Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Mariano.
Linda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Since 2009, Redwood Media Group (RMG) has been revolutionizing the global fine art community by helping artists and gallery owners grow their businesses through fine art exhibitions and publications, art business education, mentoring, marketing, and social media. Today, RMG owns and operates six fine art shows: Artexpo New York, Artexpo Las Vegas, Spectrum Miami, Art San Diego, Art Santa Fe, and Red Dot Miami. Artexpo New York, the world’s largest fine art trade show for 40 years and counting, attracts more than 40,000 art enthusiasts every year, including nearly 5,000 industry buyers.
Spectrum Miami and Red Dot Miami take place during Miami Art Week, an annual attraction that draws over 100,000 art collectors to the city.
Over the past eight years, RMG has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to their events, sold millions of dollars’ worth of art, and helped thousands of unrepresented and established artists launch or grow their careers. Aside from hosting multiple high-end art shows throughout the year, RMG also owns Art Business News and DECOR magazine.
Has it been a smooth road?
At Redwood Media Group, we’re passionate about helping artists, gallery owners, publishers, and framers to succeed. In today’s changing marketplace, it takes a combination of talent, drive, networking, and marketing to thrive. That’s where we come in. Bringing artists and industry professionals together is what we do best! We can bring you more exposure and help you grow your business through fine art exhibitions, art business education, fine art publications, fine art mentoring, marketing, social media, and more.
At RMG, we pride ourselves on the relationship we have with our business partners and exhibitors. We strive to follow four key objectives:
* Be a service-oriented company with helpful, caring employees who are experienced in exhibitor relations and customer service
* Create an attendee experience that goes beyond traditional expectations
* Build marketing plans that support the success of the event as well as the community with an emphasis on social media, content management, print and electronic media, community outreach and public relations
* Build strong relationships with exhibitors by communicating regularly, listening objectively, defining clear initiatives, and measuring progress
The very listing of these objectives gives rise to the fact that the business world, and the art industry, is ever-evolving, creating challenges and the need to remain agile. We have weathered the ups and downs of the economy and continue to manage our business with a strong commitment to our core objectives.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Redwood Media Group story. Tell us more about the business.
We believe in partnering with our clients, assisting them as they grow and build their business. This sets up apart from our competition.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We see continued interest art, especially painting of all types and fine art photography. Art has always been the chronicler of the culture of the time and it will continue to be. A few artists will gain popularity and be remembered for decades into the future, but the general popularity of art will continue. Gallerists will need to become savvy retailers and update their galleries to become more experiential—as well as have an internet presence.
Online sales of fine art will grow slightly, but nothing will surpass the experience of seeing artwork, meeting the artists, being inspired by their creativity, and taking the artwork home as a remembrance of the experience. Artists and gallery owners who understand and embrace the opportunity to engage the collector in this way will continue to be successful.
We already see that 40-60% of a gallery’s business growth can come from participation in fine art shows like the ones that RMG produces. We see our shows creating a stabilizing force for the industry as we bring galleries, art publishers, and artists face to face with art buyers and collectors.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://redwoodmg.com/
- Email: info@redwoodmg.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redwoodmediagroup
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/redwoodmediaart
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/RedwoodMediaGroupLLC; https://www.linkedin.com/company/redwood-media-group
Image Credit:
Robert J. Hibbs
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