During the COVID-19 epidemic, many artists and arts organizations are looking for ways to continue to reach audiences through virtual platforms. In lieu of our usual “Lunch Read” series on Facebook, we’ve been sharing examples of virtual arts content from across the State. For this blog post, we wanted to share some of the most popular ways that you can take your art online while you’re stuck at home.
Facebook Live is an excellent way to reach a large audience, especially if your stream gets shared beyond your page (which, of course, is one of the main features of Facebook). Live Streaming is especially effective because it maintains the integrity of live performances. Like a live performance, you can use your usual marketing strategies to promote the event ahead of time and invite your audience to tune in. Encourage your friends to host “watch parties” to entice an even larger audience. Non profit organizations may also be able to utilize a “Donate” button to raise money during the performance. Read more about using Facebook Live here.
There are also a number of Facebook groups spawned from the COVID-19 crisis, like Quarantine Concert Series, dedicated specifically to sharing these performances, which gives you an opportunity to connect with others.
Facebook Live isn’t only for performances! Many artists are sharing their creative process as they work on a new piece, while others are using the platform to teach a new artistic skill to their audience.
YouTube
This platform is better suited for short-form content, reoccurring content (such as a performance series), or content that you want to have a bit more permanence. Additionally, sharing a YouTube video is somewhat easier than re-sharing a live stream, and can be done through a number of other platforms. Many organizations are also taking this opportunity to share previously recorded content that may not have made its way into the world yet.
Since the video isn’t usually done live, YouTube provides you more opportunities to produce and edit content before you put it out into the world. If you want your art out there in a more permanent way, or plan to maintain your virtual presence after the epidemic ends, this may be a great time to consider starting a YouTube channel. Here’s a pretty simple video to help you get started.
Website
If you’re an Arts Organization, you most likely already have a website. Outfitting it for streaming or sharing other virtual art may be a great way to drive more traffic to your site. Many organizations are creating “virtual galleries” while their brick and mortar facilities are closed. Others are hosting limited time streams of past productions to more closely reflect the traditional performance model.
The other benefit to hosting content on your website is that it may provide the possibility to put things behind a pay-wall.
Zoom
If you or anyone you know is working from home, you’re probably already familiar with this virtual conferencing service. Similar to Facebook Live, a performance or webinar on Zoom would enable you to host a live event that would require audiences to “tune in” at a certain time. Zoom calls can also be recorded if you want to re-share the content later. Unlike some of the video options above, platforms like Zoom allow multiple artists to interact virtually with each other (and audiences) at the same time.
The basic service on Zoom is free (limited to 100 participants and 40 minutes per call), but the upgraded plans are relatively inexpensive. If you choose to go this route, beware of hackers.
Compensation
We at the SCAA know just as well as you do that Art = Jobs, which means many SC Artists may be looking to use virtual platforms to recoup lost income from cancelled gigs. Many artists have been very successful using apps like Venmo and CashApp to solicit “tips” alongside their content. These are relatively simple accounts to create, and allow you to share your user handle so audiences can find you and tip you easily from their devices.
Final Thoughts
Navigating this epidemic has been tough for the Creative Industry, but the ways in which we connect with our audiences now may have a huge impact on their future patronage. People need art more than ever, and online platforms give us an opportunity to give it to them.
Don’t forget to check out the South Carolina Arts Alliance’s virtual content by liking us on Facebook and becoming a FREE member! For more information on COVID-19 Advocacy, visit our resource page.
