“Branding is the power to influence others, build your own story, shift culture around you—and invite people to be part of your experience.” 

—Christina Francis, Daemen University

Are you interested in blazing your own trail as a creative professional?

Knowing how to brand you and your work can be among the most powerful tools you can develop to make a mark—and a living.

Learn more about branding for artists. Find out how to turn your vision into a sustainable and impactful enterprise. Watch “Branding for Artists”— a live virtual presentation featuring Daemen’s Christina Francis, research and creative director, and Emily Burns Perryman, vice president of Institutional Advancement. During the presentation, they share their knowledge of the arts, branding, marketing,

entrepreneurship, and arts leadership.

They also provide an overview of how various elements can communicate and express your brand. In addition, they will discuss how each one is a unique tool to create more opportunity.

As the final event of the Daemen University Virtual Speaker Series—co-hosted by the Western New York Book Arts Center—the presentation joins others by Daemen thought leaders associated with the institution’s new Leadership and Entrepreneurship in the Arts Program (LEA) launching this fall.

Branding for Artists means more than logos

To help understand how aspiring (and current) artists can establish themselves and build a personalized and penetrating brand, we asked Francis—who has taught courses at Daemen, including Entrepreneurship in Action, as an adjunct instructor—to share some tips on how to thrive “on your own terms.”

“You can use branding in many ways to establish yourself in a creative community,” said Francis. “It is necessary to think about how all the different pieces of your brand are consistent and connected. You need to look at it as being much more than a logo.”

A brand should tell a compelling story, Francis continued. “Ask yourself, ‘Is my brand strong enough that people can retell the story? Is it cohesive enough?’ ”

In essence, Francis encourages artists to think about both what they offer, and what they want to become.

(Don’t be afraid to) make your own rules

“Through my journey, I’ve learned that there’s never a wrong time to pursue your interests,” said Francis, also an adjunct instructor for arts marketing

and analytics at the University at Buffalo.

“When interested /in anything creative—whether it’s in the marketing and advertising industry or the business realm—do not follow the rules offered to you: Make your own.”

Un-stuck to one thing

“You can pursue all the things that interest you,” said Francis. “The creative economy gives you a place to meld your skill sets and create something new.”

“Creative people may become comfortable in their niche,” she said, “but there’s value in finding new things that interest you, and inventing spaces that don’t exist.”

Learn more…

Check out our other posts from the Daemen University Virtual Speaker Series. Explore the importance of grant writing in arts, as well as essential marketing skills for artists.