Collaboration and the ease of reach
January 26, 2012
Painting, music, and video:Â A Story in Three Parts
Silk painter Lee Zimmerman and improvisational cellist Kathy McTavish create a beautiful collaboration for the performance of the musical The Secret Garden. The event takes place at the Duluth Playhouse in Minnesota in early 2010.
The video came my way just yesterday.
It’s also a brilliant promotional piece for Zimmerman, McTavish and the theatre where they performed. It’s traveled to faraway places as well as through time to reach new people.
Conversation and connection make their own kind of music
Inkwell Boutique in Halifax, Canada connects online with Bespoke Letterpress Boutique in Brisbane, Australia. Bespoke Letterpress features images of the shop by photographer Daniel MacDonald. The potential audience for all of them is over 6000 people on Twitter alone—reaching people around the world.
When potential numbers are translated into more realistic figures, the message is still received by a significant number of the right people (who are in their respective cities, shop local, and who love things both handmade and beautiful), who can then re-share their content and revisit their websites.
Market without “marketing”
The possibilities for artist collaboration are as varied and exciting as the participants. The tools available to record and share these experiences are both affordable and flexible. They allow creatives to create promotional pieces that are works of art in themselves, that take the dusty, grey stuffing out of “marketing” and transform it into an exploration of both medium and message. They provide backstage passes and glimpses into galleries and studios around the world.
These are the kinds of collaborations that people want to share. A beautiful website, stunning photographs, an inspiring and fascinating video—the experience is something your audience wants to be part of.
Some artists have admitted to me they dislike technology so much they actively avoid it, in spite of understanding the benefits to their businesses. They don’t see it as a medium to discover, a new resource in their creative toolbox. They can’t begin to imagine the fascinating people they can meet and talk to, and share an audience—or project—with.
But you can.
About the author: Stacey Cornelius is a writer and professional butt-kicker. She helps empower artists, designers, writers and craftspeople to do their best work and show it to the world. Want more marketing info? Sign up for her free, jargon-busting foundation marketing email class right here. For high-speed inspiration, catch up with her on Twitter.
