We missed each other!

Hi Girls,

Ok so, no meeting today but not sure there was too much need anyway . . .

How does this sound:

• Ilia and I will speak today/tomorrow and decide a list of questions for the Slade lot.
• I will phone/email Slade and see if I can speak to someone and make an appointment.
• I will also phone/email my old boss at Londonart and see if I can pick his brains about how he set up the business/what it all cost/if he has any tips etc
• Maybe we could all sketch out a few ideas about how we think the site should look? Even just old fashioned paper + pencils - (I certainly don't have a clue about Photoshop, although, after today's session I may start to fiddle . . . ).
• And some suggestions for a site name?

Oh! We don't have a class next week. Do you both still want to meet up? I'm around and quite happy to do that - it might be nice if we could take some time to sit around a computer together and have a look at what else is out there.

Carly

xxx

Development/Technical

Hi Claire & Ilia,

Just a few thoughts . . .

On the technical front, we will have to have a standard format for users to submit their work. From previous experience, this would have to be a digital reproduction of the artwork with specific resolution and dimensions. If users are confident, (and if our site has a well designed interface!), this could be done completely remotely. If our users are creatively rather than technologically minded, they should be able to send the images to us in whatever form and we will manipulate it on their behalf. No doubt, we should have limitations on this; eg we don't really want them to send us the work itself as this would mean we would require scanners etc.

This is fine for traditional fine art but as we are including things like video, installation and so on - I'm afraid my technical knowledge dwindles!

The Development questions raised in the coursework brief aren't particularly relevant to our product so they will need to be adapted.

• Will new material need to be commissioned, or provided?

Well, provided obviously. It seems logical that, if we are targeting our product at recent graduates, there will be one big surge of new material deposited per year. Perhaps this has financial implications that are worth considering. And is there a way of evening this out over the duration of the year so that, 9 months after graduation we are aren't starving and penniless?!

I suppose this where our exhibitions idea would come into its own - it could be away of reinvigorating interest in the site and generating revenue.

• Will you need an editorial board/advisors?

Claire has already referred to this in her earlier post. But to elaborate, I think that the editorial role would, inevitably, mature and change over time and as we establish a reputation for ourselves. Starting out, we will be keen to get as many people signed up to our site as possible. As time goes by and we become a recognised and respected name in the industry (!), we can afford to be a wee bit more discerning in what we choose to accept. Or is that a bit capitalist and cruel?

• Who will they be, and how will you recruit them?

I think that, if we are going to have any credibility as an authoritative organisation, we are going to need to have someone - or at least be able to seek advice from someone - with an artistic background. A critic perhaps . . .

Or actually, thinking about it, the fact that the works on our site will be judged by other users, perhaps we don't need someone with specialist knowledge. How liberal and egalitarian is that?!

Ok, so the questions on the guidline sheet are actually quite relevant to our product.

Has anyone thought of a name yet? It has been brought to my attention that the Saatchi site has a subsiduary art student site called 'Stuart' - Stu-dent Art - get it? I like the idea in principle . . . sort of. But I think we could do better.

Carly

xxx

Cost and Promotion

Hi Girls,

I hope you're having a relaxing weekend and took advantage of the extra hour in bed!

I've written up a few brief ideas for "cost and promotion" that you might wanna have a look at - are we meeting for lunch tomorrow?

xx

What kind of costs will the product cause the publisher?

- Initial development of the website – need to decide whether to recruit a highly technical member of the team for the whole year, at considerable expense, or to use a website design company for the initial construction and then rely on a less qualified employee for maintenance.

- Staff costs – Technical, Editorial (for content), Management /Administration/ Finance, Communications and PR.

- Promotional costs

What kind of cost-recovery and pricing strategy will you apply to the product, and why?

- £80 a year to register – based on Carly’s experience at www.londonart.co.uk, this seems like a reasonable amount to ask of emerging artists.

- Commission – 5-10% on each transaction?

- Miscellaneous expenditure (just in case)

How will you promote the product?

- Advertise or feature in publications, relevant magazines, university magazines and newspapers

- Viral advertising on the internet – appeal to young creative artists

- Promotional stands at university fairs

- Hosting art-related events – exhibitions, competitions etc

- Affiliation with existing art institutions/universities

What features of it are key in persuading customers to buy it?

- Users not only create online portfolios, but also receive advice from their peers and prospective buyers, interact with others via the feedback and voting facilities and also keep abreast of upcoming events.

- Serves as a simple and effective gateway to opportunities, exposure, competitions, exhibitions and access to galleries

- Provides a hassle-free way of selling their artwork

- The website could be instrumental in organising events and promotions on behalf of the emerging artists

- Registered users will receive an electronic copy of a newsletter, comprising the following features: Artist of the week, new artist of the week, upcoming events/exhibitions, and general news in the art world

Slade information

Here are the contact details for Slade. I'm putting them on the blog to remind myself! It might be best it, after we've agreed on our list of questions, one of us - I'm happy to volunteer - email/phone to make an appointment with someone. Having tried to communicate with them purely via email previously, I think this would be the most productive way of dealing with them.


Contact Details
All enquiries should be addressed to:

The Slade School of Fine Art
UCL
Gower StreetLondon
WC1E 6BT

Telephone: +44 (020) 7679 2313 Facsimile: +44 (020) 7679 7801

Email: slade.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

To order a prospectus, click here The Slade Office is open Monday to Friday, 10.00am - 1.00pm and 2.00pm - 5.00pm, except one week at Christmas and one week at Easter.

Sorry . . .

Sorry girls,

I had French cless and forgot I hadn't done my homework . . blablabla

Ok, I will see Ilia today anyway for Systems Management - can't wait (hmm).

I'm thinking this questionnaire will be a fairly short document. Probably start with a brief outline of our product and what we intend to do.

• Does this sound like a service you would use?
• What services would be useful to you/would you expect to be included?
• What are your biggest concerns about your professional future?
• Do you have or will you have a clear plan for when you graduate?
• How do you go about getting your work displayed at the moment?
• What, in your experience, is the best way of generating interest in your work?

Ok just a few ideas - I'm a bit rushed because I've just seen the time and I have to dry my hair.

Speak to you both soon,

Carly

SLADE questions

Hi Claire, hello Ilia,

I haven't forgotten about the art student question thing. I'm going to draft something up this afternoon if I have time and then I'll put it up on the blog.

How are your weeks going?

I went to the Staff/Student Committee meeting this afernoon and mentioned how inconveniet some of the cluster rooms are to have classes in and the unavailability of some books in the Library.

The next meeting isn't until February but if you have any issues please let me know - I am chairperson!

xxx

Claire Warwick

I don't know which you check first so I thought I might as well post a note on the blog. Email back from Claire Warwick basically says that our sample could be a simple website with one or two hyperlinks, or a mock up on Photoshop if we want. If there is anything to be digitized then an example of that might be a good idea.

We do the 3500 words all together and we don't have to do the individual learning review.

Happy days.

xxx