Tacoma Arts Commission has been working hard this month. They have put together a multitude of events for Art at Work Month all around Tacoma celebrating the strong art foundation that has thoroughly pervaded the city. One of the larger events that took place was the third annual Art Symposium, held on the University of Puget Sound campus on Nov. 15 and 16.
Over the course of two days, experts in fields specific to the business of being an artist and staying one, such as grant writing, contracts and copyrights among other subjects, took over classrooms and taught free sessions to many eager artists both new and seasoned. These speakers were a lively mix of educators, professionals and artists who have firsthand experience with the steps it takes to be successful in the world of art.
During the first day of the symposium, one of the session options was “What Authors and Artists Need to Know About Copyright” taught by Robert C. Cumbow. He broke down the presumptions individuals may have had about what a copyright actually is and about how to protect those copyright rights. In addition, Cumbow informed the attendees about what is and is not copyrightable material, how to gain copyright, register a copyright, fair use and the basics of copyright infringement. Not only are these topics immensely helpful to the visual artists mainly in attendance, but also to many authors and would-be screenwriters interested in one day revealing works of grandeur to the world.
Artists should be well aware of how imperative it is to have an Internet presence nowadays for their work, in addition to any forms of traditional advertising and marketing they may have already been utilizing. The session entitled “Using the Internet as a Tool for Promotion,” led by Miguel Guillen on behalf of the not-for-profit Seattle-based organization Artist Trust, gave a succinct overview of some Internet-based tools that artists can use for free or at low cost to them to get the word out about their work. The basic elements to consider for any artist trying to create an online presence, according to Guillen, are a website and also a blog at the very minimum. Additionally, joining online galleries, web journals, and online registries can help get artwork to even broader audiences.
Another element of making art and trying to get jobs related to art are contracts. Contracts and legal jargon in general can sometimes seem overwhelming and intimidating to individuals who primarily work with their desired medium and try to avoid paperwork and other such necessities at any cost. Yet despite this notion, artists inevitably have to give way to these feelings in order to make way for bigger and more fulfilling projects, as well as compensation for their time and efforts.
Speaker Jeffrey Coulton, lawyer and representative of the organization Washington Lawyers for the Arts, led the half Power Point/half question and answer session regarding the utilization of contracts between artists and their clients. The main elements discussed that were central and pertinent to artists were what exactly contracts were, the main type artists see, (independent contractor agreements) and also work-for-hire agreements. Individuals were then implored to voice their own very specific art questions regarding their businesses and situations that they have found themselves in related to past projects.
Coulter exhibited extreme knowledge about a myriad of subjects and topics, and tackled every question with precision and complete answers that benefited all artists in attendance, not just the ones asking the questions.
The arts symposium was an event that successfully covered many of the nuts and bolts information that artists may not learn while in art school in only two days: what you do after you have a degree and a body of work. The business side of the art world is one that is often neglected or sometimes avoided completely by artists who want to genuinely place all of their focus on improving their work, and not waste any of the time they have left over after working jobs to pay the bills. Events such as the symposium help shed light on these sometimes mystifying topics, and allow artists to realize that they can do what they love and make it work to their benefit.
