Do Visionary Art Managers Exist?

March 19, 2018

Dear Allyson (Hi Alex!),

I am a multidimensional artist.
I do performance art-

I do installation art-

I do visual art (visionary still life photography)-

and I run creative workshops-

I have established myself out here in Australia and I am wanting to start touring internationally and expand in many ways. I am a one man show and I am finding it very difficult to keep up with everything I have going on.

My question is.... is there such a thing as visionary artist managers? or do I need to hire an assistant?

I am looking for an outside force to take care of all of my back end work so I can focus on being the talent and delivering my magic. I am not at a place right now where I can really afford to hire an assistant... so I am writing you to get some advice on how to move forward. I am extremely busy, but I could be more productive if I had someone managing me and taking care of all my admin, social media, finding projects, liaison with galleries/clients etc. Does that even exist?

Given my circumstance... what do you think I should be looking at?

Thanks so much for your service and awesomeness.... lots of love.

Steve

Art by Steven

Hey Steven,

Thanks for writing with an important question that I’d like to include on my blog, Ask Allyson about Art & Life.

An art “business” as unique and diverse as yours is a great challenge that needs skilled outreach and social media to attract a supportive audience. To succeed at the next level, you will need to become even more widely known, which only means making more friends. Keep a good record of contacts and friends and share the “journey” of your art inspiringly with them.

Your successful art business will need media attention, much of which , fortunately today, can be free on the Internet. Posting regular videos and being interactive by commenting and “liking” the works of other artists’ will integrate your work and cultivate a following. Skills at video editing will be useful. Learn new programs or make the money to hire others.

If you are getting ample requests for your work and are very busy, make sure you are not simply giving it away. You need to put any profit from your art or your “day job” back into your art business. Most creative people “ride more than one horse.”

Someone you could pay once a week or once every two weeks may improve your life and give you the space to do what only you can do, what you do best, that is, make your art. For us it was hiring someone to clean our home once every two weeks. Be specific in a task you need done and hire for that task. Early on, we hired someone to do our taxes. If you are offered a commission to perform or create an installation, allocate 10% for a temporary assistant.

Working with others will be essential to growing your successful art business. Do art managers exist? Yes, of course they do. When you are successful enough to pay a person, the person will appear.

Like any other business, you will have to find a way to fund your business. Keep thinking of what your business needs in order to make more friends, get more paying invitations and keep thinking of what you can afford to hire out to an assistant or specialist. You are creating a “Net of Beings” with which your art interacts and depends.

We often say, “The perfect person is coming to me now.” And they do. Cultivate being coachable, adaptable and unstoppable and others will not only want to help you, they will be inspired and empowered by you and your work.

Love,

Allyson