The Art Of Telling Stories

One of the things I gleaned on my was, the art of telling our stories.  Tell our stories is important for a few things.

1.    To build of audience

2.    Building a support base as you build your practise

3.    Asking people to invest in us and our work.

One my clichés at present is, opportunities don't this happen, we create them. There's plenty of people out their competiting for our time and money.  Art collectors and art lovers want to buy more than a piece of art, they also want to buy a story. Either the story of the artists or the story the art is telling to the audience.

Your investors on the other hand want a return on their investment. An investment may be made in time, in cash or inkind use of property or service. All investments regardless of their dollar amount a of equal value. Unless you can 100% fund your art projects they are not viable.  We need all investors and we need to ensure we make them feel valued.

 Kylie Stevens is another Ipswich Artists, she has  invested in my career in a number of ways. The most challenging me into booking a gallery, before I even believe in myself. 'Come on I write you in now . . . How about . . . May?

Kylie works at the local art store always ready to advise on my supply needs.  When you going to bring some of your work in. . . Turned out Kylie was a Debbie fan, and she was the first person to invest in my work.  No sale pitch, no I want to sell my work. 

In fact it was a few months later I found out she was my buyer, Kylie was investing in the story I had and my work in the local art community. We now have a working relationship and support each other.  What investors want is 'a relationship' or partnerships. You may find a few random people making one-off donations, but more and more people and business are wanting a return on their time and money.

For some that's an opportunity to become involve in your work, for others it's a memento of the project.  Each of us, has a 'social currency', it is our job to find out what our investors want.

Just as I have used the story to illustrate how to engage with your investors telling your story will enable you to create interest, build your audience and attract investment.  By tell your story you are creating your own opportunities.

Who should you share your story with? Every person you meet is an opportunity to share your story. Meeting people at the bus stop or the train.  And what do you do for a living. . . "Well I work at Woolworths so I can eat and pay the rent, but I am a professional textile artist."  Use a sentence that creates an opportunity for further conversation.

Share your story in a chance meeting is not about sales, but building up you confidence, preparing to share it with differ audience and maybe at you next fundraising event. I like to think everything is preparing me for the next step in my journey. If people are really interested you should have photos of your artwork on your phone, when you pull out you phone share how you created the work.  Here is the perfect opportunity to show your passion.

It is your passion that will attract your investors.  Investors do want to invest in people just looking for the 10 minutes of fame or quick cash.  They are looking to be involved in a long term journey, there wanted a return, how can you help them. This is also known as 'social currency'. Like my friend Kylie, investing in my journey has meant my wiliness to support her jigs.

If the person likes you artwork then they might ask if you sell you art work and where, this in when you know the person either is potentially interested in buying your artwork or at least wanting to come on a journey with you.  Sometimes sharing your story will need to be more formal or even written down and documented. For example if you wanted to apply for arts funding for a project.  You also will need people to say, hep that's what you've been work on and you do a pretty top job at it.

The other place where you can share your story is on Social Media. Social Media includes, Facebook, Google Hangout, Twitter, Blogger, Instegram, Utube, and much more. When you share your story online, unless your uploading a video to utube, people will not here the passion in your voice and you also have a very limited space to give your message. Twitter is a voice that potentially gives you a large reach, the catch is you need to be able to tell your story in 125 characters.

doodler seeks attention this Friday @ 6pm drawing point gallery

You can twit more of your followers can ask for more information. So starting to be more deliberate about the way you share your story today!

More tips on how to fund you art projects and opportunities are posted on our facebook page regularly.