The Artists Business Lounge

. I was looking through old material recently and found this post from three years ago. It still feels worth sharing, partly because the “now” has evolved again since I wrote it, but also because it captures something important about where The Artists Business Lounge came from.

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Then and Now: Back in late 2007 I decided to launch an artists supporting artists community, to help artists (myself included) with the business of being artists. ​​​​​​​​​I had also recently welcomed my baby boy and needed a way to connect with artists other than openings.
And so TLF (The Littlest Forum) an online community was born.
I invited artists I knew and asked them to invite artists they knew but I always kept it relatively small (100 artists max).
It was a clunky beast - I had to post instructions on how to upload an image and video could only be linked to not uploaded!!
But it was well loved, full of helpful information, discussions and, for some, collaborations and friendships that endure to this day.
Of course technology is way easier now and my son turns 16 this year, so things evolve.
I have continued to learn and support and the artist community and program I have built inside 'the lounge' is more sophisticated.
It's a business with coaching, online courses, videos, events etc. But it is also a community.
Learning, community and connection are still important, for introverts and extroverts, for people who are in remote places or have other reasons to not leave the home or studio, and people who love being able to chat without getting out of their jim jams (PJs)

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Reading this back now, I can see how much of the philosophy behind The Artists Business Lounge was already there.

The technology has changed. The resources are stronger. The program is more structured. But the heart of it is the same.

Artists need good information, thoughtful support, serious conversation, and connection with other artists who understand what it means to keep making, showing, learning and building a sustainable art career.

That is still the work.
some of the artists from TLF have joined me in the lounge and some have been guest experts on certain topics

"...I bought your art biz organizing Trello board and am so head over heels in love with it!!!! "
More emails like this please 🙂

Sales Page A Trello board designed to help visual artists organise opportunities, exhibitions, marketing, and the practical side of their art business.

The simplest collector shift
If most of your engagement comes from other artists, it is often because your posts are written for artists.
A small shift is to change your closing line.

Artist-to-artist closers sound like: “What materials do you use?” “How did you make this?”

Collector-friendly closers sound like: “What drew you in first?” “Where would you hang something like this?” “Do you respond more to colour, mood, or energy?”

Same artwork. Different doorway.

The Artist Focus Reset is a 9-day email course to help you get clearer about what you are sharing, who it is for, and what to say next. $9 AUD.

https://offer.theartistsbusinesslounge.com/artistfocusreset

In case you have missed it, there is a special offer on
Exhibition Pro GPT
$57 AUD

to Tania Small on her forthcoming exhibition in Lithgow
Le Petit Journal Exhibition at 24 April to 10 May

See Tania’s account for more detail

I ran a session inside the Success System Program recently on creating a press-ready media kit for artists.
We looked at:
• the difference between a media kit and a press kit
• why this matters more than most artists realise
• what actually needs to be included (and what doesn’t)

It was one of those sessions where things start to click.
Because this is often the missing piece.

Artists are doing the work, building their practice, but when an opportunity comes, a feature, an interview, a publication, they’re not always ready to respond in a way that makes it easy for the media to say yes.
A press-ready media kit changes that.

There isn't a lot of great information out there, so I wrote a blog post “How to create a press-ready media kit that attracts press coverage and publicity opportunities”

If you want your work to be seen, written about, and shared properly, this is worth putting in place.
Read the blog here:
https://theartistsbusinesslounge.com/press-ready-media-kit/

I made a couple of updates this morning and decided to create this ebook only store.
No other services, or offers, just practical guides to help artists improve their visibilty and more.
Take a look and let me know what you think. https://offer.theartistsbusinesslounge.com/store