![Reconnect To Your Job [An Artist’s Perspective]](https://sidearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Marketing-Art.png "Reconnect To Your Job [An Artist’s Perspective]")
More and more people are joining the gig economy. That means developing a creative practice, marketing art, and working a regular job. 70% of the US population feel disengaged at work or they hate their jobs. If you’re part of this 70%, try this exercise. Reconnect to your job. Learn why you started working where you work in the first place. This exercise will completely change the way you view your job and the career path that you’re on. Give it a go!
Write A Letter To Your Employer
Tell them why you love them and why you’re grateful for having them in your life. This exercise might sound like a combination of cringe-worthy craziness, but it is highly effective in reminding you why you took the job in the first place. You don’t have to give the letter to your employer, unless you want to. Ultimately this exercise is for you! Here’s a suggestion on how to start your letter:
‘Dear [insert organization], I am so so grateful that day in and day out you pay for my bills…
At the end of the day this job, that you might currently loathe, is part of your journey. By writing this letter you are partaking in a gesture of acknowledging this in a way other than complaining about how much you hate your job.
When you first start a job, you may feel a sense of excitement, like you’re falling in love. It’s easy to see why you’re destined for this job in the bigger scheme of things. It might be a stepping stone for you to save more money or go back to school. It might be an entry level position for you to work your way up the ladder. Yet, as time goes by, it’s easy to see less and less of the bigger picture that you had envisioned for yourself.
Shift Your Perspective
What this exercise does is shift your perspective of where you’re at right now in your job. It can be written as a farewell letter. It can be written as a way to renew your commitment with your employer and/or the company you work for. It’s an effective way to gain resilience and get perspective on what your next move is.
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Carlee Myers is the Founder of the Stress Less Company. She is an expert at helping people use art and creativity in order to find their passion again. As a firm believer in creativity, Carlee helps people find their purpose in life through a combination of coaching, creative expression, and experiential activities.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Zephyrhills Main Street announces a call for artists for the Public Art Series, Jump Right In. Using the theme of water, Zephyrhills is the City of Pure Water and the City’s new tag line is Jump Right In. The first art project will be murals created for locations within the City’s historic downtown district. Professional artists, designers, and fabricators of public art are encouraged to submit their work for future public art projects.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 8 July 2024
Jump Right In is open to all professional artists, with prior experience of creating and implementing the design of large outdoor murals that foster a unique sense of place.
The Review Committee will select up to three (3) artists to create an original mural design incorporating water and the City’s tag line, Jump Right In. The three (3) selected artists will be compensated $500 for their time in creating a site-specific design rendering. The top-ranked artist or artist team will be compensated up to $10,000 for original large scale mural. The City of Zephyrhills is home to many downtown festivals and events that will showcase the artwork. There will be a series of public art projects in the downtown area of Zephyrhills.
About Main Street Zephyrhills
Main Street Zephyrhills is dedicated to fostering a robust business district with a creative cultural experience and living environment. Zephyrhills is a place where each building tells a story, the downtown is a place where the community comes together. Young and old, lifelong residents, newcomers, and people from all walks of life mingle together at events throughout the year. Main Street Zephyrhills fosters a vibrant business climate, promotes unique special events, and designs the historic core as an inviting location for the community and its visitors.
For more information, contact director@mainstreetzephyrhills.org
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Productivity is activity that positively influences the trajectory of your life whether at home, work, or with personal projects like marketing art. Here are two tools you can use to be more productive, especially considering the many conversations that begin with, “Why don’t I ever get anything done?” or “How the hell did I even get here (without achieving what I set out to achieve)?”
5 Second Rule
The first tool was developed by Mel Robbins: The ‘5 Second Rule.’ This rule helps you launch into whatever task you need to get done and prevent procrastination. The idea is to count backwards from 5 and move yourself physically towards achieving the task. For example, if you’re struggling to get out of bed, count down from 5 to 1 and physically get yourself out of bed. Or, if you remember something that needs to be done, count down from 5 to 1 and write that task down on your to-do list. The ‘5 Second Rule’ is about helping you make that first move towards being more productive. It creates that forward momentum for yourself.
The Tomato Timer
‘The Tomato Timer’ is another great tool to help you be your most productive self. Traditionally, this tool is about setting a 20 minute timer where zero distractions are allowed. Yep, this means no phone, no Facebook, no cat videos. This means no distractions until you’ve completed the task at hand or the timer has hit 20 minutes. At the end of the 20 minutes, you get a 5 minute break to do whatever you want or need to do and then you go back to 20 minutes of focused work.
I suggest that you get a little more creative with your tomato timer. For example, I had a really long spreadsheet to update – something like 300 rows! So I made an internal agreement with myself. Do 20 lines at a time and take a short break to look at my phone, 20 lines, short break, 20 lines, SHORT break … you get the idea.
For those of you who have lunch breaks, the tomato timer is perfect for you. One day I dedicated 40 minutes of my lunch break to my own personal tasks. The agreement that I created with myself was that if I completed these 40 minutes, I get to take a 20 minute walk.
The tomato timer helps you manage your time because you know you need to complete something within the time allocated. The breaks give you space to fill your time with a sense of reward for your focus. There are even Tomato Timer Apps out there that you can use to assist you! This tool is really helpful during afternoon sluggishness where you end up mindlessly scrolling through Facebook (or mindlessly clicking through windows).
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Carlee Myers is the Founder of the Stress Less Company. She is an expert at helping people use art and creativity in order to find their passion again. As a firm believer in creativity, Carlee helps people find their purpose in life through a combination of coaching, creative expression, and experiential activities.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] The Human Impacts Institute announces a call for artists for the Urban Environmental Health Lab (UEHL) Fellowship. Through collaboration with environmental health experts, artists, and youth leaders, fellows will engage in innovative projects aimed at tackling environmental health threats and promote pollution prevention tools.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 20 June 2024
Artist and youth fellows will be in-residence at local, New York City environmental justice organizations, learning about their work, communities, and needs for creative communications and engagement. Together, equal justice groups, youth fellows, and artists will develop a creative project (i.e. film, social media campaign, installation, performance) to deepen the cultural connection(s) between climate justice and community-based solutions.
These projects will be celebrated during Climate Week NYC 2024. The Urban Environmental Health Lab (UEHL) fellowship program is designed to empower underrepresented communities in New York City by addressing urban soil, water, and air challenges. Artists will receive a stipend of 1000 USD upon completion of the program.
Fellowship Focus:
- Environmental health awareness
- Pollution prevention
- Climate justice
- Community engagement
- Creative storytelling
The Fellowship provides artists a chance to build community and expand their network of climate experts and organizations.
About Human Impacts Institute
The Human Impacts Institute (HII) is dedicated to building a global cultural movement that inspires bold climate action through creative and community-driven approaches. They build collaborations between artists, scientists, policymakers, activists, and educators, as well as develop over 25,000 hours of creative climate programming to audiences across the globe. Since it’s inception in 2011, the HII has grown their reach and built an international team that is passionate about the role of art in climate. Through educational workshops, salons, and exhibits, HHI amplifies the voices of communities directly impacted by climate change.
For more information, contact community@humanimpactsinstitute.org
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Researching calls for artists is an important component of your strategy for marketing your artwork. It is challenging to figure out where to start. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming. To help build your confidence, break down your research into small actionable steps.
Bring The Opportunities To You
Set up Google Alerts for your location. Use this search string: “call for artists” + location. You may include “+ medium” to narrow the search if you for your specialty.
For example: “call for artists” + Cleveland + painting
Sign up for niche call for artists platforms. Find them by searching for: “calls for artists” + medium or + style or + relevant topic. Most niche platforms will allow you to narrow your search results to your preferred locations once you sign up.
For example: “calls for artists” + sculpture + “public art” = Americans for the Arts Public Arts Listings
Sign up for newsletters from your local Arts Council and state Arts Commission. These will include calls for artists collected from local non-profits.
Dig Deeper For Hidden Gems
Sometimes, when you find a call for artists posted publicly, it has already been filled. It’s important to try to get in front of the process not only to make sure you have time to apply, but also in order to have enough time to create the work or have enough inventory available.
Whenever you find a recurring opportunity, add the name and deadline date to a spreadsheet. Include the columns: Opportunity, location, deadline, contact information / URL, and a short description. Start checking for the yearly deadline and new information at least six months ahead. You could also create a calendar alert by adding the event deadline to your calendar and setting reminders in advance (3 months/ 6 months) which give you enough time to plan and apply for the opportunity.
Review call for artists content marketing platforms which offer a range of opportunities, such as Side Arts (our specialty is vetted and trusted call for artists with significant track records of success for artists), Zapplication (juried calls), and Art Fair Insiders (art fair specialists).
Check out their archives and forum sections for information and reviews of calls for artists which align with your goals and interests.
Side Arts only promotes new, active calls for artists – no duplicates.
- Use the Active category to see current listings.
- Use the Expired category to see listings which have passed their deadline. Find organizations which offer calls for artists in your area. They may be offering an opportunity, but not promoting it broadly.
- Use the other categories to refine your search by location, type of call, award amount, and so on.
Conclusion
When researching calls for artists, use free resources to bring the opportunities to your inbox. Join local arts listservs. Create a spreadsheet. Dedicate time once every three months (set up a calendar alert) to do original research. Make it a goal to add at least three opportunities to your list every month.
Next Step
Are you ready to invest in yourself and showcase your artwork? Apply to become represented by Side Arts, a leading agency connecting artists with exhibition opportunities. With limited capacity and a rigorous jury review, Side Arts ensures that your work gets the attention it deserves. Click here to learn more about how Side Arts can elevate your art career and provide you with exciting opportunities to display your talent to a wider audience.
Take the leap and step into a world of endless possibilities for your artistic journey with Side Arts. Don’t miss out on this incredible chance to share your passion and creativity with the world. Apply now and open doors to a bright future as a recognized visual artist. Click here to apply.
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] Las Laguna Art Gallery announces a call for artists for The Second Half (50 and Over), an in-gallery and online art exhibition. This is an open theme, open medium call for artists for any artist 50 years of age or older.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 30 May 2024
Las Laguna Art Gallery is looking to celebrate the talent, experience, and unique viewpoint of those in “the 2nd half” of life. As we grow older, the maturity and insight life has given us multiplies. The viewpoints and experiences that come with age are invaluable lessons to us all on how to live life – and live it well.
For the online exhibition, each artist that submits will have at least one artwork selected to be shown. Las Laguna Art Gallery promotes artists and their artwork on their website, Instagram, Facebook, and to a group of collectors and supporters.
About Las Laguna Art Gallery
Las Laguna Art Gallery is located in the well-known art community of Laguna Beach, California. They are on an oceanside cliff in a cute little village of art and shops. Each month, they host a different themed show featuring artists from around the world. They pride themselves in being an entry point for artists new to showing their artwork, as well as a place that experienced artists love to exhibit.
For more information, contact laslagunaartgallery@gmail.com
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Side Arts provides public relations services for a range of call for artists providers and businesses. The most common clients include art organizations, galleries, event promoters, private businesses, local governments, educational institutes, and museums.
Call For Artists Providers
In order of frequency, these are the types of organizations which provide opportunities for visual artists:
- Brick and mortar galleries – Offer 4-10 exhibition opportunities per year. These themed calls can have topics such as colors, shapes, social issues, medium, and styles. The benefit of showing with a gallery is being able to take advantage of their relationships with collectors.
- Non-profit art organizations – Offer 2-3 exhibition or competitions per year. The non-profits are typically local arts councils and focused on a specific medium, such as wood, ceramics, or fabric. Exhibition themes revolve around local history, public figures, and community affairs.
- Online galleries – Private websites offering online only competitions. No mailing of artwork is necessary.Often pay-to-participate and offer small cash awards.
- Event promoters – Manage annual art fairs. These pay-to-participate vendor events usually include the opportunity for juried prizes. Participation to be juried often costs extra.
- Residencies – Destinations for inspired art making which may include travel expenses, room and board, studio space, and guided support and experiences. Residencies may be juried or paid. 1) Juried: There are no costs except application fees. 2) Paid: The participant assumes all costs. These provide different levels of services on a fee-based and availability basis.
- Government institutions – Opportunities provided by city government or state arts commissions. These occur irregularly and are dependent on funding. Funding may come from the city, state, federal, or percent-for-art (one-half of one percent of construction cost for art projects) programs. These are requests for proposals for public works – murals, sculptures, traffic box wraps, storm drain painting, bus stop installations, bicycle rack artwork, public bench artwork, and other short-term and permanent installations.
- Publications – Magazines, both online and in print. Usually pay-to-participate and ongoing based on publication frequency.
- Studio tours – Community events where artist studios are open to the public. Run by a local arts council or an independent non-profit organization. Pay-to-participate. Although traffic is not guaranteed, online and print promotion may be offered. The primary benefit is having a reason to clean up and organize the studio annually.
Writing A Call For Artists
Be deliberate and thoughtful whenever you are writing a call for artists. Make sure the artist benefits, fee structure, terms of commissions, timeline, and engagement process are clearly defined. Know your legal rights and be clear about the artist’s legal rights. Give quantitative and qualitative data to back up why an artist should participate.
Learn more at our top-performing guide: How To Write A Call For Artists
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[Side Arts Certified Sponsored Listing] NATO announces a call for young artists (under 35 years old) from the United States or any other NATO member county to submit artwork featuring their interpretation of peace, security, unity and freedom for the NATO Mural Competition, the celebration of the Alliance’s 75th anniversary.
Click here for the application / registration
Enter by: 12 May 2024
Submit your work to the NATO mural competition – an opportunity to showcase your talent and artistic vision of the future. This is NATO’s 2nd mural competition. In January 2024, NATO unveiled its first public mural, created by street artists in Vilnius, Lithuania, to celebrate the summit held in the city in 2023 and symbolise NATO’s collective defence mission.
The winner of this year’s NATO’s mural competition will get to work with a Washington, DC, street artist to develop their artwork. The design will be featured as a permanent mural on a wall in Washington, DC.
Additionally, top artworks from this year’s mural competition will be displayed at an exhibition at the 2024 NATO Summit venue in Washington, DC.
About NATO
In 2024, NATO celebrates 75 years of collective defence. Since its creation on 4 April 1949, the transatlantic Alliance has grown from 12 founding members to 32 member countries, all working together to keep our people safe. A community of Allies bound together by common values of democracy, individual liberty, human rights and the rule of law, NATO celebrates its anniversary on 4 April at NATO Headquarters in Brussels and at the upcoming summit on 9-11 July in Washington, DC, where its founding treaty was signed.
For more information, contact honor.addington@mcsaatchi.com.
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Providing a point of contact is important when writing a call for artists. Transparency is important to visual artists and crafters. They trust that we hold our clients accountable for their listings. Providing the relevant information helps establish that the client is not a faceless organization or phishing exercise and, in turn, increases response rates.
Calls For Artists Point Of Contact Information
Most promotion content marketing platforms require three point of contact pieces of information:
- Public point of contact email
- Email for administrative use
- Name for administrative use
Public Point Of Contact
- Where the applicant may ask additional questions about the listing.
- May be general (art@yourbusiness.com) or specific (jdoe@yourbusiness.com).
- Avoid generic or non-domain specific email addresses such as artshow@gmail.com.
Email For Administrative Use
- Where the promotion content marketing platform can contact the listing’s administrator for questions or concerns about the listing.
- May be general (art@yourbusiness.com) or specific (jdoe@yourbusiness.com), but preferably specific.
- The person that manages this email address is often both the person that publishes and promotes the listing, although in the case of some larger organizations, there may be two individuals that divide these responsibilities.
- Promotion content marketing platforms will send this email address information about their account, listing updates, and information on best practices for marketing the listing.
Name For Administrative Use
- This is the person that is most responsible for posting listings and managing the promotion content marketing platform’s account.
- A full name (first and last) is required for account set up and maintenance.
- Although not shown to the public, providing a contact name helps establish transparency and allows to quickly address account issues.
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It is challenging to write an effective call for artists. There are many details to think through. Side Arts promotion service provides copywriters and content marketers who help you frame listings and promotions in order to attract the most qualified participants.
Once a call for artists is published to the site, only Side Arts staff can make listing content changes. This is to ensure that the quality assurance process is not compromised.
Obviously, small changes and misunderstandings may occur as clients start to receive responses. Therefore, listing content changes may be requested for incidental updates; i.e. given the wrong link, change of date/location, or point of contact.
Side Arts’ policy is to have our copywriters format the listings in the best possible way in terms of grammar, online searchability, and current content marketing best practices. We update our Style Guide frequently.
Social promotions are scheduled when the listing is posted. Changing your content may mean proofing and editing social content, as well.
We want your call for artist to succeed! If you have any questions about your promotions, reach out to us at mail@sidearts.com.