The Art of Self-Promotion in the Digital Age
- 19 September 2015, 2:30-3:30pm
- DACS 33 Old Bethnal Green Road London E2 6AA
How artists can use the digital space to promote and sell their work
Following this year's Annual General Meeting, DACS programmed a panel discussion to explore how artists use the digital space to promote and sell their work.
Artists and galleries are increasingly using digital channels and social networks to promote and sell work. We asked our panel to discuss the practicalities of this, the impact it will have on the current art world infrastructure, and why they feel it’s important to embrace the digital age and engage with audiences online.
Our speakers were Stuart Semple, artist; Joe Kennedy, Co-founder and Director, Unit London Gallery; and Hannah Duguid, journalist. The discussion was chaired by Mark Waugh, Head of Research and Innovation, DACS (2014-2022).
Speakers
Stuart Semple – Artist
Known for his large-scale canvases, incorporating text and found imagery, Stuart's practice addresses ideas sparked by immersion in popular culture. He became one of the first artists to use the internet and the potential of the digital; and created an early artist community on eBay in 1999. In 2012 he was the first visual artist to release a body of work on iTunes. His appropriations of digital mediums put him in The Guardian’s Ten Best Art Auctions in 2013.
Joe Kennedy – Co-founder and Director, Unit London Gallery
As a creative entrepreneur Joe co-founded Unit London in 2013, with the mission to establish an artist-led gallery that would help establish emerging artists from across the globe. Together with co-founder Jonny Burt, he successfully established an independent space through progressive branding and marketing strategies, with a core focus on digital and social media. Prior to founding Unit London, Joe worked in advertising where he was involved in international campaigns for blue chip consumer clients including Johnnie Walker, Heineken, Samsung and Google.
Hannah Duguid – Journalist
As a freelance arts journalist, who frequently publishes articles for newspapers such as The Independent and The Times, Hannah specialises in artist and exhibition reviews. She has a particular interest in artists’ growing use of social media to create and promote their work.
