Artists told to put premium on artworks

CEBU, Philippines - Creative Cebu prime mover Jay P. Aldeguer calls on all local artists to put premium on their creations and take advantage of the strong demand for creative skills around the world.

Aldeguer made this call after realizing that a lot of artists get very low professional fees from outsourcers such as companies, and art buyers, among others.

He said there is a need for Cebuano artists, including singers, event organizers, content providers (writers), graphic artists, visual artists, and designers to adopt a paradigm shift and maximize their talents to rake in wealth.

Aldeguer said the Creative Cebu Network Inc., hopes to educate artists on how to make their creativity as their main capital for business.

“Indeed, we have good and even growing number of creative people here,” Aldeguer said, “however, the problem is most of them don’t put premium to their creativity and majority of them also do not have a business acumen.”

While most artists are not entrepreneurs, he said it is important for them to partner with business and marketing minded people to take off and take advantage of their talents.

He said artists could also take advantage of the opportunities offered by some sectors like the tourism and Information Communication Technology (ICT) sectors to offer their skills to players in this industry.

Nowadays, creativity is one of the most in demand skills wherein artists are not only limited to selling their artworks to direct consumers but they can also offer creative services to various industries such as retail, hotels, and even the BPO sector, among others.

Aldeguer said that although Cebu is just starting to discover and develop its creative sector, this type of industry has already been considered by giant economies in the world such as the United Kingdom, as one of its economic drivers.

 He admitted though that our country still has a lot to do to be at par with UK and it will largely involve the cooperation of concerned government agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“Creative people have to realize that they have high valued talents,” Aldeguer said. In other countries for instance, artists and creative people are making big amount of money.

Since artists are more inclined in pursuing their “passion” rather than prioritizing the business opportunity in their talents, they have to see the need for stronger partnership with business-minded people.

Aldeguer who is also an entrepreneurship advocate said that artists can become entrepreneurs themselves by capitalizing on their talents.

Andrew Senior, head for creative economy unit of the British Council, earlier suggested that Cebu should maximize its creative industry and transform it into one of the province’s main economic drivers.

The development of creative entrepreneurs is very important for Cebu, otherwise, it will lose its ‘golden” opportunity to capture the dynamic demand for creative talents around the world.