Monday, February 6, 2012

Top 10 Social Media sites for Creative People

If the artist in you is serious about gathering an audience for your artwork and the rewards that effort can bring, as in fame and fortune, then social networking is the key to your success and finding the right social sites for artists is a vital part of that process.
This process is not new. The coming together of like-minded souls has been around a long, long time. The vehicle used to accomplish this task in today’s world is relatively new but the concept remains the same. Let me explain.

In the 14th and 15th century The Medici family of Florence as part of the Italian Renaissance, gathered together and supported a group of artists from a number of creative disciplines. Under this umbrella of patronage and creative sharing, the arts flourished.  So did the artists. The same is true today.
It is undeniable that part of the recognizable identity for the success of creatives today, comes from membership in various subcultures. To that end, to succeed in a creative profession, you must network. Besides making self-serving connections, the creative inspiration one gets from like-minded souls goes a long way in determining your overall success.
The tool you use to help accomplish this task is the Internet and its vast network of specialized resources for artists and other creative creatures. Much like the Florence of 500 years ago, the 21st Century has become a time for the explosion of new thought, technologies, ideas, attitudes and art.  Most of this is due to the phenomenal growth of the Internet with its incredible amount of information and the social networks that exist on a Global basis. Great minds are just a few clicks away. Great minds that can motivate, criticize, comfort, inspire, stimulate, exchange thoughts and provide opportunities. The human resources are unlimited.
Social network peer groups and the personal contacts you make can go a long way in raising your profile and making you and your art more visible. As they say, “It’s a win, win situation”.  Hanging out with creative people makes you more creative. It’s like playing chess or most other games/sports.  The better the players, the better you become. Contact referrals are something else to consider. Once established in a group it is likely that should the original contact person not be able to supply, they would recommend you for the job and that is worth the price of admission in itself.
But where to hang out? What cyber café, coffee shop or bar best suits your purpose? As another artist once said “ To be or not to be that is the question.” So we have made it a little easier by listing our Top 10 Social Media sites for Creative People. Check them out to see what fits you best and then enjoy your Florence on the Internet.

Top 10 Social Media sites for Creative People

  1. Facebook
  2. MySpace
  3. Linkedin
  4. Twitter
  5. Behance Network
  6. Shapeshifters
  7. Likemind
  8. Deviantart
  9. Ning
  10. All your local area network groups!

Whatever plan you put in place to sell your art online, part of that plan should include social networking in one form or another for a variety of reasons from building your audience, finding buyers and gallery owners, locating and engaging an agent to simply connecting with other likeminded souls.

Get out there, connect and sell your art!


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