art, your journey as an artist, or some other aspect, but you need a story, an angle.  You need something enticing, a storyline that will not only interest, but captivate the media.

Once you’ve developed a storyline, you’re well position to have your artwork covered in the media and to create a strong brand for yourself and your artwork.

Copyright © Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. 2014