The art world is in the midst of a digital transformation, opening up new opportunities to make art and culture more visible. In this interview, Dr. Catharina Recker, founder of My Art Marketing, shares her experiences and strategies for how artists and cultural creators can thrive in the digital space. Discover how innovative approaches and tailored solutions can pave the way for sustainable success online.
1. What inspired you to start "My Art Marketing"?
The pandemic forced the art and culture sector to finally embrace the digital world. I noticed that some adapted to this shift better than others. In the rush to reach a wide audience quickly, many overlooked what truly defines our industry: content and aesthetics. Instagram, for example, often tempts organizations to give "deep insights" that have little to do with authentic brand communication or values. I wanted to change this. Contrary to how the art and culture sector is sometimes perceived from the outside—dusty, elite, etc.—I find it to be extremely enriching, modern, and diverse. I wanted to show this to everyone, especially those not as familiar with the field.
2. How does your agency help artists and cultural professionals become more visible in the digital space?
My agency helps artists and cultural professionals achieve strategic and sustainable visibility in the digital space. We cover a wide range of services, from optimizing and managing social media channels to designing effective newsletters and building appealing websites. Every project and client are considered individually, so we develop tailored strategies that meet specific needs and goals while ensuring long-term success in the digital realm and beyond. Our work has included advising on arts and culture sponsorship for one of the world's top five financial institutions and handling PR for the initiative "Kulturzukunft Bayern", now a foundation.
3. Is there a particular success story or anecdote that stands out in your work at My Art Marketing?
(Laughs) There are many anecdotes and countless wonderful moments that come to mind. Through my work, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing incredible exhibition openings, captivating concert evenings, and unique moments at fairs—experiences I probably wouldn’t have had otherwise. Of course, there's also plenty of desk work, but I’ve always aimed to do something that brings me joy and aligns with my idea of freedom—though freedom is, of course, relative. If someone had told me five years ago that I would one day be working in digital media and content marketing, I might have laughed out loud. At that time, I was still dreaming of a career in academia. But looking back, it was the best decision to become self-employed and take the plunge. This journey has not only fulfilled me professionally but has also given me many valuable experiences and encounters.
4. What specific challenges do you see in the digitalization of the art world, particularly for galleries and collections?
The biggest challenge is that some players still don’t recognize the urgency and benefits of a digital presence. During the pandemic, we learned that digital experiences can’t replace analogue art and cultural experiences—and they shouldn’t. But when used properly, they enhance analogue experiences with additional dimensions and opportunities. Once this is understood, it unlocks huge potential for businesses: whether it’s reaching new audiences or introducing a virtual aspect to art and performances. There are many great opportunities that shouldn’t be overlooked.
5. Which trends in digital art marketing do you see as particularly relevant for the future?
While it’s not a classic trend, I see the introduction of prompt mails as a highly promising innovation in digital art marketing. Take art fairs, for example: when things are busy, a gallerist and their team rarely manage to engage with all the interested visitors. Prompt mail could fill this gap in the long term. By scanning QR codes on artwork labels, a visitor can receive all the artwork details via email. This automatically generated email pulls information from the linked website and includes everything you want the potential customer to know—work details, high-quality images, additional links, addresses, and more. What’s great is that the customer gets the relevant information without getting lost amongst countless paper dossiers and business cards. Vice versa the gallery manager benefits from a simple contact database management process. Of course, prompt mails won’t replace direct fair interactions, but they can greatly support sellers in building a relationship with their (potential) customers
6. What’s the most exciting part of your job?
The most exciting part of my job is the variety of topics I engage with daily: from 19th-century art, classical modernism, and photography to contemporary art, classical music, and cultural policy. This broad range constantly brings new, exciting ideas and challenges. It expands my horizons every day, and that’s what I need, what inspires me, and keeps me going.
7. Looking back at your beginnings, what advice would you give yourself?
Trust your instincts and be brave enough to follow your own path!
8. Which artist would you like to have a cup of coffee with to discuss their art?
Oh, there are many—though it would have to be tea, as I don’t drink coffee (laughs). I’m now acquainted or even close friends with many (mostly young) artists and regularly meet and exchange ideas with some of them. In general, I think that if you’re open and genuine in our industry, you’ll always have opportunities to connect with interesting people at the right time. But if I had the choice, I would book a trip to Byzantine Constantinople—let’s say around the 10th/11th century—and chat with the artists' workshops, mosaicists, and silversmiths, just to see if the theories I proposed in my dissertation hold up (laughs).
Would you like to make your art or cultural projects sustainably visible in the digital space? Dr. Catharina Recker and her team at My Art Marketing offer tailored strategies to position your brand authentically and successfully. Discover how creative solutions can help you reach new audiences and strengthen your digital presence.
Learn more now and take your project to the next level!
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