Social media:
my art practice and ArtLinks
Cathy Fitzgerald, ArtLinks Member & Director
A year ago, I wasn’t…
using portfolio, ready-made websites, or
blogging…
Using youtube, flickr, facebook, stumbleupon, ning …
and just over a year & half ago
I had started with ArtLinks: working with co. arts officers & arts communities to promote & develop Arts in SE
to manage/develop a new, regional website design courses for promoting people’s creative
development I had intermediate dreamweaver skills, enjoyed web work,
developing membership in voluntary community groups practising artist
luckily I turned up at podcamp ireland in 2007
my own practice + work for ArtLinks overlap
My projects have developed where local people are co-authors in creative process
I’ve been open to recognise sharing ideas/skills is key to creating very rich projects
One needs to build audience/ communities around ideas/work
Ongoing issue: how to show work, engage/reach wider audience
mix of art, science & green community projects –ideas > photography, video, installation
last 12 years
with scientists, created art & ecology projects with environmentalists/foresters & communities
use the emotive power of art to quietly engage / bring attention to community action
lo-fi skills suit green message
my contemporary visual arts practice
Working in the arts
<5% continue with fine art practice
How to sustain/develop practice with limited resources
Work not known Coupled with ltd opportunities to show
work And I moved to rural Carlow!
online – the answer? Personally, yes
made me look professional, virtual gallery no-one knew for instance I was in a mobile home with
no studio Low cost but needed skills
easily consumed lot of creative time attracted attention of media, curators Bizarre: website lead to feature in Irish Times
and interview on national Pat Kenny’s radio show !!!
Online presence something I advocate but you needed the skills, today here reaching to those with basic IT skills
but in last few years, things have moved fast Gone is the need to have in-depth web
skills; my mum at 72, is blogging New social features of web 2 env. ideal for
anyone working creatively
An e.g., work in progress
did art project highlighting a community, sustainable forestry project in Leitrim
pioneering, funded by Forest Service: 16 sites, over 300 acres planted,
film and exhibition well received in Leitrim – but I wasn’t completely satisfied..
a model of forestry that could be replicated thruout country, much needed when you think of climate change, sustainable energy
Even brought it to Cultivate… felt I wasn’t reaching the audience that I wanted
My story In march 08, I put up the intro to the film on youtube (overnight as
I had no broadband)
next morning, 2 curators invited me to show work at new Irish you-tube festival in London??!! I went…
Curators knew Cannes, they lobbied for youtube festival category, guy from Cork got award from Spike Lee!!
My work is now more widely available and tagged to other similar projects
Peers contact me, motivated me to keep going
Forming blog, offline directory and online ning directory for local forest community to share skills, knowledge, films, photos
foresters worst communicators in world and forestry is a true Slow Art Experiment; using own woodland, turning spruce wood into
sustainable, close to nature site, fuel for more art projects and my home, can’t think of more impt project to be involved with
blogs found it to be great place to ‘dump’ ideas Replaced/adds to my visual notebook collect bits on other projects that inspire Show ‘work in progress’ Creatives: have niche knowledge -fascinating to others,
perfect for blogs Peer support, audience, feedback, Free Relatively easy, not much more complex than Word Help a lot of others put up blogs, my mum, friends with great
content, operapage, sculpture, green politics, arts office residency
Growing awareness in UK re: benefits blogging for arts & projects
Invited ArtLinks member Ken McGuire to give first blogging course for ArtLinks
portfolio ready-made websites wanted 2 share knowledge of such
websites with ArtLinks visual artists contacted by ex Riverdeep IT
manager/turned painter, Padraig McCaul who was keen to teach others, why they shouldn’t bother with web designers
>>led ArtLinks courses across 5 counties
My portfolio ready-made website
for literary types At home, been exploring print on demand
books, where you design and upload your content and
its is bound and printed for you and made avail. for others to purchase on demand, like Amazon
Huge benefits for amateurs writers, poets to get ‘a book’ published, offer marketing etc,
Also great for visual artists/makers etc want to make cheap catalogues
e.g. Blurb – drag & drop
Personally… Trying different social media, building hands on
confidence, awareness of benefits > sharing ArtLinks community
Actively read about this area ArtLinks community is still forming
Current website has been quite static but is undergoing development to keep people engaged,
create a sense of community
Get the community sharing Forum risky? Hasn’t been, will be more visible
soon People will be encouraged to link to their
myspace/youtube/ flickr Google maps to show studio/course location Huge amount of events now loaded, Constant
Contact enews >>RSS feeds to auto alert community Those with blogs, content will go on their profile
pages, website will be a conversation of community
Course content: new wiki type area..podcasts
ArtLinks future development ArtLinks is still new Social media is helping engage younger
creatives, and older users, George Offering considerable opportunities for those with
creative work to market, profile their work in future want to push the community to share
skills in helping others with these technologies e.g members -Nicola Brown, Paul Brennan, Ken McGuire can assist others getting blogs up, see ArtLinks Skill Shop area on their profiles
Thank youAnd big thanks to Podcamp for
ideas & encouragement