Building Your Team As An Artist
When it comes to creating, most people think of lone mad scientists creating concoctions in a dark laboratory. Well, aside from television and movies, creating doesn’t exactly work that way. Sometimes it takes a creating team to help you assemble that perfect product, service, or piece of art. No matter what your medium or skill set is, two heads (or more!) adding to those skills is always better than one.
Hiroshi Fuji and Slow Art Collective, Kaeru, 2012. The Arts Centre, Melbourne, Australia | Image courtesy of Chaco Kato.
How exactly do you build a creative team? I’m actually going through this journey now and it’s not as intimidating as it sounds. For starters, if you go to an art school or have friends who have creative majors, you can ask around and see if people are interested in working with you on your project. It never hurts to reach out and make those connections, even if you want to save them for work later down the road.
Another method of building a team is attending networking events or meet-ups. If you’re anything like me, then you’re terrified of them, but it’s a great way to meet new people and find people with the same interests or passions as you. When you meet those new friends, make sure you exchange information whether it's emails, phone numbers, or even something as simple as social media handles.
Authority Collective shot on Aug. 29, 2021, at the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization Las Fotos Project | Photo Credit: The NY Times
Speaking of social media, the Internet is a great platform to reach out and meet new people. I don’t know how many people I’ve met through Instagram who’ve collaborated with me on a project or interview for my blog. Even if you just message that person to let them know you are a fan of their work, it might start a conversation that leads to something great. I do advise you use caution when meeting people through social media. If you do go to meet up with someone, try bringing a friend along for added safety.
Building a team doesn’t just take some of the pressure away from you, but it also gives you a chance to really bounce ideas around and collaborate with different but like-minded people.
