Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Close Up Interview With Industry Expert Fleur Allen from interactivearts



Tell us a little about your business interactivearts  and your role?
Interactive Arts is an online art gallery representing 30 Australian contemporary artists. I am the founder and director of Interactive Arts and my aim is to create a community of artists for them to share, network and support each other and a network of art lovers to likewise share, network and support each other in their quest for knowledge and appreciation of art.

What are the five words that people who know you would use to describe you and your business?

Passionate, Creative, Determine, Persistent,Authentic.

 Fleur Allen

What was the purpose on starting interactivearts?
I was working in the performing arts when I was pregnant with my son and I knew I wanted flexible working hours and to be able to work from home so I canvassed all the creative people I knew, artists, musicians, writers, dancers and visual artists overwhelmingly said they needed someone like me to assist them marketing and promoting themselves. Thus Interactive Arts was born.

What are the most common issues that relate to artists who come to see you in your business?
Not having either the experience or understanding of their client base or art buying public.
The confidence to sell their work and to not underprice themselves.

Tell us more about your services that you provide to the Art industry?
We provide a range of traditional services such as art consultations which we call Art Check-Up but we also have a very successful Art Rental Service which the majority of clients use as a ‘Try before Buying’ service and has been very popular, resulting in 50% of the work rented selling to the rental client. We also run art seminars and workshops to provide people with a better understanding of art in a social environment.

All these services we have recently combined into an Art Club membership which is a monthly or annual subscription providing access to all these services:

 Pistachio

Tell us about your process for working with clients?
We are committed to developing long term relationships with our clients and to understand their needs. We meet 50% of our clients via our website after they have searched us on google, normally searching for art to buy, buying art or contemporary art and 50% via networking events. We then respond to their immediate needs and invite them to receive our monthly Art Notes newsletter list and to friend us on LinkedIn (business clients) or Facebook (personal clients). We have recently created an Art Club to create a committed community of art lovers and to bring relevant program of events and services to them throughout the year.

What advice can you offer to artists who are just starting out ?
To ensure their prices are consistent regardless of where or whom is selling it and to ensure they have an up to date professional biography and artist statement.

Savor by Myra Mitchell

Do you have a book that you would like to recommend?
Yes Michael Reid’s ‘How to buy and sell art’

Where do we find your services?
Online at our website www.InteractiveArts.com.au
Address 375 Stirling Highway Claremont
Phone 0412 473 248
Primary contact Fleur Allen

Do you have a special offer to the ArtSHINE community?
Yes, a 10% discount on our Art Club membership (we will deliver our art seminars and events nationally) Use this discount voucher code ArtSHINE2011  when ordering online or contact Fleur if you wish to subscribe monthly.

Images courtesy of interactiveart


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