AFFORDABLE ART FAIR ITALY AND CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE TIME OF SOCIAL MEDIA: THE INTERVIEW
The philosophy of Affordable Art Fair is simple: making art affordable for all because anyone can become a collector.
After the interview to understand which kind of relationship exists between art and communication according to the Thyssen-Bornemizsa Museum of Madrid, the appointments dedicated to communication of art in the time of social media are going on.
In this post I’ll publish the interview with those who are behind the scenes of Affordable Art Fair Italy: Manuela Porcu, fair director and Laura Gabellotto, fair manager.
They told me how they use social media and communicate a global event on the national territory.
Affordable Art Fair Italy: the interview
The philosophy of Affordable Art Fair Italy is making art affordable for all budgets and introducing new emergent artists. Here is how a particular event like this is told.
Caterina Stringhetta: When did the Italian adventure of Affordable Art Fair in Italy begin?
Manuela Porcu: Affordable Art Fair Italy was born in 2011 in Milan.
For one year it was held on the Italian territory with two editions, in Milan and in Rome, but later we decided to focus all our energies on only one edition on the Italian territory and we chose Milan.
Caterina Stringhetta: Which was the first social media channel that Affordable Art Fair Italy started using and how has your presence on social networks grown?
Laura Gabellotto: The first social channel we started using was Facebook in 2010 when we began working on the first edition of Affordable Art Fair Italy.
Manuela Porcu: At the beginning we made several experiments and after joining Facebook we created our Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram profiles, and in the end we focused on the social media channels which are more effective for us and Facebook is very important to us at the moment.
Social media are more effective than a website to convey information, and in addition reaching the public which Affordable Art Fair addresses is easier.
Facebook allows us to have a dialogue with those who are interested in our way to propose contemporary art.
Caterina Stringhetta: Which public do you address and what do you want to communicate?
Manuela Porcu: We don’t address the general public. Every time we construct a post we think of a precise type of public.
Each social content is made from time to time for young collectors, for gallerists, for art lovers and for all those people who can share one of the themes Affordable Art Fair Italy wants to develop.
We want people to develop a passion for art and our goal is to make people join our events and visit the stands of the galleries there where they can meet gallerists, artists and may begin collecting art.
After all Affordable Art Fair was born to make contemporary art more affordable, and we would like people who come to the fair to understand that anyone can collect art.
Caterina Stringhetta: In addition to social media channels which tools does Affordable Art Fair Italy use to communicate with visitors as well as gallerists?
Manuela Porcu: We have got a website connected with other editions held all over the world. In addition, we send newsletters with specific contents for gallerists and visitors.
Our newsletters are a way to keep our public up to date on events and opportunities of each edition.
Caterina Stringhetta: Which profiles does Affordable Art Fair Italy follow? Which are the inspirations to communicate contemporary art on web and social media?
Manuela Porcu: We try to concentrate on what happens around us, but the communication of a project like Affordable Art Fair is so peculiar that maintaining our originality is fundamental.
Moreover each edition around the world is connected to the others, although it maintains its own autonomy and freedom in choosing communication channels to use.
The official website is global and each edition in the world has its own page and a specific section dedicated to e-commerce for collectors.
Laura Gabellotto: The fact that Affordable Art Fair is an international project allowed us also to create a network of galleries participating in almost all 10 events taking place around the world.
This group of galleries is obviously present in Italy too and contributes to make a connection with all the events.
Caterina Stringhetta: Which role does social communication play in the construction of each edition of Affordable Art Fair Italy?
Manuela Porcu: Social media channels are very important and Facebook is absolutely fundamental to us. But in this phase we must continue carrying out a project which continues using traditional communication channels too (advertisement, press, etc.).
Social communication is important but contemporary art needs to spread through all currently available means.
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