Saturday, April 14, 2012

RAW ARTIST SCAM (WARNING!!!)

Take my word for it, RAW ARTISTS is a scam. They feed on your hopes and dreams, but only care about your money.

I could write more, but I am an artist and I will let the lyrics of Reel Big Fish's "Sell Out" explain it all. Oh...but except for you getting paid, you actually pay them. Yep, pay to show your art and play. I fell the scam, but as for the returning artists, you must really suck, if you need to pay someone to see your art, especially more than once. Maybe that came off negative. You are all beautiful artists, that don't need to pay for people to look at your art.


119 comments:

  1. This is great to inform but lacks clear information about experience. I am going to direct people to a post on my website about my experience with RAW so that people can get a clearer picture to deliberate on. http://www.merylpataky.com/my-raw-artists-experience.html

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    1. Hi,
      I've done a lot of research on RAW since a friend began doing events for them. The main argument is about Pay-To-Play, and it seems as though most of the arguments are people not wanting to promote their own show/expo, any artist that isn't trying to get 20 people(ticket purchasers) out to any/all of their showings isnt really trying. now with regards to musicians, who are used to being paid to perform, it's probably a better deal for a dj or smaller group who want to play the venue. In closing, they don't charge commission and they are putting a money value on artists promoting the event, seems pretty cut and dry, sell twenty tickets to friends and make commission free sales on prints, worked for me. it either takes money or work to get things done.

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    2. YEs, you need to do more research. See links and the rest of comments below. There are certain questions you are not asking. It has nothing to do with not trying to get 20 people to purchase tickets to my art show - it's about, why the fuck would I ever do that? Ha. I'm doing just fine and I'd rather have a "non-profit" pay ME 200 dollars to make work than to EVER pay anyone 200 to show mine. They've got it MAD TWISTED!

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    3. My name is Beth and I'm a Head Production Assistant for RAW: natural born artists, an independent, international arts organisation. We focus on spotlighting underground artistic talent to the public. Last September we launched our first ever RAW London Showcase at Proud Camden, which was a Sold out Show and all round an incredible event! Following the success of the last Showcases we are currently scouting artists to be selected for RAW London’s 4th Showcase REVOLUTION on 1st May at the Bussey Building!

      I would very much like to invite you to take part in our 4th Showcase REVOLUTION.

      To explain a bit more about who we are and what we do: RAW: natural born artists was started in 2009 in LA and now operates in over 80 cities across the U.S., Australia, Canada, and London. Every other month we host a Showcase where we feature live fashion shows, a pop up art gallery, live music, performance art, films, accessories designers, and the work of hair and makeup artists.

      RAW's mission is to provide artists with tools and resources. We want artists to fight the good fight and promote themselves independently. We just want to help, give you the right things to do so.

      The Showcase is a fun, high-energy mini festival where artists can connect with other artists, industry professionals and press. As part of the commitment to participating at this event we ask all of our artists to sell 20 tickets at £12 a head to the event. We want people to realise the value of your craft! The ticket sales go through your profile on the website and we will be updating you each week on how ticket sales are going.

      The perks are well worth the hard work. As part of being a featured RAW artist you will be given a media kit consisting of a behind-the-artist interview video (edited), head shots of yourself and your work, an online platform via our website to upload your work and network with other artists.

      You are welcome to sell any merchandise or fan gifts. We do not take any commission on any sales made at the Showcase festival or afterwards through our website.

      A RAW Showcase is a unique exciting event and we would be very proud to have you part of it!

      Here's a link to our website: www.RAWartists.org/london

      In the meantime please check us out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqotKEnHqMg&list=TLvTTiljNHjCLDD7z5JPrN7vdehgCtvrMU

      Here's a link to a video of what you can expect interview-wise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJY_mxraQTE&list=PLpIUe_p9ff5P0gb6FvBquFVak-L9DbE7t

      Here are the photos from our last Showcase http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawartists/sets/72157638386023645/


      We look forward to hearing back from you!

      Kind regards,

      Beth

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    4. This was what was sent to me: I posted it on my site and got lots of warnings from people. I feel the same, there is no way I would sell £250 worth of tickets to line someone other persons pocket, when we as performance artists, deserved to be paid, acknowledged, both for the skill and the investment we have made with our art. I have looked at footage etc, and it does seem to be a mix bag, badly curated, and distracted by a club like environment, this is not about giving encouragement to artists, its getting artist to do the work! as the above explains.

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    6. Why do even bad artists think they should wake up one day and be paid for their work? Professional skaters pay for coaching until they are offered the million dollar job. Why do artists think that simply by labeling themselves as "artists" they shouldn't have to WORK for their fame and fortune?

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    7. We work hard so as not to be taken advantage of.

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    8. http://www.merylpataky.com/my-raw-artists-experience/

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    9. Artists work hard to get paid, not to pay someone else for their work.

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    10. Just like professional skaters pay for coaching and practice hard until they get that million dollar job, so do we as artists take vocal coaching, lessions on learning instruments, and tirelessly rehurse our performances, or perfect our sculptures until every curve is just right, until we get get our million dollar job. We don't "simply label" ourselelves" as artist and expect money to fall into our lap. We invest our money into our supplies like paint and canvas, rent out studio spaces to practice with our bands, we buy our eqyiptment for our instruments ( which are not cheap), we manage our exposure and our own add campaining. We invest thousands od hours to perfect our craft. We work damn hard for that million dollar job. And people just write us off as lazy. Meanwhile the world is sitting back waiting for artists to entertain them after their long hard work week.. And most don't see or apprieciate the dedication.

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    11. Umm... there is already a thing called art shows, art shows already exist, have existed for many years. These art shows have been established over the course of many years, and come with their own audience. These art shows have booth fees, which are generally a fair price vs. location and foot traffic. A "real" artist's job is to work their butts off to make beautiful things, and build enough beautifully crafted product and presentation that by the time they get to a show, they are able to sell enough of their art to make it to the next show. The one thing artists shouldn't have to be are show promoters, Art Shows exist, and that is their job, the ones who are good at it i am happy to work with. Pay-to-play models make little to no sense, in fact they are pretty bonkers. For performers... honestly they can find free exposure around town to build up a reputation if they are just starting out, or if they are established they can just get paid the normal way... i struggle to see what void this service is filling... every other way you can do it is a better deal.

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  2. http://bssart.com/post/29057724748/why-i-disagree-with-raw-so-first-off-lemme

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    1. You are right about everything. I have been trying to defend my community from these blood suckers for awhile. I can clear up some of your questions too. The "non-profit" is a scam. They never were a non-profit. The company consists of couple of youngsters that think they can lie and take a shit on every city, while milking money from that community. The organization does not care about art, community, or ethical business practices. Feeding on the hopes and dreams of starving artists is horrible. I understand that some artists become desperate and see this org. as a way to showcase their art. They actually seek out artists that are desperate and feed them lies. Their strategy is this: infiltrate as many cities as possible, set up a puppet event manager (basically tell him/her this is good for their community and that it is a non-profit) that knows the city/community, and exit quickly. When of if the event manager realizes what is going on, he/she is replaced by someone from out of town or another local that is told the same lies, meanwhile they have already stolen the original event manager's contacts. I see many lawsuits in their short lived future. I have to wish the owner of the org. the best (rather not explain why), but she is better than this. Greed makes people do some horrible things and she has a chance to change the damage she has already caused. However, I truly believe she will continue to rape communities and their artists.

      Keep your local artists proud of their work. I understand it is tough to have a career in such, but you are talented and creative and don't need to be exploited by this company.

      Good luck and keep the resistance going! Spread these posts everywhere and anywhere possible.

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  3. I understand your frustration in getting a cohesive response here - my only hope was that you got it in the first place as I see you posted a while back in January. I hope everything worked out for you with RAW. I, too, believe t
    hat RAW is an organization that does not have the best intentions for artists in mind. Any artist that aspires to be involved with a "curator" (as galleries are and RAW is offering themselves as) should not pay to be involved and especially with a hodge podge mix of different arts that do not go well together in a club-like environment. This is clearly RAW using artists to promote themselves instead of just being event planners. They are not good curators and have no aesthetic sensibility. That being said, when approached, I was told I was to receive a homepage feature on their website. Most artists, not knowing a lot about online marketing and viral campaigns, would say awesome! I asked, what does this mean? How many hits does this get? Will it direct to my website? Essentially, what is the return on my investment in creating the work (I would have made jewelry a value of approx $500), traveling to LA, paying RAW. What's my return? A homepage feature? As an artist, this is a big price to pay for just that, even if it was the homepage of a larger, less obscure website with tons of traffic, which RAW isn't. When I asked these questions over the phone, I was told the numbers weren't in front of him/her (I will not disclose any names). This, I found offensive. Have worked in online marketing with various partners and clients, I would have never gone into a phone call offering our services without a clear line by line description of what the return on their investment would be and the responsibilities of each party. It was offensive and seemed sloppy OR manipulative. It was as if they knew that no artist would ask these questions and didn't come prepared. They then continued to book me with a fashion designer whose designs, although talented, miss matched my jewelry completely. I had not even said yes to the event or signed a contract (another thing that NO ARTIST SHOULD GO INTO ANY SHOW WITHOUT!!!). When I emailed to express my disappointment about these things, I got a rude, all caps email quoting each of my qualms and giving terse and aggressive responses to them. They said that it wasn't about investment or a return thereof. REALLY?!?! They must not understand their "clients" the artists AT ALL! For the artist, it's ALL about investment in your work and the traveling you do to be in shows etc. That was outrageous. For a company that works with artists, it seems that they are not very concerned at making sure that the artist is taken care of. Most of their press and publicity that is made out to look like it's for the artist (video interviews, and "professional" photos of work that are done by emerging photographers they seek out - basically getting this service for free, actually, no, having photographers PAY THEM to take photos of other peoples work) all of this is just to enrich the content on their website and promote THEM further. I don't know, I think it's horrible what they are doing to the emerging art scene and the art industry. Artists need to be educated on this stuff and unfortunately there are many out there that don't know how the art world works and get suckered into these things. RAW is there to target these emerging artists and they conduct themselves like no upstanding gallery would.

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  4. DISAGREE. RAW Artists is not a scam. They do things a little bit differently, to get people to the venue and to make money. IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. It is a national art movement. Yes you sell tickets, but they also create a web page, which is networked nationally, and they create a press kit for you, including a video interview, and other resources right there. They also put on one hell of a high end art event, with supreme organization. It's ticket sales, in lieu of a percentage of sales. Most galleries take 40% of sales. With RAW, I get to keep 100%, and I also get to perform live, and charge patrons for body paint. I'm for it, I love it, and I will continue to support RAW. This is my THIRD RAW Artist event in Orlando, and I look forward to it. They ALSO support my outside art endeavors, and encourage people to see my work other places. Also, I know for a fact, that the coordinator at RAW has never turned any artist away for not selling the amount of tickets they needed to. At the last RAW, there were a handfull of artists who did not sell tickets, and were not asked to pay for them, and were not singled out or identified. WHY BASH ANYBODY SUPPORTING THE ARTS??? IT'S THIS KIND OF THING HURTS MY ART SALES. Please, Orlando, let's be a united arts front, instead of singling out one arts organization and giving them the finger. You are not just hurting RAW, you are hurting me. Shannon Holt, Bombshell Body Art

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    1. Shannon, I don't believe that by voicing my opinions on RAW that I am hurting your art career. You have already chosen to package yourself up in that type of art community - which is a community of ALL levels of talent, good or bad, being shown in a night-club environment. As an artist, my choice is to be involved in a community where art is hung on the walls based on a gallery liking your work and being hung beside work of equal caliber. This is how you can continue to measure yourself and your success as a visual artist - who are you sharing the wall with. Who is showing with you? Is is very well known within the art world that if a gallery asks you to pay to show your work, it's not a business model you want to be involved with, no exceptions! It has nothing to do with not wanting to pay, or not being able to get people to buy tickets, or not working hard. I most assuredly believe that for someone who produces the type of work that you do, body art, this type of event is more suited for you in order to showcase your work in person. Performance elements are required. My urging is meant for emerging contemporary fine artists attempting to show in galleries.

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    2. Meryl, you are assuming that everyone has the access to galleries. it is not an easy road to get in an gallery and most times they want to know that you have shown in other venues. any venue. So Ray would provide that for some artists. My dislike for RAW comes from their miscommunication not on how they run their shows. I think that the right RAW event has the potential to be a positive experience, the key is getting that right RAW experience.

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    3. There are literally thousands of international calls for emerging artists on the Internet from galleries looking for fresh work for their market.

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    4. I'm already a professional performing artist. I have my own press kit. I produce my own shows. I really don't see the point of this. I work my ass off just to get people to come to my shows so that I might make $500 if I'm lucky. I'm sorry, but how does inviting people I already know to buy an overpriced ticket to see me (like they have hundreds of times) benefits me as a professional? It doesn't. I'm getting a call from the Booking Director, Nic Leyba. If he tells me that I need to sell $500 worth of tickets, I'm going to create a movement in my city to expose them.

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    5. " It's ticket sales, in lieu of a percentage of sales. Most galleries take 40% of sales. With RAW, I get to keep 100%"

      That's not what was offered to me. RAW told me in writing and over the phone that they take 100% of ticket sales up to $400 and then I'd keep only 50% of sales after that. It's bananas, if you ask me.

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    6. FIRST of all YES they do penalize you for not making ticket sales... I was invited to do it in 2014 Only one person supported me and bought a ticket to see my work...

      When i told them i didnt have $300 to make up for the rest of the sales... (that was the price back then)they deactivated my account! I cannot find it anymore nor can i sign in. The girl who was my coordinator moved jobs bc she found out what the company really was about.

      I got invited this year as well but idk about ever doing it...
      I had stars in my eyes once again to show my work since a coordinator contacted me from my etsy shop. NOW im super leary because everywhere you look especially just googling "does raw artists really benefit artist by going to events?" it has brought up a RESOUNDING no, i see little to no people saying it was actually worth their time? And their money or asking everyone to buy a ticket....

      now ive been told that i have to sell 20 $25 tickets... um thats $500, do you know what i can buy with $500... i could setup my own website and pay for the first few months of advertisment with that...i could literally promote myself... i could also just go and rent some time from a building if i wanted or use a family members building to host my own art show rather than letting a company get money i could have earned myself. not only that.... i could use it to do prints of my work....frame my work get supplies etc....

      I'm sorry but the more i read the more im not liking about the raw artist experience... To tell others that they let you still come to show if you dont make the sales... Is a bold faced lie... wheres my proof? I was one such artist...
      She accused me of not stepping out of my box.... i dont have a box.. and saying that i didnt try to sell... guys i messaged text called visited every person i knew... only my upstairs apt neighbor bought a ticket... and that includes bugging family constantly.

      Conclusion.... look for other artists in our area using RAW fb group and coordinate our own events... join REAL events that don't do this mess and that have actual people you've never met come to buy and view your artwork... only showing to your network doesnt help...thats the only thing i agree about in regaurds to RAW

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  5. Greed is the factor here. They really don't give a crap about you as a person or your art. Yes, they are very manipulative so you perceive them to be. They want your money! Those artists that don't pay, only do not have to pay out of desperation of your local RAW representative. A show needs to look crowded, so you could be paying, while the person next you didn't pay a dime. How would you feel if you payed for the tickets, then found out the person next to you didn't have to sell any tickets? Pissed off right? You will be promised the world, however your return is very little to nothing. You don't need RAW to market your art. You are all creative enough to be artists and should be creative enough to market. If you want to pay someone to look at your art then maybe raw is good for you. It is like paying your friends to hang out with you. Sad and miserable and these jerks you call friends are profiting off you.

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    1. I love this - exactly! Bottom line, you don't need RAW to promote your art and, in all honesty, if you are a truly gifted artist you shouldn't want to put yourself on that boat. This show is hodge-podgy and hardly curated. There are no aesthetic sensibilities from the organizers - they just throw whatever art in there. I mean, since people are paying, why would they care to curate. Trust me, just don't do it. It's FREE to network and to market yourself out there. You are not buying into some huge amazing opportunity. Besides you shouldn't have to pay to take advantage of an opportunity - that's not the way opportunity works.

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  6. Oh man, singing my song right now. I did a RAW show, and was horribly disappointed with the outcome. I can look past the scammy "ticket sales" as well as the "pay to play," but what I cannot look passed is the horrible experience and support I received while trying to put on my RAW show, and every other artist that did this with me, said the same things. I assumed that since I had put out money for this event, that I would have some sort of support from the coordinator and the venue. Boy was I confused.

    I wasn't even just displaying, but I was doing a show. I do fashion, and as my first fashion show was a bit too excited to see what was really going on. There were five fashion shows in the night of my show, and I was the first to go. So, with doing a show I had to supply my models, hair, make-up, wardrobe, and everything else they needed. When we got to the venue, there was nowhere set up to do hair and make-up. They said we could use the greenroom, which was about the size of a small bedroom. Now, since there were 5 fashion shows, with about ten models each, that's 50 models....plus hair and make up...you're looking at between 65-70 people... in a tiny room? Really? So we ended up getting ready in a dark, dirty basement, with little to no light, and no plugs for curling irons, or blow dryers, or anything like that.

    Now, when it finally came time for my show, there was no one actually "coordinating" the show. No one to come tell us who was up next, make sure this or that was going correctly. When my models actually started walking, the runway lights went off. Keep in mind, I was promised runway shots by a photographer, which we didn't get with NO LIGHT. No one in the audience saw half of my fashion. A friend of mine in the audience had to run and find the person working the lights to get them to turn them back on. There was no one even monitoring stage setting and lights.

    I was also promised a video interview and a headshot/which I got NEITHER of. Long story short, I paid to stress this out, put in a ton of work, and receive absolutely no support or kick-back in general. I showed up, saw the coordinator once and then it was basically, "good luck getting things going." DON'T DO IT. Horrible company, horrible experience, TOTAL JOKE.

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  7. I sold four paintings and got two gallery shows and a commissioned set out of a RAW show, maybe people who are disappointed after a RAW show do not have the ability to network properly and/or their art is not worth showing the first place. Overall I had a good experience and a lot has come from it.

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    1. I believe that this is 100% false - I am a contemporary artists showing in numerous gallery shows every year in San Francisco, Miami and Los Angeles. I have a great ability to network and market myself as I have been doing this for myself and my career for 8 or more years now. I am glad RAW worked out so well for you, truly. I think we just want different things from our careers. Thanks for your input, however nonconstructive. It has nothing to do with not being able to network or having terrible art. There is a principle here, a obligation of the "curators" to actually curate and not put together all the art they can fit inside a building as possible in order to run the event. I prefer to show my work with curators that have an aesthetic sensibility. I prefer to show my work with galleries who don't ask for any money for me to show with them and in some cases, provide ME with a stipend to create my work. This is how it's done in the art world and nobody is ever encouraged to pay to show their work at an art show. It's a serious red flag and plenty of professional working artists will tell you some horror stories. On top of this, Deanna, RAW does not sign a contract with you - NEVER SHOW WITH ANYONE WITHOUT A CONTRACT! Any artist will tell you this. These are all notions and concepts that come with experience. Be open minded to this advice. I wish you the best with your artistic endeavors.

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    2. Meryl, Your condescending response to Deanna's pointing out that she had a positive experience says everything. You are extremely naive if you think exposure is going to come free, especially for those just starting out. The fact that you seem to be spending much of your time shitting on RAW here instead of working on your art is also revealing.

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    3. Four years later, to the person with the actively maintained and evidently successful site and shop.

      Right, then.

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    4. I'm in Riverside, CA and starting out. Was apporached by RAW yesterday and researching them. I see complaints of pay-to-play. My question to those complaints is this: don't you have to pay to display your stuff at arts walks, conventions or fairs? I would imagine that the gallerist's path isn't the only path for success as an artist. I'm quite sure you gotta put in some work to market yourself.

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    5. Yes, and no. If you're lucky, curation is free - and the onus is on the curators to decide what happens. They may ask a cut of your print or original sales, but that cut is also usually fair. Occasionally there is a one-time entry fee for many places.

      The thing people typically have beef about is the MLM-style way you have to sell your own tickets - and foot the bill yourself if you don't. Which ends up in a bit of a nasty spiral, as people typically sell to the people they know in a "do me a favor" sort of a move. And the people they know aren't going to buy their art.

      Not quite the same, and that's why it sets off so many alarm bells in many artists heads - and why it's seen as somewhat predatory!

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  8. I'm befuddled at the ferocity of some of these allegations. A RAW showcase is an opportunity for emerging artists to gain exposure and build relationships. They ask artists to help with ticket sales, how does that make them a scam? If you are so successful that people pay you enough to sustain a healthy living from your work, kudos to you. That doesn't entitle you to bash a company with pure objectives. When artists are just starting out, they NEED exposure and they should be willing to invest the time to sell 20 measly tickets to help themselves acquire that exposure. If that is asking too much, then they need to find someone else's coat tails to coast off of.

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    1. they need exposure so bad, theyll pay us hella money!!!! Jesus.

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    2. The catch to things like RAW, though, is the catch to any appealing-sounding pyramid scam: you are responsible to get out twenty tickets and end up paying the difference. More than likely, you've recruited your friends and family just to pad the difference.

      Your friends and family know you. Your friends and family have seen your art.

      And consequently, your friends and family ain't buyers.

      The only, ONLY time I'd ever even entertain recommending RAW to people is if they're entirely new to the scene and have never done a show, before, have some money they're comfortable eating, and want the experience. Otherwise, stick with coffee shops as your entry venues, actual legitimate contracts and paper trails, and a flat gallery entry fee at MOST.

      There's a reason RAW's got the sketchy reputation among artists, after all - and it's not due to surly blog posts.

      (So many of these comments defending RAW also seem right on the precipice of defending spec work, too, and that's never a good spiral to go down...)

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    3. Jesus Meryl STFU. You are the worst part of this whole thread

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  9. I think my comment was deleted because of its truth. If you don't have real talent, do not expect other people to sell your work for you.

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    1. Check our her "art" if you have any doubt.

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    2. I would love to know what your original comment was.

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    3. Nobody expects others to sell their art. But to say that "If you don't have talent, do not expect other people to sell it for you" is BS. What do you think a gallery does. I have sold much art in my 40 years of painting through galleries in Paris, New York and Miami. I have plenty of talent probably more than you, sounding like a disgruntled artist. Maybe its time you took a look at yourself. I wish I could post something here to show you babies how you should include artists as not having real talent without even seeing one piece of work. You don't know everyone's situations and not all have a knack for marketing. Maybe you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but most artist struggle getting their art seen. There is nothing wrong with the venue according to word. It's not their job to curate the event. They basically throw a big party with nightclub atmosphere and put the art around them. Someone must have some money or an eye for something they like. Things could come out of it the same way as they could in an art gallery. You could sell the whole lot or sell nothing....anywhere. When I first started 55 years ago I used to sell in Union Square in New York. Most people are just going to work but some stopped and bought a painting. My painting are highly developed now so my normal size like 84x48 would not fit in the 6ft x 6ft square they give you. But don't be discouraged. Smaller art sells faster and is priced easier apposed to a 30k piece. So you young ins believe in yourself and remember that any exposure is good exposure. And people that complain and post usually have nothing better to do. Also, try a marketing manager. Now go back to work and don't harp on someone who you don't know. The others, good luck with your opinions.

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    4. I'd be curious to know if any exposure was good exposure with your highly developed paintings showing in a club/bar venue that doesn't offer insurance.

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  10. 1. YouTube works on a partnering basis. Once your video has reached a certain number of views, they pay out. RAW is only posting the artist's interviews on their own YouTube channel. presumably, in the hopes that one artist will become very popular, thus creating 100000's of views, and creating revenue for RAW- not the artist.

    2. The flip-side to #1, is that in viewing Raw's YouTube channel, there are hardly any views of the videos. I was told that Raw promotes the artists- so why is the average view only 100? Who exactly is viewing these videos? looks to me like the answer is the artist and his/her friends only.

    3. One of the other perks offered by Raw is head shots. For the fashion designer or model, this is an excellent perk. However, for a visual artist, this is a waste of Raw's time and resources. The reality is that in the visual art world, head shots are useless, the only thing that matters is the actual artwork. It would be better use of RAW's resources to provide the visual artist with professionally taken portfolio pictures.

    4. Another perk offered by Raw is the feature on RAW's website. While this sounds attractive, no information is actually provided as to how many hits Raw's website gets. Also, there is no link to the artist's website. How are galleries and other venues supposed to contact the artist if found on RAW's site?

    5. In my experience working in a professional art gallery, no artwork is ever accepted on the premise without a A) a contract detailing the expectations of both parties, and agreed upon by both parties, and B) detailed insurance information (ie. list of artwork and value of each, insurance policy #, and detailed outline of the insurance policy itself). Neither of those things have been provided
    In fact, in further review of RAW's Website, I discovered this page:
    http://www.rawartists.org/waiver-of-liability
    See paragraphs 6 and 7 in which damage and loss are both clearly stated as NOT RAW's responsibility. This is unacceptable to me as an artist.

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  11. Those of you who are saying this is a scam...how do you feel about "Calls For Entry"? Almost every call for entry for a juried exhibition requires an entry fee, most times non-refundable, and then there is no guarantee you will even be selected. I understand some of your statements re:curation of the events, but every artist is required to submit work prior to inclusion. I have recently been contacted by RAW to participate and I'll be honest, it doesn't seem that unreasonable.

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    1. If you are prepared to sell $200.00 worth of tickets, or, pay the difference, why not do your own solo event? Raw is preying on the vanity of artists. "You're such a great talent, you just need more exposure." Jason, use your money to create your own exposure, not their's.

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  13. I work for RAW artists in Austin and we are NOT a scam organization. You don't PAY to show, you are just responsible for selling tickets to the event. Just like if you were in a band and expected to get at least 20 people in the door, its the same concept. I first showed with RAW before working for them and i had a great experience. I was able to sell all of my tickets easily because i have friends who support me and my craft. I got amazing photographs and an awesome professional video interview that I have used countless times. I've met great contacts and networking and I've sold a lot of art through RAW. Since working for them I've also showed again, this time for fashion and had my first runway show which promoted my live Kickstarter I had running, and I was VERY successful and succeeded my goal. As an artist, most of the time you have to pay just to submit to a show you may not even be a part of. And RAW is very understanding, many times an artist is not able to sell all of their tickets, that does not mean they cannot show. We never turn people away for not selling tickets. We are a networking platform for up and coming artists, and it is a great way to meet people. Also, once you show you can go to other cities and show too! Which just gives you more networking opportunities. SO, stop sippin on that haterade guys! (also, one of our artists has sold work to juliette lewis, and another has sold work to "Fogell" from Superbad, so many artists and designers ARE legitimate and talented)

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    1. It's still considered unscrupulous of any organization saying that they are "for artists" to make emerging and sometimes "starving artists" pay to show. The art is what entertains the events - the artists ARE RAW. Over 30,000 artists shown to date (is the RAW claim) times $200 per artist is roughly 6 million dollars to date that RAW has made off artists. You have your investors in your company - the artists. And they don't even get any sort of written agreement with you of what to expect. That's smelly.

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    2. If an artist sells 20 tickets they PAY NOTHING plus they receive 100% of anything they sell. What gallery will show your work for FREE and pay you 100% commission. Absolutely NONE!!! I have been to RAW shows in DC, Baltimore, Philly and NYC where artists have sold $2000 worth of their work. Sounds pretty worth my time. My friend is a photographer and experienced a 20% increase in his business after showcasing. You sound really ignorant when you tell artists to put on their own show. Do you realize how much work goes into putting on your own show? Do you realize the investment involved? Most artists would find it very challenging both financially and time wise to put on their own showcase. And how many people would come? An emerging artist can showcase in front of 500-600 people in their city. Pretty great exposure if you ask me. And exposed to people they may never have come in connect with because each person who is part of showcase is doing the exact same thing: promoting their collective event. Plus RAW is promoting the event too. I find your posts so sad and aggressive. You say you are trying to help artists but when artists share their positive experiences you simply bash them. You spend a lot time bashing an organization for someone who is such a "successful artist". Maybe you should spend more time on your art instead of bringing other artists into your negativity.

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    3. Simply put, its a standards issue Heather. This is a debate, its understandable that there would be differencing opinions. When an organization that is "for artists" spends time theu should be spend in on tho promotion you speak of instead on hiring SEO specialists to squash my traffic, they are depriving artists of a well rounded review which they are absolutely entitled to. i simply dont agree with their business practices, period. All too often, artists are taken advantage of because of a general lack of information and resources or access to those resources. I never once said that artists should put on their own show. Its about standards for your work and what type of career you want.

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    4. You really need to stop talking the more I read of your nonsense I want to vomit just be quiet and focus veloping as an artist works sells itself , raw appeals to hacks aka artists who wouldn't lay a month in a real gallery get with. The program!

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    5. Your response here is unintelligible, perhaps it's because you're vomiting.

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  14. Wish i'd had more sense, self respect, or read this before I had agreed. Im a professional artist of over 20 years and have never had such a poor showing of my work than at RAW. May i suggest you dont spend a cent, on supplies traveling or accommodation. Promises of the dirty crusty venue being transformed never happened. One sign was placed inside. Full stop. It was such a disappointing night that some artists left within 2 hours of opening. So i drove for 8 hrs to spend 2hours at the slowest exhibition of my career. I have learnt an expensive lesson. I have no idea when i will be able to afford art supplies again. You have as much chance of getting exposure via a supermarket queue than at a Raw event.
    Im not accusing anyone of scamming. Im sure many employees and volunteers have mostly good intentions, but my advice to others would be to run far, run fast!

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  15. Hey Everyone - please read my updated post on my experience and the freshest updates from an internal RAW source trying to out the organization for being shady and money hungry. I received an email from a source with screenshots of internal RAW showcase revenue reports and emails. I have more to add that I think will allow you to come to a well rounded decision about RAW. http://www.merylpataky.com/my-raw-artists-experience.html

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    1. You think RAW is a scam... well Meryl Pataky is a scam and a negative person who chooses to spew hatred about an organization she worked with over 4 years ago. Meryl is looking to drive traffic to her website by bad mouthing an independent art organization that is trying to give a voice to the little guys. Every time she spews her negative hatred and bashes artists that says they had a great experience she tries to insinuate they are an awful artist or are some how stupid. How is that helping the artist community Meryl??? STOP GOING TO THIS WOMEN's WEBSITE... She is using hatred and preying on artists to get hits to her website!!!!

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    2. How, exactly, is "Meryl" a scam for voicing her educated opinion as an artist? Your statement reeks of bullshit--obviously a RAW representative trying to self promote. Take acting lessons if you're going to try to convince anyone reading here otherwise. ;) Tee-hee.

      Also, shameless plug for me: econfectionaire.storenvy.com

      OH WHOOPS did I just get exposure there? And I DIDN'T pay someone any sum of money?

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    3. Heather, I am offering my educated experience on how the respectable artworld works. I do not need the traffic, trust me. Any person making the decision has a right to hear both sides of the coin. i have a right to voice my experience and have a fair traffic rating for it. I would never take advantage of artists as I am actually very active in my community mentoring and providing resources for emerging and aspiring artists in my area. Plenty of artists thank me for my opinion. I have a pretty good resume I don't need to use this for traffic. Besides, where do you think this traffic is coming from? Artists who have a negative gut feeling from the get go.

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    4. Honestly super hurt that anyone would think that im preying on artists. I am an artist! Why would I take advantage of or prey on my own people? This IS a culture and we are only as good as our weakest link. I devote so much time to trying to help emerging and aspiring artists and yes, its hard to manage my time with everything I have going on but, like I've said, I believe it's worth it. I AM 100% giving back to my community because I dont just sit up in my studio focusing on my own shit as you recommend I do. I reach out, give accounts of my experiences for people to learn from. Art Universities and colleges, galleries and educational programs ask me to come and give lectures because of my community work. I work in education at schools teaching the next generation of artists. Whats your background Heather? Are you an artist? Buyer? Gallerist? Do you feel like I've taken advantage of you? I have given my definition of what I believe successful artist means on my website under my RAW review. Dont put it in quotes and dont lessen the things I do for my community. You've got a lot of fucking nerve, you dont know me or my intentions. If you dont have anything constructive to say, remove yourself from this very spirited debate. Negative? Sheesh, takes one to know one I suppose.

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  16. WOW thanks for being totally offensive to people who are new to the whole RAW scheme and who may not have known it was a scam until after the fact, guess that makes you pretty pathetic to since you paid to get your art out there as well. Art is an ever changing field and new artist sometimes have trouble navigating the playing field and when RAW comes up they think they are getting a good deal. It may cost money to learn a lesson through them but at least they are not insulted.

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    1. I never participated - was insulted by CEO when I asked relevant questions about my participation. Hope that clears it up!

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  17. I showcased just recently and am very upset about the false advertising RAW does and their communication of false promises here is my complaint link on pissed consumer:

    http://www.pissedconsumer.com/reviews-by-company/raw-natural-born-artists/false-statements-advertising-of-promises-that-were-never-kept-20140314479223.html



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  18. want to see a scam check out Afton! Raw is NOT a scam!

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  19. Afton wants you to sell tickets without NO promotion until you sell 20 tickets, Raw already got me on their website! Afton segments you so no one will see you unless you invite them to your profile! Um... Raw has me all over the place on their site! i don't like the20 buck thing but the perks are pretty good for fulfilling it!

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    1. Right on their site. Cross traffic? How much traffic does your site get from RAW? Do they let you know how much your profile is looked at? Do they link it anywhere on their social media pages so it gets attention? They dont promote! They just let you chill on a page.

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  20. Please checkout my blog everyone on the ruth about RAW:

    http://eltonleonard.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-experience-with-raw-natural-born.html?spref=fb

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  22. I was (apparently) a Production Assistant for RAW in Ottawa Ontario. We had our first event a couple months ago. Not only was I dropped like a sack of garbage after the opening event, I was also not paid. I no longer recieve emails and the local rep has been ignoring all of my Facebook messages for weeks now. Total disappointment and rip off. I want my money.

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    1. Hey Martine! I thin k its good that previous employees talk about their experience too. That City Beat article was awesome. aside from the artist perspective, people have a right to know about all of the mistreated employees of RAW (Which there are many). RAWs own employees bad mouth them, an organization to trust? Unsure. Not negative just truth Heather. Theres a difference.

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  23. I recently participated in my first RAW show. After an evening of RAW, I would summarize it as a promotion company that strokes the egos of young, self-important artists. They give you a link on their fancy website, label you as underground talent, tell you to dress up, take some fancy pictures, and make you record an interview they can post online (some artists love talking about themselves). From my observations, the other artists felt like this was a big deal, and it made them feel very important and special. I saw lots of proud moms and grandmas. A good time was had by all.

    RAW depends on each artist to pull in 10-20 people (which adds up with 40-50 artists). So you are basically at an art show that is a family reunion of 40 different families under one roof. Not necessarily a bad thing.

    These are artists that want to be in an art show, and apparently, paying $300 or selling $300 of tickets is an option for whatever their reasoning might be. ..marketing, networking, providing a platform/venue, selling, exposure....feeling super important, etc.

    The bottom line is that RAW is not forcing anyone to participate. I felt that they were very clear, professional and organized about what they intended to provide. They did a great job executing their plan. So in my opinion, NOT a scam at all.

    On a side note, I was really disappointed with the selection of artists at the RAW New Orleans event I attended. To be blatantly honest, it was the worst collection of art and fashion I've ever experienced. The fashion show was embarrassing, the majority of the 2d art was awful & amateur, most of the fashion accessories were meh. They did manage to recruit some good performers and I found some good jewelry from another artist. That's just my two cents.

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    1. Right, there is no curating happening. They take all artists that are willing to pay. Again, a standards issue. Kudos to those who have great experiences. I am speaking to those who want an elevated career in the fine, conceptual, contemporary market. If that's you, im simply suggesting that you do not use RAW as a jumping off point to that career. If you value your work, which most artists do, work with an organization that actually provides you walls for display and will insure your work for loss or damage ESPECIALLY in a nightclub with drinking and dancing going on. Is that so wrong of me to say? Is that so negative? I really dont think so. I think its a perspective that perhaps many dont consider going in. Too often, artists are taken advantage of in this industry by people who simply tout exposure and no commission cut. That's really not everything to it y'all. Galleries have a HUGE network of devoted collectors...this is something that RAW COULD HAVE if they spent their time on outreach to their showcasing communities, galleries, grant organizations and collectors which most of these communities have. There is a whole pool of networking and promotional opportunities that RAW is missing out on so yes, i think its pretty outrageous that they say they promote you. They promote their own content on their own website. So i criticize, rightfully so. What makes you think that they have incentive to promote when they've already got the ticket sales from you? They've already made their money. I dunno, I dont feel like im doing anything wrong by offering my take on this and I honestly believe that my experience in the art world is relevant and valuable. ive learned from my mistakes, had horrible experiences and can only say that I wish I could take to the internet for every company Ive worked with to vett them beforehand. Everyone has a right to do their research and have well rounded opinions, good and bad before deciding and RAW should not take that right away from people (they hire SEO specialists to squash traffic on negative reviews and try and have blogs like mine and this erased from search results.) If you dont agree then whatever but there are many out there that do and want something more for their work and they have EVERY RIGHT TO THAT DESIRE! im simply telling people how they may be able to achieve those goals without being involved in a company that they feel weird about. Trust your instincts.

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  24. Raw Artist Ventura is knowingly supporting an Anti-Semite / Homophobic artist, and they don't even care! An email was sent to them, but they practically said nothing about it. You can see the email, here: http://nomoreh8ventura.livejournal.com/630.html

    It makes me sick... all they care about is money...

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  25. I had never heard of RAW Artists until I saw a job posting for their Showcase Coordinator. It seemed exciting as they boast "for artists by artists" I am also an artist and musician. I went to an interview with them and left feeling slightly confused. It was a cattle call where 25+ others sat with me in an interview room. I feel they pitted us against each other trying to weed out who they would not hire in a snooty judgmental fashion as they asked us questions like "What is your favorite food?" "What kind of animal would you be and why?" I was able to see the office and gaze upon those that worked there. I couldn't quite pinpoint if they were truly independent artists with a DIY punk rock mentality or corporate savvy and sly business women. The two main speakers had semi punk rock style hair ( partially shaved head and a blonde news caster bob with a pink streak) they both wore pristine business suits. I still thought maybe it would be a fun career to help coordinate a huge art exhibit but as they went on discussing the job position they told us part of the job was to be very sales and money driven because they rely on artists presales to produce their events and so therefor artists are expected to sell tickets to participate. As a musician who has toured, booked shows, played festivals and conducted with press etc it didn't sit right with me. It sounded like the "Pay to play" ethic Sunset Blvd venues push. True you do get a video, pro shots, some promotion and that they are internationally networked is a plus so yes you will get exposure as their events pack 500-1300 however they are right as RAW is certainly not for everyone. Promo videos, audiences, pro photos, networking and exposure is something you can do YOURSELF. Raw likes featuring unestablished artists because they are newbies and have not figured it out yet that you can do a hustle and pave your own road (be it rocky or not) It wont be easy but if you are going to work your ass of and hustle shouldn't it be for you to reap your own rewards? The problem with RAW I feel is that the event is not target specific enough as sure a lot of people will be there but will it be your target audience? As a band or musician maybe they don't like country, punk, metal or jazz instead it is a hodgepodge event.....It isn't a BAD deal per say but it isn't great either. If that is the route you choose and want to avoid the work of self promotion and networking yourself then it might be for you. It does appear they run their shows as they do their interviews, cattle call style. it is certainly not needed if you are a newly formed designer, musician, dancer or artist. Needless to say I didn't get the job but after looking deeper into the company and thinking about it more I am pretty glad I didn't get hired. It may work for some people but it certainly won't work for the rest. It is a company you can individually decide to take or leave but it is NOT necessary and you certainly can find other ventures to pursue your creations. I do agree with them that all artists deserve to be heard and seen but there are MILLIONS of ways to go about having that accomplished without RAW.

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  27. I recently did a RAW show and boy was I disapointed. I've been doing craft shows for the past two years so I guess I'm still new at the game but I've done enough to know a good one from a bad one. I was offered this "great opportunity" to network and share my talent with other artists. The whole thing sounded unreal and was obviously talked up to get these artists excited.First off, this was held on a Thursday night at 8pm-12am which is almost impossible to sell tickets for when any normal American has work the next morning. When I arrived the rep seemed confused as to why I was there (I had told her numerous times Id be late because I had class that day, I even gave her an exact time and called her when I arrived because there was ZERO parking, I had to walk a block and a half with all of my work), then told me she didn't have any room left and shoved me in a corner between two other artists. There was ZERO room. Which was a major frustration, since the surrounding artists would constantly be bumping into each other and later on in the night crowds of artists family members basically would get herded like cattle into our corner. Then on top of it, the artists around me were Medeocre at best. One selling paintings that looked like a 5yr olds doodles and 4x6 cvs printed photographs of surrounding areas. Don't get me wrong, I know art is art but I felt like I was at a high school art show considering how much time I put into my work. Then the part that was supposed to be the whole point of this, networking, was IMPOSSIBLE to do over blasting club music. Plus, the only people there to network with were drunk artists family members. Then on top of it all when my dad had to leave to go move my car because the garage closed at 11, he stopped at a hot dog place and over heard two RAW reps saying how they needed to find 20 artists for the next show regardless of their talent or medium and were laughing about it! This may not be a "scam" per say but it is absolutely no way to get your work out in the world or network. It's a giant party full of drunk artists family members stumbling around a dark dirty club yelling over blasting music being promoted by "artists for artists" who in all honesty do not care about the artist.

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  29. https://merylpataky.squarespace.com/config#/pages|/my-raw-artists-experience

    New website, new link to my experience

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    1. Did a raw show recently. Was so disappointed and have yet to be paid. Sold two pieces. The place was overcrowded..a club. Felt raken advantage of and just sad afterward. Literally..spent food money on art supplies...they stressed me on ticket sales. Exhibited in nyc with an actual curator in chelsea..no need to sell tickets..great gallery. RAW IS A SCAM

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  30. You only have to pay if you don't sell tickets.. If you promote enough people pay your booth for you.. and I am an artist that has been selling for about a year now. You have to pay a booth rent most places you art trying to sell. Also if everyone sells there 20 ticket minimum then that is 20 people for each artist meaning they are bringing in a lot of potential customers..

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  31. I was just cold-emailed by RAW to interview me for a show in Columbus OH. After reading all the comments, I am going to decline on the show.
    They found me through my Behance page, however most of my work posted there is my graphic design work- not my fine art, as that is my primary career focus. So I can tell they did not research me thoroughly.
    I get the selling tickets and I'm not bothered by that, but I was already concerned that the show would be attended by only family and friends of the artists. The mix of artists also seems odd in that if you want to see fashion, you are not going to be in the market to buy a painting.
    The lack of curating is also worrisome. I have done group gallery shows before and there is always a curator so that they know EXACTLY what pieces are being shown. Galleries don't stay in business by showcasing poor art. I don't mind paying a percentage of my sales to a reputable gallery b/c they help you get the work set up, lit, and put on an opening/closing event to promote your work. Your family and friends can attend for free and the gallery does the leg work on getting art patrons and the art community there to see your stuff. They have a vested interest in you selling your work, not just getting you there.
    Also I read somewhere that these events are held in bars/clubs??!! I'm sorry, but my art supplies cost a lot of money, I'd prefer to not show them in a dark, dirty, smokey place.

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  32. What no one seems to have mentioned here is the biggest most obvious fact and that is: RAW has you paying for your display by selling tickets instead of taking commission BECAUSE RAW has no confidence in the sales of your art, therefore requires an upfront guarantee that the show will be paid for. If RAW has no confidence in their artists, what confidence could they have in RAW?....Maybe if they were more selective.....I don't know the answer....but this does seem to support the SCAM theory to be correct...

    Thanks,
    -Mike

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  33. The author may want to look up the definition of the word "scam". A scam is when one party is deceived in some way into doing something that does not benefit them. I did a show with RAW last year and everything was perfectly explained beforehand. RAW rents the venue, does all the advertising, organizational logistics, and hosting. The artists are responsible to sell 20 tickets to their show (not hard to do if you have a social life). Obviously, RAW is set up for people who would love the opportunity to show their art but also have day jobs, kids, etc. and don't have the time to do the footwork of finding places to show their art. I came out about $100 in the black after my experience. I have no desire to do it again, but it was a worthwhile experience. It sounds like the author just hated her experience for whatever reason and decided to blame RAW.

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  34. Interesting. I am a "non-emerging" artist who has been shown in multiple art museums, and I have never paid to show my work. They contacted me, and, as an artist with strong ties to the "underground", I was intrigued by their proposal, but taken aback by the fact that I have to pay, or sell 20 tickets at $22. The guy I spoke with did not sound very sincere, either, and did not seem to have a true art sense. For instance, I worked with legendary California artist Bruce Conner for 30 years, who's work was recently exhibited at MoMA, SFMoMA, and a museum in Madrid. This guy had zero knowledge of contemporary art, and key figures and places. The root philosophy of the organization is fantastic, but the money-scheme is not. I'm an artists advocate, and I've anti-curated several shows involving powerful passionate "invisible" artists who I felt deserved more exposure via my Heads of Hydra photography collective, but never asked a single artist to help fund the projects. This is the way someone who truly believes in the power of art and artists should behave. This project has good and bad sides, and it might be great for someone if you make connections and/or sales. For me, I have enough connections, and have evolved to a point that being in this event would probably hurt my reputation more than help. Makes me want to start an organization for "underground" gifted artists that supports artists instead of capitalizing on them. I have a dealer who wants to put me in art fairs in Europe. His cost per show is about $60,000, but he has integrity and never asks the artists to share in costs. In fact, he offers monetary and professional support. The work is presented in a professional museum-style context to interest serious collectors. It sounds like RAW wants to make art into a party funded by the artists, which might be beneficial to some people, and worthless or damaging to others.

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    1. Btw, I have exhibited in this Denver nightclub previously via the Westword art event, which is very similar to how this organization stages events. They PAID ME to exhibit, and I did sell some work. The idea that I have to waste valuable time being a sales person for tickets to my own show gives me an extra layer of stress I don't want or need. It's hard enough to find time to create art, which is all I want to do!

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    2. Thank you for your input. I agree.

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  35. I was recently contacted by RAW and was really excited about it. I have been doing art for around 25 years but only recently decided to put myself out there. After reading through this though, the excitement is gone. Though not just for the prospect of selling my stuff at their event. My excitement for getting more involved in a community of artists, even outside something like RAW, has basically died. The amount of venom so many on here are puking out is just saddening. Agree with my opinion or you are obviously an idiot, are talentless, or are generally just a lesser person than I seems to be the common message from so many artists on here. You don't have to act like a total ass just because you are successful in a field. I prefer supporting each other and giving actual, positive, helpful feedback to people instead of just ripping people apart. Tearing someone or their art down does what to help you? How do you get ahead by that? How do you better yourself or the other person? No one is born with a full artistic skillset. No one is born a successful artist. No one is born an asshole either. You have to work at each of these. I just choose to omit the last. The level of venomous, insecure conceit is just saddening. Yea, it is just sad.

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    1. Yea, I'm not sure anyone said that you are less than anyone. You don't have to agree with my opinion but I think the sheer fact that RAW works to suppress site traffic that criticizes them is very telling, friend.

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    2. Suppression is not a tactic, transparency is. AMA.

      I work for RAW, here to dispel misconceptions.

      David

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  36. I gotta say as more a patron than an artist, I was extraordinarily put off by the pyramid type nature of this. Do people really pay for the chance to buy art? Felt bad not being able to help my friend out but the whole thing felt like a tacky girl scout sale... much rather just buy a piece of art direct without the fake hupla. Seems quite clear to me these people are just milking the hopes and dreams of others to profit for themselves.

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  37. There are numerous craft fairs where attendees need to pay to enter. Yes, they pay a ticket in order to enter and buy items from a variety of vendors. Booth fees for the vendors at these events could range from $20-$200-$400 or MORE. Most of the major complaints on this page are from 3-5 years ago. Perhaps events have improved. I'm hoping so. Personally, I could benefit from a venue like this if it exposes my work to people of a different income than a simple craft fair. I searched the RAW site for others who do similar work to mine. Some were more successful than others, but there was still positivity. I think it is in how you approach it. have a variety of items, price spread, etc.

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    1. Exactly. I have done a variety of shows selling various items throughout the years. I have paid 200.00 easy for a booth. I just got contacted by them, I'm debating if I should do a show or not. Hmmm

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  38. I think the most valuable comments here have been from artists that have participated. They are both positive AND negative. I have had great success in the Art Fair world and I always have to pay and be curated to show my work. The most inexpensive shows are about $200. On average I pay about $300 to $400, plus entry fees. I have also paid $700 and $850 for some shows. I always make enough through sales to cover all of those expenses, travel, and make a profit... which naturally varies from show to show.

    My point is that I always pay to show my work and I get exposure, new and returning clients, and make a profit. I don't see the problem with that.

    It seems the issue is navigating whether RAW will do what you as an artist need it to. I can tell that it wouldn't work out for me at this point in my career because of the friends and family ticket sales aspect, but does that make it wrong or a scam for anyone else?

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  39. Hello< I recently comitted to do a raw show this january and now after reading all of this and spending about three hours researching it, I no longer believe it is the right fit for me. I was wondering how I can cancel my commitment and delete my raw profile as i have seen no link on the website to delete my profile

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  40. Well, I never had the doubts that free cheese exist only on mousetrap, so I never look for anything free and I know there is fee for everything.
    I think that critic of RAW is a bit exaggerated... Any artist, author, designer that reaches some level of success has previously invested big into marketing and self promotion. I don't see $200 as a big investment to go crazy about, especially if you have a chance to return all of it (or part) back by selling the tickets. BTW local exhibits, fairs and shows in my area charge the artist between $50-250 per space (sometimes more), and they don't even offer anyway to return the money, or any kind of marketing or website postings. And I don't see anybody is calling them a scam. By that logic every single art fair is a scam? I'm sorry, but I really don't understand what is all big buzz about them giving you a platform and charging you a fee for the space that basically rented to you? Also the question some people ask here - "Where the money goes?" sounds a bit ridiculous to me. I do understand that many artists have little to no concept of business operations, but any business has operations, means they need money to sustain their business. That's where the money goes. In the end nobody forces you to pay money and showcase your emerging art, you can always store in your basement and have no complains. I just don't understand why anyone who want to call themselves an Artist assumes that the world owns them something for free right that moment? I don't remember communism being declared it this country yet and everybody is entitled to free stuff. Bottom line - I don't see it as a scam, I see it as a type of third party service, which provides you an additional platform to showcase. Which you can accept conditions and use, or decline and don't use it, just like a credit card offer. Simple is that. It is free market.

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    1. Invest in yourself surely - your own supplies, your own marketing, your own website. Don't invest in a company (essentially what you are doing) when you have no control over how it's displayed, the marketing of the event with no contract, insurance or information about what your investment really means.

      Delete
  41. As you can see, I don't spend all my time here bashing RAW. My comments are months apart, every once and a while I come back to participate in the conversation (usually when I'm reminded of it though a thank you email from an artists whose come across this review.). I'd like to make clear that I'm not the author of this blog, simply a commentator.

    My goal is and always has been to help artists see that they don't have to go this route. Everyone wants to bash me and say, "You're condescending if you think it's easy for all artists to break into the art world". No, I don't think it's easy but I certainly don't think this is the way. There are literally thousands of Calls for Artists online posted by reputable galleries in any area looking for fresh emerging artwork. Yes, you have to pay to enter an open call in most cases, however you are paying to get your work in front of curators, gallerists and people that are worth networking with. Invest money and marketing in yourself, not someone else. Ultimately, my opinion is that these events are not worth the promotion and/or money you put into it.

    If you had a good experience, that's great. However, I'd like to continue to encourage all artists to ask the right questions (contract? insurance? return on investment?)

    When artists will do anything for exposure, it perpetuates the mentality amongst brands, companies and other organizations that artists will do anything for exposure. This is STILL a problem that many professional artists have to overcome from potential clients and exhibitors because it seems to be a trend amongst so many - exposure exposure omg! The exposure model is tired and if you want to be a professional artist that makes their living off of your art - you don't do the exposure model. Many here are right - nothing is free. You're using this mantra to defend RAW when you should be looking at it to protect your work - nothing is free...not your time, your work and you certainly shouldn't be going the other way with it and paying. Of course this stuff takes work and money, you're acting like I don't know this. I've invested thousands into my business of a neon maker and artist and work very very hard. What I don't do is bend over backwards and go into client relationships like a gamble. Expectations are clearly laid out and I am able to exhibit with galleries at Art Basel and make upwards of 10k on large installation projects for companies. People will take you seriously when you know your shit. This isn't being condescending. If anything, I'm not sure why you don't see it as a successful artist trying to pass down a little bit of wisdom that she's learned from her OWN mistakes about how to run your art practice. Believe me, I've made plenty of mistakes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Meryl

      Let's discuss this post. I'm the former RAW Director of a CDN city. I would like a chance at open dialogue with you.

      David

      Delete
  42. If you want to do RAW, do it. I just think your attention is better served elsewhere and they really don't deserve your art as they don't do as much for you as you can do for yourself and reputable places can.

    Let me leave you an example - A couple of years ago I was approached by Virgin Hotels to exhibit in their rooftop bar in Chicago. I had to negotiate for insurance - based on previous artists they've exhibited, they actually thought I was going to show neon art in a bar without insurance because those previous artists either never thought to ask/negotiate it or they were so thrilled with the "exposure model" they said screw it. I finally got them to agree to insurance. I had to negotiate them shipping my work out (they agreed to it, gold star). Here's where it goes downhill. Because of a lack of contract dictating exhibition requirements, they had people handling my work that I disapproved of, they never displayed my name anywhere near the artwork or in the space and my work was broken - it took them nearly 1 year to pay out on the insurance. I was stupid and didn't require a contract. Additionally, the exposure I thought I was going to see was dismal - They promised press and exposure. What really happened - They had 1 Chicago blogger come out and she posted my work on Instagram without any credit or tag. No article, no promotion etc. Tons of people took pictures because they loved the work and with no name displayed, nobody tagged me on social media. This is impressions and traffic missed. Ultimately, I ended up with a lot of headache and time wasted when the results were then same as if I'd been sitting around doing nothing for a couple of months.

    Forget the word scam and the philosophical debate about how to truly start your career. I'm trying to say that RAW is an example at the low level of what is out there to navigate. RAW isn't the only one. There are big companies that you think will know how to work with artists and let me assure you - many don't. Now, with art being a popular advertising tool for brands on Instagram through influencer style marketing it is even more important for artists to know how to negotiate for themselves and see where they are missing out on the negotiation. Myself and many colleagues have stories about how they have to hard-ball negotiate for themselves and educate clients and brands on what should be done for artists and how artists should be treated. There will be a point in your career when you will have to start saying "no" to opportunities that don't serve you. If you are just showing for fun and whatever, then it's no big deal I guess. Do it, sure. Whatever, I give up.

    ReplyDelete
  43. (Hello! I apologize if I advertise in this way) In a few hours begins the free promotion of my autobiographical book, and will last a few days. It deals with scams through NGO statutes and the like. I do not think it is a masterpiece, but it will help you protect your children from the flattery of false teachers and prophets.

    https://www.amazon.it/Empires-Smile-believe-niggers-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B06XQBK2Z3/

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    ReplyDelete
  44. I am signed up to display my photography and printing services there. Hoping to make some contacts, offer canvas and photo printing for other artists as well as people browsing through. Its true that you purchase 20 tix for $440. Of what you dont sell a week before the show and nobody buys tix that early. So plan on paying $440. I dropped an ad on craigslist selling at half price. So ill give some tix away and end up paying about $250. This is not bad from what i researched. Many art festivals i have researched for the summer in the Denver area cost between $500-$1000 for a booth/day. Take photos and video of your participation and use them for your website and social media. All in all its not that bad a deal - Jared

    ReplyDelete
  45. why after reading some of the comments here, it feels like people who defend rawartist sound like bots...

    ReplyDelete
  46. Ahhhh!!! You're totally wrong homie...I just showcased in Austin, TX via RAW and the event could not have been more successful. The venue (Emo's on Riverside) was freaking amazing, Zachary Sanders (director) was accommodating, knowledgeable, and friendly. I sold beyond what I expected. I signed AND collected deposits for 2 commissioned pieces on the spot. I have bomb headshots, videos, and photos that would cost a few hundred bucks alone... Putting forth the effort to promote my own art and the endeavors of fellow RAWartists by selling a few tickets was WELL worth it. I could have purchased them myself and STILL walked w profit, network, etc... not for everyone, but definitely not a scam!

    Wes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For the price they made off you alone for the one event lasting several hours you could have had a month long show in a gallery..

      Delete
  47. I went to a RAW event for the first time last week, I was given a free ticket. I am a former art critic for a local newspaper. My impression was not good. I am in Sydney Australia. The event was held in a bingo hall in a suburb with very little artistic activity. There was no passing traffic. The set up was more like a fair than an exhibition, and the art was not that impressive. If you live in Sydney and are an artist, there are several places which will support you. We have lots of galleries. Some of the universities have galleries which will exhibit work for free and there are several good people who will mentor you and offer you opportunities that you wont have to pay for. My advice is to investigate these first before trying RAW...

    ReplyDelete
  48. So I have been reviewing a lot of the reviews. We have a show here in Boise and I was going to check it out. One question I have, I know a lot of artists that do venues. They all have to pay a vendor fee for all different types of venues. My sister is a Metal Smith and every show she goes to, she pays anywhere from $300-$600 to sell her jewelry. I guess I’m trying to figure out what is the difference? She is also in several galleries that charge her a 30% - 40% commission to showcase her art there. I’m just a bit confused is all.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I agree with Gnuuuuber, yall just bitch and moan to much. If you got your ends covered do ya thang. If you lazy and dont want to make an effort hustlin for your work, there are a million people that will. Whiny ass bitches

    ReplyDelete
  50. Meryl, don't stress out over the negative comments. All the pro-RAW comments are clearly bots, most likely the same person or two, at most. Scammers are always this aggressive over the internet, which may seem like heaven to them, but here comes the double edged sword of internet, leeches.

    You can always recognize a scammer bot by the eternal scamming speech: Artists, you need to pay to play! which shows their inherent disconnection from the art world and the art business. They are and will remain marginals perpetually heading for law suits.

    Thank you for preventing me to become a victim to this pyramidal scheme today. And many thanks to this blog and anyone else who took time and effort to leave their stories and make sure no one else gets scammed by RAW.

    I have to say RAW changed their name to Conception Arts or Conception Arts is an affiliate of the RAW scam. Beware, Conception Arts is a scam, the same scam. And they recently launched open calls.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Has anyone had any experience with RAW's pop-up markets? I have been offered a spot at one in Brisbane CBD, costing me $50. I don't know what amount covers. They started a couple of weeks ago and are doing them weekly (I think until Christmas).

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
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