The Artist Business Workshop with Dr, Paul Baker, Executive Director of CAM, and Raj Bunnag, Curator of Exhibitions for CAM, was well attended and very interesting. The workshop began with a brief PowerPoint presentation about the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) in Raleigh and Baker and Bunnag then led a pretty wide-ranging discussion. We expect to schedule another workshop on these and similar topics soon.
Highlights included:
Artist Statement/Bio: All artists need to take the time to create a statement, so they are prepared to provide one on request for opportunities which arise, such as grants, exhibitions, or publicity. However, keep it simple! Do not feel you need to go into too much detail. Not every piece has to have deep meaning or elaborate process.
Framing/Matting: Keep framing and matting simple and clean, not distracting attention from the artwork itself. Simple black or gold floating frames are best, and often cheaper. White, cream, or off-white matting is best, to protect the piece but not distract attention.
Copyright/LLC: Copyrights and logos are important, particularly for reproductions and prints. Discussion revolved around how to proceed and possible costs.
Valuation/Pricing/Expenses: Lively discussion of the importance of tracking costs and making sure to include as part of a pricing strategy for both direct sales and for exhibitions and display. Be aware that location and type of exhibition has a profound impact on the price expected to be considered serious art. Being mindful of ongoing costs and maintaining a reliable method of tracking them is also important as a component of applying for grants and residency opportunities.
Locating Opportunities: Raj Bunnag discussed techniques and resources he has used in his own career to locate opportunities. He recommends that artists set up profiles on target sites and develop their artist statements and other materials to facilitate using them as needed to apply when opportunities appear. One website he recommended was callforentry.org, a website maintained by CaFÉ™ a company that works with non-profit and public art programs to publish and manage Calls for Entry. Artists can create a profile, even with images, and use the calendar there to locate competitions by type, location, cost, etc. and to answer a call for entry.

Dr. Paul Baker, Executive Director of CAM, and Raj Bunag, Curator of Exhibitions, presented information on topics of importance for a successful career in the arts.
- Legal advice for emerging artists to gain knowledge about contracts, agents, etc.
- Non-Fungible Tokens
- Royalties/Copyrights
- Fellowships and Studio Funding
- Guidance of art sales and valuations
This program is part of CAMERA, CAM Engaging Rural Artists, funded by Wells Fargo and the Nort Carolina Arts Council, encompassing efforts to support visual artists from North Carolina Tier 1 counties through development, exhibition and promotion for successful careers.