If you ask any artist what they need to succeed, the answer you receive will most likely be marketing and business skills. As Co-founder and Lead Instructor for JB Media Institute, today’s guest, Sarah Benoit leverages her years of experience as a digital marketing strategist to create timely, relevant, and engaging training content for small businesses and creative professionals of all kinds. Today on the Artsville Podcast, Sarah shares her extensive knowledge, offering valuable insights and practical tools to help you grow your business. Join us as we discuss social media, AI, and how to populate your website with tools that will make buying and selling your work simpler and easier. We also dive into why you need a content strategy roadmap, how to use SEO to your benefit, and much more! This episode is an invaluable marketing resource for artists, artpreneurs, and just about any small businessperson, so if you haven’t yet heard about the JB Media Institute or Sarah Benoit, stay tuned!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Sarah got into this business as an “appreciator of the creators.”
• Reframing marketing for artists by zooming in on relationships.
• Tips for choosing marketing tools wisely and creating a digital strategy that works for you.
• Why Sarah recommends starting with one platform and building from there.
• Challenging certain misconceptions about emerging technology.
• Ethical considerations for artists regarding AI and social media.
• Practical advice for buying and selling artwork online.
• Where to learn more about digital marketing and content strategy for artists.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sarah Benoit — https://www.sarahbenoit.com/

Sarah Benoit Email — sarah@jbmediagroupllc.com

JB Media Institute — https://jbmediainstitute.com/

Content Strategy Roadmap — https://jbmediainstitute.com/training-and-workshops/content-strategy-roadmap/

Sarah Benoit on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/SarahDBenoit/

Sarah Benoit on X — https://twitter.com/SarahDBenoit

The Social Dilemma — https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/

Art Connections — https://www.arttoursasheville.com/

Mountain BizWorks — https://www.mountainbizworks.org/

Craft Your Commerce — https://www.mountainbizworks.org/craft-your-commerce/

Ferguson Family YMCA — https://ymcawnc.org/locations/centers/ferguson

Artsville Podcast — https://artsville.captivate.fm/

Scott “Sourdough” Power — https://www.notarealartist.com/

Louise Glickman —

Scott “Doc” Varn is the Executive Director and CEO of Preserving a Picturesque America (PAPA), an organization that combines history and art to conserve America’s most important sites. Sharing the mission behind PAPA, Scott joins us today to talk about his personal journey of falling in love with the process of unveiling key locations across the country. He speaks to the unique skills necessary to do this effectively, where he first acquired them, and how he goes about finding like-minded artists to join him along the way. We discuss the process of documenting old and new and understanding our place in history in order to educate generations to come. You’ll also hear all about the PBS documentary dedicated to PAPA, how to become an artist member, and where to view the work being produced by this important organization. Thanks for tuning into this conversation with a very special friend and colleague, Scott “Doc” Varn!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The history of PAPA and the unifying factor of America’s natural beauty.
• How Scott’s mission to discover these spaces was unlocked.
• Resources that point the team at PAPA towards key locations.
• Where Scott developed the skills necessary to get to this stage.
• How the process of conservation and preservation works.
• Finding the appropriate artists with the right intention.
• Documentation of the old and the new and understanding our place in history.
• Mediums available to the artist as they retrace the route through the French Broad Region.
• The PBS documentary bringing PAPA to a screen near you!
• How to become an artist member and where to view the artwork online and in person.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Scott “Doc” Varn on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/docvarn/

Preserving a Picturesque America (PAPA) — https://preservationthroughart.org/

America: The Land We Live In — https://www.pbs.org/show/america-the-land-we-live-in/

Blue Danube Productions — https://bluedanubeproductions.com/

Artsville Podcast — https://artsville.captivate.fm/

Scott “Sourdough” Power — https://www.notarealartist.com/

Louise Glickman — https://www.louiseglickman.com/

Daryl Slaton — http://www.tailsofwhimsy.com/

Crewest Studio — https://creweststudio.com/

Sand Hill Artists Collective (SHAC) — https://sandhillartists.wordpress.com/

Both students and teachers in the Haywood Community College (HCC) Professional Crafts program form a prominent part of the vibrant creative community in Western North Carolina, an area with a rich history of traditional craftsmanship. Today, you’ll hear from textile artist Amy Putansu and woodworking instructor Brian Wurst about the accessible nature of the HCC Professional Crafts Program in Waynesville, North Carolina, and the professional practice training that makes this program so unique. You’ll also gain insight into what it takes to apply, what you’ll learn as a student there, what the future of craft in America looks like, and much more! For anyone who is interested in additional training in clay, fiber art, jewelry, or wood, plus the entrepreneurial skills you need to market yourself and your work, you won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation with Amy Putansu and Brian Wurst!

Key Points From This Episode:

• What HCC Professional Crafts offers, from fine craftsmanship to entrepreneurship skills.
• Things that make this program unique and how Brian became an instructor.
• Insight into the accessible application requirements and the history of the program.
• The kinds of students that typically attend the classes and what they learn.
• Fresh, contemporary takes on the traditional craft history of Western NC.
• Strong connections between economic development and craft making.
• How Brian and Amy have integrated entrepreneurship and creativity in their practices.
• Perspectives on what the future of craft in America looks like.
• A funny story about Louise’s last visit to the annual Penland School of Craft auction.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Haywood Community College (HCC) — https://www.haywood.edu/

HCC Professional Crafts — https://www.haywood.edu/programs/professional-crafts.php

Amy Putansu — https://www.putansutextiles.com/

Amy Putansu on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/putansutextiles/

Amy Putansu on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-putansu-76521113a/

Brian Wurst — https://southernhighlandguild.org/member/brianwurst/

Brian Wurst on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-wurst-38378775/

Annual Penland School of Craft Auction — https://penland.org/support-penland/annual-auction/

Artsville Virtual Gallery — https://www.artsvilleusa.com/virtual-gallery/

Artsville Podcast — https://artsville.captivate.fm/

Not Real Art — https://notrealart.com/

Art Connections with Sherry Masters — https://www.arttoursasheville.com

Mountain BizWorks —