Media Training for Artists: Strategies for Confident Interviews

In a recent newsletter, art writer and marketer Tatum Dooley addresses the common dread artists feel about interviews, offering practical strategies to navigate press interactions. Drawing from her experience on both sides of the table—as an interviewer and interviewee—Dooley emphasizes the importance of media training for career advancement, noting that galleries and collectors take press seriously and that a strong press section on an artist's CV is highly valued. She advises artists to assume all conversations with journalists are on the record and to be cautious with controversial topics, suggesting opting out if necessary. The core of her advice includes four strategies: practicing key talking points, preparing a list of the five most important aspects of one's practice, weaving those points into interviews, and using a physical list during virtual interviews to stay on track. The newsletter is part of her ongoing 'Artist Relations' series, which covers the business and marketing side of the art world, with past articles on topics like Instagram's impact on the art market and pricing strategies. The piece also features an image of Sho Shibuya's paintings over the New York Times, courtesy of the artist and Unit London.