Meet Over Lunch Online: Francesca Bellini Joseph

Please join RU Thursday, September 29 at 1pm for Meet Over Lunch with Francesca Bellini Joseph

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 854 7912 3779
Passcode: 240976

I’m Francesca Bellini Joseph, and I specialize in online learning. My area of interest is teaching about the market principles and dynamics of the art world. 

I went to art school in 2001. I had the aspirations of becoming an artist and earning a living from my art practice. But I experienced problems common in many artists around the globe. I felt invisible; curators and gallerists didn’t look at my work. I struggled to find a voice in a small and competitive market. I was underpaid; I sold a few pieces occasionally, but I couldn’t see how to make it sustainable over time. It affected my mental health; my confidence was low, and it was hard to find the motivation to continue. 

Many problems that artists experience through their careers begin in art school. It is a great space for creative and conceptual development, but less so for gaining professional abilities. Artists rarely get taught the necessary skills available to most professionals across sectors, from networking to presenting clearly and effectively. The absence of those skills will unequivocally catch up with them in the future. 

After 20 years of involvement in the art world and substantial experience in online education, I have the opportunity to help out. But first I had to test my assumptions; do artists experience the same problems? I surveyed nearly 200 artists around the globe, anonymously, about the struggles they encounter in their careers. I also asked them their level of interest in learning specific topics and skills to solve them. In this edition of Meet Over Lunch, I want to talk you through my research and findings. I will explain why I believe it’s imperative to address these issues to enable artists to develop more sustainable and balanced careers. I will answer your questions and take your comments and feedback on this learning initiative. Thank you, RU for this opportunity, and I hope you are all able to join me!

If you are an artist who wishes to participate in the survey please click here. It will probably take 3 to 5 minutes of your time. The deadline for completing the survey is September 15.

– Francesca Bellini Joesph

Francesca Bellini Joseph is a Colombian-born, London-based art professional. She is a Course Leader in the Online Department of Sotheby’s Institute of Art since 2014. She is a member of the TATE Executive Committee, the TATE Latin American Acquisition Committee, and a TATE Patron Ambassador. She is a co-founding member of Delfina Foundation Latin American Circle in London and Exhibition Patron of Gasworks. She sponsors an artist grant at FLORA Ars + Natura, Bogotá-based residency program run by Colombian curator José Roca. Trained as an artist, she has extensive experience as an arts professional in art market analysis, digital marketing, e-learning, the gallery sector, collecting etc.

Watch the virtual talk online. 

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.