Making Friends in Your Hometown
23. Jul, 2012 
4 Comments
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Making Friends in Your Hometown
by Gypsy of Estuary Magicks
It’s been less than a month since my partner and I moved halfway across the country to Portland, Oregon. I knew there was a vibrant community of artists here, and I couldn’t wait to meet them. The trick was to find them.
Here are a few things I’ve learned about finding and joining local community:
Know Where to Look
Start with the internet – the bigger your city, the more resources are likely to be available. If you’re on Etsy, search for local teams, and join them all. Then hit up Google. Search for art events in your area, gallery/show openings, or farmer’s markets. Try different terms – replace “crafter” with “artist,” or type “craft fair” or “bazaar.”
Check in with your fan base – especially if you’re about to move – and ask who lives nearby. Chances are, if they love your work, they’d love you too.
If the internet is not yielding a lush garden of opportunities, then start looking for locations in your area that might be gathering points. Look for artsy cafes. Step inside galleries. Go to farmer’s markets and craft fairs and take business cards, then use that contact information to say hello.
Show Up
In Minneapolis, the most rewarding relationships I had were with people who had no Etsy, no business page, no websites. They figured out their shows within their friend circles on Facebook, and they hung out (and worked, and advertised) at some awesome cafes and co-ops.
Unfortunately for me, I was at home, beating my head against an unrelenting internet and giving into my shyness. If I had gone to the cafes – attended any of their art show celebrations – then they would have been happy to meet me.
Follow the Golden Rule
We are all busy, and we have to do double-time to be our own factories, marketing specialists, and accountants. The last thing we need is a stranger shoving a link in our faces saying “DON’T YOU LIKE ME?” It’s an ineffective (and irritating) marketing strategy, and it’s certainly no way to make friends.
Think about it in terms of the golden rule – “treat others as you want to be treated.” You want help, support, friendship, and you’re not going to get that if all you offer is a link to your shop. Go to their shows, check out their shops, choose them first when you’re looking for gifts.
On deviantART, I visit strangers, look at their work, and give thoughtful (and positive!) comments. If they answer me, even with just a thank-you, I come back. Soon enough, they’re looking at my work, too. If you want someone to come and look at your page – as the people I visit almost always do – then you have to give them a reason.
Community of every kind is an incredible resource. Joining up with local artists gives you encouragement, opportunities, and – best of all – some amazing like-minded folk to work beside.
How has your local community benefited you? Any more tips on connecting?
About The Author
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Thanks for the article. I too suffer from major shyness so have been putting off and putting off joining the local crafty meetups here. But it is so hard to connect to people over the internet. So I’m now determined to actually show face on the next one. Great blog btw, so glad I found it
xx
It’s so hard to take that first step! And, for people with shyness, to take the second step and the third. I remember when I met my crafter friends in Minneapolis, and then agonized for hours when one of them invited me to her art show closing. It was hard to pluck up the courage to go back — but that was followed immediately by an invitation to do another show with her. I’m so glad I went.
True that! l haven’t tried this approach yet and l live in quite a lively area of England crafts wise. l think l will have to pluck up the courage and go along to some events.
It’s definitely worth it! Just having that extra encouragement has worked wonders for me.