I teach artists how to market their work. Harnessing the authenticity of creative expression and distilling it into marketing strategy optimized for engagement and algorithms doesn’t exactly sound inspiring. After all, art is soul work. How can a logo or social media post capture that while staying true to the intent and integrity of the art?What the heck does that even mean?My philosophy is that marketing is an extension of the creative process that elevates – as opposed to commodifies – an artist’s creativity. By keeping authenticity and intention at the heart of messaging, marketing becomes another medium for creative expression:Branding is symbolic storytelling.Engagement is a conversation. Marketing is a mosaic.And strategy is our guide. In 2015, when I worked for a local indie print publication, it was my job to reach out to emerging artists for features and events. Over and over, I was struck by how difficult it was to find the most basic information to contact them, find examples of their work, and book them for paying gigs. I wanted to find out why this kept happening and how to encourage artists to take control of their marketing. In 2016, after 15 years in publishing, I quit my job and started CrowdQwest Communications to address the unique marketing and communications needs of the artistic community in Jackson, MS. My goal is to teach artists how to successfully plan and execute their own promotional strategies without overcomplicating it. Keeping it simple works, my friends.My specialties include content creation and management, social media optimization, media relations, website design, graphic design, relationship marketing, brand storytelling, arts event planning, public relations, and interactive educational workshops.Working directly with artists is the most gratifying work I’ve ever done. I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to broaden the scope of support, resources and advocacy for artists and the future growth of the artistic community in Mississippi. To share your ideas or to schedule a free consultation, reach out to me and let’s talk.