Lesson 2

• According to Gotham Magazine, over 80% of Generation Y art purchasers acquired fine art online last year, with over half of online consumers utilizing Instagram for art-related objectives.
• Social networking platforms make a significant statement from making transactions more accessible to bypassing galleries.
• Social media is reshaping the art world's financial model. 
• 1. Directly Address Your Audience. "Never before has an artist had the power to engage their audience in a discourse directly," says Stuart Semple in Gotham Magazine. 
• Facebook and Instagram have this power, and we don't expect it to change anytime soon. Social media allows vou to talk with your fans about you and what you're making, bypassing traditional forms of communication.
• Someone can inquire about an item, and it can be sold instantly. And, with one fateful "follow," the industry's most reputable eyes can take a look at your work daily.
• 2. Get Validated Without a Gallery. Artists no longer rely primarily on galleries and the art world elite to verify their achievement, thanks to the rise of social media. Instead, the thousands of people who follow your social media profiles are sufficient proof.
• Having a significant web presence implies your name is getting a lot of attention, eliminating the need for galleries to promote you. 
• According to Vogue Magazine, "..now artists use Instagram as their virtual art gallery, playing both dealer and curator while their fans become reviewers and collectors. " In other words, while gallery representation is still prestigious, going via this middleman is no longer essential. 
• 3. Dodge Gallery Commissions. By avoiding galleries and dealers through social media posts, you avoid losing money on commissions charged by galleries. Instead, you can set up a gallery on Instagram or your Artwork Archive Public Profile Page and receive the total cash from your art sales.
• 4. Avoid the Eliteness. Artists no longer have to mingle with critics and collectors before selling a single piece. 
• Artist Brad Phillips is pleased with this element of leveling the playing field. He feels that Instagram connections are ideal for artists who don't want to play the "expensive game the art world requires- more trips to New York, land] glad-handing at a million openings." He also believes that artists can be themselves while reaching a large audience on this site. 
• 5. Have Less Control. Not all of the effects of social media are positive. Many artists, for example, are concerned about the privacy of their images, and with good reason. Your name (and credit for the task) could be lost in the shuffle if a screenshot of your work is handed around too many times. 
• We now find it difficult to picture a future without social media. When it comes to change, the worst thing you can do is deny it's happening and clings too fiercely to the past. Keep in mind that the traditional art world is changing, but for the better! 
• Social networking can benefit your art business by allowing you to reach a larger audience and facilitate purchases. Take advantage of this new marketing tool and see what it can do for your career.