What’s in a “like”? Support art.

In this second post on how we can support artists (and their art), I’ll suggest some additional avenues. However, there is no way that I can cover all the possibilities in three blog posts, so please leave your suggestions in the comments! And check back since there is one more post (the one that got me thinking about this subject) still to come in this series.

Our FaceBook era has led to an oversimplified response meter known as the “like”. In human measurements, the possible responses are much more varied. We may identify with something that a friend shares. Or we may feel put off by it. Or any one of billions of options in between. (Even Facebook had to admit this by adding other buttons besides the one for like.)

Like Art

When it comes to art, we have this same wide range of possible responses. One of the most compelling and confirming reactions is to buy art. (I covered that in the first post in this series.) But since our available resources for buying art are limited, I’m glad that there are many other ways to support art.

An easy way to support artists and musicians you appreciate is to “like” their posts on the web. Through social networks; artist websites and blogs; and shopping sites you can click the heart or star or whatever symbolizes a like for their artwork. Feel free to do this regularly. 😉

Begin this process by connecting with the artist’s presence on social media networks. Follow their page on whichever ones you’re a part of.

Clicking the LIKE button is about a lot more than stoking the artist’s ego. Every time you click these buttons, it changes how the social network decides what posts will get more impressions (meaning how often it will be seen). More shares of art and music seems like a wonderful way to help transform our world for the better.

Share Art

With a tiny bit more effort, you can also share art. This may be as simple as clicking a share button on a social network or as intricate as creating your own personal sharing about a song or art-piece that you appreciate. Twitter has the retweet and many of the visual networks have a share button that looks similar to one pictured here.

Review Art

Another form of “liking” art is to write (or video record) a review of it. This is such a valuable effort and too often overlooked. Where can you review art? Here are a few suggestions:

• Places where you buy art online offer reviews. Every site from Etsy to BandCamp has some sort of review system. All of the major music outlets (Amazon, iTunes/Apple Music, Google Play, etc.) have these systems as well. Leaving a review there helps potential art fans know that you appreciate this beautiful artwork and are willing to type in a few words to encourage them to do the same.
• Leave a comment as a mini-review on the artist’s video, shopping site, and so on. Examples include Vimeo, Zazzle, and many other sites.
• Your local news channels (web, television, and radio) should have some way for you to offer feedback/reviews of art installations, galleries, or music acts. If it’s not obvious, click on their contact page and ask them how you can do this. Can’t find their contact page? Send them a note on their FaceBook page or Twitter feed asking how you can provide an art review.
• Post a review on your own video channel, blog, social media feed, or any other creative outlet that might get people’s attention. Be sure to mention the artist by name and include links for them. I also recommend that you notify the artist that you’ve provided the review so they can share it.