Atlanta Art Fair Takeaways.
Let's catch up on the last month!
From my desk -
Hello! Happy Tuesday! There’s been a lot happening behind the scenes so before we dive into my trip to Atlanta, let’s catch up!
For the first time in years, I am HERE in October. Even after a brief trip to Atlanta, I am craving the stability of being at home, enjoying my neighborhood as Halloween decorations go up, and having productive/non-disjointed days. I came home so jazzed about being a part of the art world of DC (see below recap) and am determined to enjoy as many openings, exhibitions, and coffee brainstorming sessions as possible.
As I find myself on the cusp of the third year of my business, I feel very much that I am entering into CD Arts Management 2.0. I’ve tried a lot of things, worked with so many incredible artists, had some exciting wins - and now it’s time to create the structures to keep it all going and to hone down on the services I really love, am very strong in, and that artists need the most.
A few weeks ago I put a poll on Instagram to ask artists about how they would prefer to invest in help - pay more for someone to do it for them or pay less for a guide or template to do it themselves. The results were almost 50/50 - depending on where an artist found themselves in their career, answers varied. So in addition to the do-it-for-you services that built my business, I’m thrilled to start offering my methods as guides this fall. To help the most people, I absolutely believe in options and meeting people where they are.
I’m excited and expectant for this new chapter. If you’re an artist, I hope you’ll continue following along.
I created a new mailing list specifically for artists! I’ll be offering free resources to that list soon, so sign-up now! As always, emails will be helpful, never spammy.
In closing. A few things that are giving 2.0 -
I am a die-hard Google calendar girl, but (like many others in DC) I cannot express my love for Appointed notebooks enough. The other day, I spotted this 2024/2025 planner in my favorite Appointed color at Penny Post (free shipping!) and bought it immediately. I’m OBSESSED. The weekly to-dos, priority list, quick find tabs, and daily hourly layouts truly combine everything you love and need in one planner. It just started in August so now is a perfect moment to get one.
Not much to say on this except sure, she got a tripod. What will she use it for? Only time will tell.
I love a lot of the content Catherine of Cash Flow for Creatives puts out. I find that she doesn’t include a lot of fluff and her systems are really actionable. I bought this guide on paying yourself a consistent salary and found it very helpful for understanding tax planning and what my annual salary actually looks like (harder than it seems for small businesses!).
Worth noting -
It’s a weird time to be in - I often catch myself amazed that every day I just keep waking up and working and living normally with so much chaos happening in tandem. At times it almost feels surreal to work in the arts, one of many non-life saving industries out there, while there is so much destruction and fear close to home.
And yet, that also feels like the importance of the work - to keep pursuing creativity and beauty and supporting small business despite it all. For thousands of years art has been created in these “despite” moments, and I believe in the importance of artists to help us understand and process our shared experiences. Even with the horrifying images coming out of Asheville and WNC, I feel confident that artists will be central in rebuilding and redefining the area, and that they will work tirelessly to reflect on what has happened with eyes for the future.
There are so many ways to support the rebuilding efforts in Asheville, and I have specifically given to ArtAVL, which is working to provide relief for artists impacted in Asheville and Buncombe County. If you would like to give, you can do so here.
Atlanta Art Fair
For those of you not located in Atlanta or nearby, the big news of the year for this rocketing art destination is that the city hosted their first major art fair. The Atlanta Art Fair (happening at the same time as Atlanta Art Week), was hosted by AMP Events (a division of A21), which also produces the San Francisco Art Fair, Seattle Art Fair, and Art on Paper.
The fair felt like a fair. Held at Pullman Yards, the space was professionally converted with the iconic carpeting, winding rows, and drink carts we all know and love from the top tier art fairs. Galleries from Korea to Finland (and many Atlanta galleries!) were presented, and the art was varied in all the best ways - some things you’ll love and some things you won’t.
One aspect that especially resonated with me was that the fair felt informative and relevant on both an international and hyper-local level. A genuine passion for the arts and artists operating in Atlanta was palpable - as was the effort to educate on these institutions and the creatives who build them.
On a panel with a group of leading Atlanta collectors, every speaker agreed that a significant motivation in collecting is personally knowing the artists and supporting them beyond buying their work. From paying studio fees, supply costs, and simply asking them what they needed in that season - I loved the obvious desire to be ingrained in and in support of the trajectory of an artist’s career.
After seeing the fair in person, I feel confident that this will be only the first for Atlanta. I couldn’t help but think of DC the entire time I walked the fair - wondering and hoping that this could be us. As a collector, art enthusiast, whatever you call yourself - you can only know and invest in so much. I’ll never be an expert in every art market, but I do know DC, the artists that work here, and have the ability to support them in person at openings, exhibitions, and studio visits.
I came home even more determined to continue investing in the art world that is local to me - there is so much richness here that I hope will only continue to grow. I feel lucky to be a part of that. And hopefully soon we will have a major art fair for the city to enjoy.
xx chat soon!