How does owning my audience compare to relying on galleries or shows for distribution?

Owning your audience through direct marketing is infinitely more valuable and secure than relying on galleries or shows. With galleries, you never had true distribution—maybe one or two galleries locally, or five if you were exceptionally good, but there was no path to widespread distribution across states or countries. When you build your own audience through email lists and direct relationships, you own that attention and it can’t be taken away from you. A building owner can’t yank your lease, and you’re not dependent on a gallery owner’s whims. While building an audience is hard work and takes years, once you have it, it’s also very hard to lose. It builds over time and becomes a permanent asset of your business.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan and Nick · art-marketing-podcast · 2020-08-19