Should I start an art podcast?

+ artist newsletter questions answered

I was lucky enough to be a guest on Tasteland, a podcast that covers the intersection of culture and technology with co-hosts Daisy Alioto and Francis Zierer. We chatted about the differences between entrepreneurs and artists, 2025 art world trend predictions, mentoring in the art world, how artists use social media, and the temperature around negative criticism.

You can listen here.

It got me thinking about starting an Art Forecast podcast. I love to talk, plus I don’t think there’s a great conversational art podcast. There are lots of informative ones and Q&As with artists. Then there’s Nota Bene, which is fun, albeit a bit of “insider baseball.” I only ever know 50% of the people and places they mention. My favourite podcasts are like Tasteland: conversational, casual, and smart. I made a list of people I’d want to talk to:

• Alex Bierk on being a politician, artist, and father

• River Crossing Projects on art in retail spaces

• Other Means graphic design firm on making brands for art institutions

I am quite busy, but…maybe I’ll start recording a few episodes and see if it’s feasible and if people want to listen.

Your artist newsletter questions answered:

Thanks for all your responses to last week’s newsletter! I really love it when we chat in the comments or over email; it feels like a real community. A couple of questions were asked in the comments, which I will do my best to answer here:

How many weeks before a show or opening, to be not to early that it is forgotten but not too late for planning ahead?

I would say two weeks is a sweet spot.

What about a slow year? Do people typically send them based on events or based on a biannual or quarterly schedule?

In a slow year, I think it’s still nice to send at least one update—maybe a holiday greeting or a photo essay of what you’re working on in the studio. If you don’t have an exhibition, maybe you can host an open studio that you invite people to.

Do you just go ahead and add previous contacts if you feel comfortable enough, or is it better to ask everyone before adding?

For mass emails/newsletters (like Mailchimp or Substack): Recipients must opt-in. If someone has previously given you their email to be added to your newsletter, you can import their contact information (but make sure that there’s a clear and easy way to unsubscribe). The best practice is to be familiar with the rules of your region for mass email marketing—CAN-SPAM Act in the US, GDPR in Europe, and CASL in Canada.

If you’re sending emails directly to people via your personal email, the rules are a bit looser. You can reach out to anyone you think will be interested in knowing what you’re up to. This option is best if you’re reaching out a few times a year, lest it become a bit spammy.

ICYMI:

A quick note from NYC:

Morandi, wow 💙