How to Make a Sustainable Living as an Artist by Selling Online [Video]

Trading Online isn’t just a bonus. For some people it can mean the difference between making a sustainable living, or not.

Landscape Artist Cora Murphy used to work to a traditional business model: exhibiting in galleries, who took a commission on her sales. But she found that, for her, it simply didn’t generate enough income to make a living.

Cora applied for a Trading Online Voucher from Cork City Local Enterprise Office, and worked with web design company Almedia to develop an ecommerce site which let her sell her own artwork, originals and prints directly to the public.

As well as ensuring a sustained income, the new site has helped her to build a more “wholesome relationship” with her customers, she says.

Cora spoke to Blacknight at an event organised by South Cork Local Enterprise Office to promote the Trading Online Vouchers (TOV) scheme. These vouchers are available to SMEs from Local Enterprises Offices (LEOs) all over Ireland, providing matched funding up to €2500 to help companies to trade online.

Financial Support and Access to Expertise

In an earlier interview, Dr Stephen Brennan, Chief Digital Advisor to the government, explained that the scheme is about sharing expertise, as much as it’s about money. In fact, it’s a condition of applying for Trading Online Vouchers, that you have attended an information event such as this.

The event in Cork is one of a series of regional events being run by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (the next ones are in Dublin on April 3 and Kilkenny on 23 May). Speakers included web developers and marketing experts, representatives of Facebook and Paypal, and case studies featuring real-life business success stories. We’ve got several more interviews from the event to publish over the next few days.

For further information, contact your nearest Local Enterprise Office.

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