The art of PR in visual arts
The visual arts are powerful, reaching both elites in cultured cliques, and the man on the street. Whether sipping Champagne in a sophisticated gallery or marvelling at surreal or subversive street art, expressions of human creativity surround and astound us.
From a child’s drawing to a master’s painting; ceramics to sculpture; video, filmmaking, and photography to crafts, printmaking, and design – even the architecture that cocoons us and serves as a navigation guide: all fall within the wide arc of visual arts. Whether aesthetically pleasing or firmly functional, these creative expressions are all pervasive.
Wider artistic disciplines, including performing arts, conceptual art, and textiles fall within the purview of the visual arts. Arguably, so does decorative art, fashion, graphic design, industrial design and interior design. The common theme or thread, weaving them all together? These outworkings of the human spirit each move us emotionally, creating a connection, conveying connotation – and communicating compellingly. Which is where public relations plays its part.
Strategic PR can deliver both bold brush strokes and beautiful detail. Its role is to understand and exegete the arts, to draw stakeholders to exhibitions and events, and to bring a commercial frame to the arena. This works equally for a gallery opening, or for an exercise in soft power on a grand scale.
Public relations has four intrinsic components, which harmonise: communications, relationships, reputation and return on investment. When all four facets are artfully curated, its value is optimised.
The first two aspects – communications and relationships – are self-explanatory. Whilst each of us interprets art through the prism of our own experience and reference points, signposting can be tremendously enriching. Knowing more about the artist, for example, enhances our appreciation for their work. Likewise, building an emotional connection with audiences not only helps to publicise, but also to monetise and maximise the appeal and impact of the art.
The third dimension, building a reputation through heightening awareness and creating correct perception is equally vital. Reputation is at the heart of PR, as defined by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR):
“Public relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.”
Whether the artwork is on permanent display in a park or plaza, or a visiting exhibition or showcase, PR should extend the right appeal to the most appropriate audiences, portraying the work in the best light. Your brand is built not by the messages you craft, but rather by the way they are received. Brand is in the eye of the beholder.
The final dimension, return on investment, can mean different things to different people. In some contexts, there’s a long-term strategy, such as when visual arts are being used as part of a soft power initiative. For others, it’s about helping to attract sponsors, attracting exhibitors to take up exhibition space, or driving ticket sales. PR can help with long-term brand building but also work alongside marketing and sales to help the sales funnel operate optimally. PR can and should bring a commercial edge, enabling art to perpetuate and propagate through profitability.
Curzon’s work in the area of soft power and cultural diplomacy is wide ranging. From creating a travelling exhibition for Saskatchewan to promote the region and its creative industries, to working on Maslenitsa – a week long Russian festival showcasing the country’s diverse culture – we love to marry visual arts with powerful communication.
Soft power is sometimes dismissed as lacking hard metrics. Our experience tells us that this isn’t always the case. For example, we worked with the Ukrainian ministry of tourism, taking key art events in Kiev and Lviv and working to establish them on the international art calendar. This brought significant economic empowerment, through increased awareness and tourism.
If you have a project or campaign that needs to leverage an extensive network, and deep experience in this field, we’d love to hear from you. Visual arts is a specific passion of ours, and one where we have a track record of making a difference. Potent public relations unlocks potential, and maximises the impact of organisations, events and exhibitions. Artful PR can influence behaviour with scientific precision.
Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team bd@curzonpr.com
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