As the most requested magazine in the industry, Art Business News stays true to its mission of reporting the latest industry news and emerging trends driving the fine art market. ABN: The art industry's news leader since 1977.
ing with clients on projects? Do you like promoting yourself and your artwork by calling and e-mailing people? Do you ask for input on your work and then act on the direction you are given? Are you business-minded and fi nancially astute? Do you possess enough legal savvy to protect your intellectual property? If the answer to most of these ques-
tions is "No, not really," you should ei- ther rethink licensing as an appropriate choice for you or enlist the help of a some- one more business-savvy.
Remember, you can always change your plan later.
THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE AND HOW OF LICENSING
How and where can you meet poten-
tial licensees or establish connections with agents? Start by going to the key art licensing trade shows and organizations; a few of the big ones to seek out are
"BE AN EMPTY SPONGE; GATHER INFORMATION FROM EVERYWHERE."
KNOW IF YOUR ART FITS While licensing might be a great way
to maximize revenue from a single piece of work, pursuing that path requires both a business strategy and a signifi cant portfolio, not to mention time and pa- tience. You need to know going in that your style is in sync with the kind of art- work that fi ts the marketplace. Can your artwork be easily photographed and transferred to digital formats with great results? Are you ready to listen to client requests and work quickly to generate more artwork when necessary? Are you excellent at meeting deadlines?
SELF-REPRESENTATION VS. HIRING AN AGENT
So you're interested in getting into art
licensing, but you don't know where to start. Maybe you want to create, but you don't want to handle the business end of things. Or maybe you don't know where to begin when it comes to contacting the right people. If handling everything has you excited, then get going. But if you don't want to go it alone, then a licensing agent might be exactly what you need.
ARTBUSINESSNEWS.COM
SURTEX, the National Stationery Show, the Licensing International Expo and the Craſt & Hobby Association. While there, fi nd out what's being shown by publishers, agents and artists. T is is also a great opportunity to meet with licensing agents and art publishers. Be sure to bring a sample of work from your portfolio. An important bit of trade show eti-
quette to remember is that you should try to set up appointments beforehand. If the person you want to speak with isn't available for a meeting, leave your card or brochure, and ask for his or hers in return, then be sure to follow up. When it comes to breaking into art li-
censing, the key word is "research." Even if you can't attend the shows, or if you want to get a head start before meeting with agents and publishers, there are plenty of resources you can call upon to learn more about licensing. Visit Websites like TotalLicensing.com or Licensing.org; talk to artists you know who have already made the plunge; call on the services of a coach; read maga- zines, newsletters and blogs devoted to
licensing (www.joanbeiriger.blogspot. com and www.artlicensingblog.com are two recommended ones); tune in to tele- seminars like those held by AskAbou- tArtLicensing.com or the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association or become active in online licensing groups, like those found on LinkedIn. Be an empty sponge; gather information from everywhere. Being successful at li-
censing one's art takes hard work and patience, but by using these guidelines as a starting point, you can
be well on your way to sharing the joy and creativity of your artwork with the world. ABN
With a career that spans 30 years,
ABN Contributing Editor Linda Mariano is a leader in marketing, brand man- agement, e-commerce and promotion initiatives. Through her company, LM² Art Marketing & Licensing (www.LM2ArtMar- keting.com), Mariano brings her years of experience to help artists and art indus- try leaders set and achieve high goals. She can be reached at LMariano85@ yahoo.com.
To get a more in- depth look at the world of
art licensing, join Linda Mariano on Sunday, March 25th at the 2012
International Artexpo New York, where she'll be presenting "Your Top 10 for Understanding Art Licensing!" with ABN contributing writer Rick Barnett as part of Artexpo's Education Series. Visit www.artexponewyork.com for more information.
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