Social Networking for Gallerists and Art Professionals: online course by Node Center

Lecturer: James Michael Shaeffer, Jr.
Duration: From October 1st to October 22nd, 2013
Application deadline: September 27th, 2013

This course examines the practical and successful strategies of social networking for professionals in the art world. Artists, curators and gallerists in the past decade have introduced social networking as a necessary tool for increasing global visibility as well as for community outreach. Institutions such as the Sculpture Center or New Museum have utilized sites like Tumblr or Facebook to increase their base significantly. For instance, by getting featured on the Tumblr art directory galleries like LVL3 in Chicago and REFERENCE Art Gallery in Richmond, Virginia have garnered over 100,000 online followers each despite their relatively remote locations. As the world heads further towards globalization, social networking platforms have become an essential aspect within the artistic community.

Participants in the course will learn successful strategies on maintaining an online platform, as well as how to boost public interest and which content can bring in the best audiences. They will create a blog as well as a Facebook page and design and implement a strategy to utilize them within their professional practice. At the completion of the course, participants will have an increased knowledge of not only social networking, but it’s history, how to take advantage of it and most importantly how to attain a large digital footprint.

Participation fee: 145€

To apply please fill in this Application form and we will contact you to confirm your enrollment in the course.

*Online material available 24/7 during the duration of the course and 4 weekly video-conferences every Tuesday at 7pm Central European Time

Program

Week One: Practical usesof social networks

• This class will generally revolve around getting started with social networks. While many students may be already aware on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, it will be the goal of this course to take advantage of everything these platforms can offer.
• The class will create a Tumblr blog and a Facebook page, learn how to edit that page, and will discover important blogs to follow.
• Students will be exposed to the different types of blogs/social networks and what kinds of services they can offer. They will be introduced to curatorial blogs, artist blogs, journalist blogs and more.
• Discourse on how to use Tumblr/Facebook appropriately. How can you differentiate yourself from the thousands of other pages out there?
• Introduction to contemporary theoretical research into social networking. How is art affected by this new module? How can we benefit from it?

Week Two: Artist/Curators who use social networks

• Introduction to Twitter
• How have gallerists/curators/artists taken advantage of Twitter?
• Examples of great tweets/Twitter accounts.
• Review Tumblr/Facebook pages created by students – examples of successful assignments.
• Posting on Tumblr – how to and what to post.
• Examples of successful Tumblrs and not-so-successful Tumblrs.
• How to post a successful post on Facebook.
• Strategies to invite friends and contacts to like your Facebook page.
• Assign readings regarding the theoretical background of social networking.

Week Three: History/Theory

• Introduction to the dissemination of the image.
• Texts by Marlaux, Lippard, Ranciére, Baudrillard.
• The blogger as curator – contemporary texts on curators on the web.
• Artist projects on Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
• How have online projects been utilized in reality?
• What are curatorial projects that have used social networks?
• Twitter tips – how to get retweeted.
• Facebook Ads – how and why you should use it.

Week Four: Maintenance and Networking

• Researching your demographic and how they can find you.
• General public relations – getting people to need you on the web.
• Expanding from beyond the website into the real world.
• Maintaining a successful internet presence
• Linking accounts together.
• Other online projects that aren’t utilizing social networks.
• Selling online work/Contracting online work.
• Pinterest, Etsy, Vine, Instagram and other social networks.

For more information: info@nodecenter.org / www.nodecenter.org