×

Tamarack hosts Arts Business Summit in Tucker

The Inter-Mountain photo by Bayli Rhodes Artists of the Arts Business Summit, hosted by the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts, enjoy food and fellowship at the Gradient Gallery in Thomas.

THOMAS — The Tamarack Foundation for the Arts held the first Arts Business Summit at Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center.

The two-day business summit focused on the professional development of artists, training them how to successfully sell and market their artwork.

“The topics that we are covering really are what artists need to know most,” summit speaker and founder of Artsy Shark, Carolyn Edlund, stated. “How to market their art, pricing, sales strategies and understanding the different markets where they have the potential to sell their work.”

Edlund is a former ceramics artist whose business flourished when she began selling in wholesale marketplaces, having more than 1,000 store accounts in a 20-year period.

Edlund now produces a top 10 arts blog about the business of art, teaching readers how to market, sell and create a business on their own.

The Tamarack Foundation for the Arts is a statewide provider of services to artists, offering opportunities for artists to grow, through developing business skills, creating connections and strengthening artists online businesses.

Renee Margocee, executive director of the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts, noted how the foundation is working to expand artists’ businesses though the summit.

“We brought in people who have industry knowledge which is specific to arts, to advise people on how to think about different strategies for selling their works,” she said.

Margocee also stated the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts was thrilled to bring in speakers and professionals to the summit from the national level, and to introduce the local artists to national trends in the county.

The event also featured state professionals and stewards of the arts, including the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, whose experts worked with upcoming artists to help expand their opportunities at the event.

Margocee explained that the Canaan, Thomas and Davis areas were chosen for the summit because of the natural beauty of the area, along with the flourishing arts movement and many local artists in the area.

The summit featured a variety of professional development opportunities, teaching artists about social media, price points and niche markets. Multiple round table discussions allowed West Virginia artists to share their input and ideas.

The Tamarack Foundation for the Arts was established in 2000 as an outgrowth from the Tamarack: The Best Of West Virginia, which is located in Beckley.

The foundation aims to help artists grow their businesses, create a profit for themselves and open them up to new markets.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today