Artists may not have to wait long to find their first clients.
Alumnus Neal Sarin started CreativGlu, a free online service that connects local brands with artists from various industries, three years ago.
Hoping to become global, CreativGlu focuses on brands that are based in Miami, such as The Miami New Times and The Daily Melt.
Artists can peruse through opportunities such as “Design a Shoe for Del Toro.” Users then create a free profile with which they upload their work, whether it be images or even a SoundCloud link, competing for the most votes in order to secure the opportunity.
These opportunities can sometimes lead to full-time positions, depending on the needs of the brand. Though the brands hope to recruit talent, they also use the site as a platform for crowd-sourcing their ideas and gaining exposure.
“Miami is the perfect place to start this thing because the arts community is so vibrant, and it’s growing, and there’s so much talent here,” Sarin said.
While he does admit that in the beginning, the process of signing on brands was “arduous,” Sarin stresses that Miami provided the right breeding ground given the existence of big companies and growth of Miami’s emerging arts and electronic music scenes.
“When these kinds of industries are growing, it’s a lot easier to find talent, to get users and to partner with brands that want to give back to the community by giving these artists new opportunities on CreativGlu,” he said.
When Sarin was 15, the only thing he wanted to be was a talent scout for arts and repertoire (A&R) for a big record label and help discover talented musicians. And while he did minor in music industry at the Frost School of Music and even interned at Universal Music International and Ministry of Sound, the decline that the music industry suffered during the recession made him think twice.
Yet, as a music producer himself, Sarin could never completely abandon his passion. Instead, he expanded his initial dream job of discovering talent, to include more than just musicians. In a sense, he is an A&R, but for all artists.
Sarin also calls CreativGlu a “matchmaking service” that connects artists to companies that sign on. The website facilitates an organization’s creative needs from the initial concept to connecting it with participating artists.
“There are no rules,” he said. “There are no limits.”
Sarin studied entrepreneurship and is aware that the university has many up-and-coming entrepreneurs with great ideas.
“If you’re an entrepreneur and you’re really into your idea, I understand in the beginning there’s a lot of hesitation and a lot of ‘I don’t have the resources right now,’” he said. “But you have to go 100 percent in, dive in, get involved in the community, go to networking events off campus.”
For more information, visit creativglu.com.
In November, Creativglu will be hosting a party for Basel and a party during the Art Walk. In addition to a networking opportunity for artists, Sarin promises it will feature live entertainment and some new surprise ideas as well. INFO BOX