CA

Resources for artists

Articles, guides and reflections on digital identity for artists. Written by Ressona from Barcelona.

New
Bandcamp, SoundCloud and music distribution platforms: where to put your music Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Spotify, DistroKid, Amuse. Which platform is for selling, which for distributing, which for discovery. A practical guide for independent musicians. Read → Instagram for artists: strategy, formats and dimensions Feed, Stories, Reels, Highlights. How to get the most out of Instagram as an artist: which formats work, which dimensions to use, and how often to post. Read → LinkedIn for artists: when it makes sense and how to use it LinkedIn isn't for everyone in the arts. But for artists working in commercial, educational, or intersectional contexts, it can be the most effective professional platform of all. How to optimise your profile and what content to post. Read → Mastodon, Bluesky and the Fediverse: social media without big corporations Decentralised alternatives to X and Instagram for artists who value data sovereignty, community, and content free from manipulative algorithms. How they work and where to start. Read →
Most read
Classical music and opera route through Europe: essential concert halls, opera houses and festivals From the Vienna Musikverein to the Palau de la Música in Barcelona: the concert halls, opera houses and classical festivals that define the continent. A guide for musicians and music lovers. Read → Techno Route Across Europe: Essential Festivals and Reference Clubs From Berghain to Sónar, from Dekmantel to Time Warp. A guide for fans who want to follow the circuit and for electronic artists who want to understand the scene from the inside. Read → Travelling with Jazz Across Europe From Barcelona to Copenhagen: jazz and blues clubs, festivals and jam sessions for touring musicians and enthusiasts. A complete guide by country and city. Read → How to submit your project to a festival or open call What festival programmers look for when they receive an artist application: materials, format and the mistakes that get well-intentioned submissions discarded. Read → Press photos for artists: what you need (and what you don't) Guide for artists on press photography: resolution, formats, licensing and who uses them. The difference between a press photo and an Instagram photo. Read → Social media for artists: which platforms, for whom, and how Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube: which social networks does an artist actually need, and how to use them professionally without wasting time. Read → What is an EPK (and why you need one as an artist) EPK, digital press kit, press dossier: three names for the same document. Find out what it's for, how it's evolved, and the 5 elements it can't do without. Read → How to build your digital identity as a musician A practical guide for musicians who want to build a coherent digital presence: from logo to positioning on Google and AI platforms. Read → Why you need your own website even if you have Instagram Instagram is a distribution channel, not your home. Find out why any professional artist needs their own website and the risk of depending on a platform you don't control. Read → Music digital distribution: royalties, platforms and how to get paid You have the music recorded. Now you need it on Spotify, Apple Music and everywhere else. Here's how digital distribution works, what you pay and what a musician actually earns. Read →
Digital identity
How to choose your first graphic designer as an artist Logo, colour palette, concert poster. At some point you'll need to hire a designer. Here's where to find one, how to evaluate them, and how to prepare so the collaboration works. Read → Posters, flyers and printed materials for artists: when it's worth it and how to do it well Printed material isn't dead: it's changed function. When it makes sense to print, how to prepare files correctly and how to get the most out of each format. Read → Styling and Image for Artists: Building Your Own Visual Identity Your image is not vanity — it is part of your art. How to build a coherent visual style that communicates who you are before you open your mouth or step on stage. Read → Digital portfolio for visual artists: how to present your work to galleries and collectors A digital portfolio is not an Instagram. It has a different function, a different tone and different conventions. Here's how to prepare one that opens real doors. Read → Promoting a show or concert: the minimum communication plan Premiere, concert, exhibition. Promotion doesn't start the week before: it starts two months before. Here's the minimum framework to fill the venue without depending on a PR agency. Read → The Artist Mailing List: Building It Right and Growing It Legally Your mailing list is the only direct communication channel that's truly yours. But building it wrong — adding contacts without consent — can cost you fines and reputation. Here's how to do it right. Read → The showreel and the book: professional presentation for actors and actresses Without an updated showreel, you don't exist for directors and agencies. Without a book, there's no first impression. How to prepare them well without a production budget. Read → The showreel and the photo book: professional presentation for actors and actresses Without an up-to-date showreel, you don't exist for directors and agencies. Without a photo book, there is no first impression. How to prepare them properly without a production budget. Read → Promoting a show or concert: the minimum communication plan Premiere, concert, exhibition. Promotion doesn't start the week before: it starts two months before. Here's the minimum framework to fill the venue without depending on a PR agency. Read → The Artist Mailing List: Building It Right and Growing It Legally Your mailing list is the only direct communication channel that's truly yours. But building it wrong — adding contacts without consent — can cost you fines and reputation. Here's how to do it right. Read → Digital identity for actors and actresses: what you need to work in the industry Practical guide for actors and actresses building a professional digital presence: press kit, casting platforms, website and social media. Read → The artist bio: how to write one that actually works An artist bio needs to convince in thirty seconds. Practical guide for writing the short and long versions, in third person, for musicians, actors and companies. Read → Press photos for artists: what you need (and what you don't) Guide for artists on press photography: resolution, formats, licensing and who uses them. The difference between a press photo and an Instagram photo. Read → The artist bio: how to write one that actually works An artist bio needs to convince in thirty seconds. Practical guide for writing the short and long versions, in third person, for musicians, actors and companies. Read → How to build your digital identity as a musician A practical guide for musicians who want to build a coherent digital presence: from logo to positioning on Google and AI platforms. Read → Why you need your own website even if you have Instagram Instagram is a distribution channel, not your home. Find out why any professional artist needs their own website and the risk of depending on a platform you don't control. Read → How to prepare for a professional photo session Everything you need to do before, during and after a photo session to get the most out of it and end up with images that actually open doors. Read → SEO basics for artists: how to appear on Google You don't need to be an SEO expert. But you do need to understand the 5 concepts that determine whether people find you when they search. Read → Own website vs. Linktree: when you need each one Linktree is practical and free. Your own website is the only digital presence that truly belongs to you. Here's when to use each tool and why they don't replace each other. Read → Visual identity for artists: where to start Logo, colours, typography. Visual identity isn't a luxury — it's the first thing any booker, journalist or listener sees. Here's your starting point. Read → Artists on LinkedIn: does it make sense? LinkedIn isn't for musicians or actors, many say. But it depends what you want to do there. Here's who it makes sense for, who it doesn't, and how to use it if you decide yes. Read → Artists on LinkedIn: does it make sense? LinkedIn isn't for musicians or actors, many say. But it depends what you want to do there. Here's who it makes sense for, who it doesn't, and how to use it if you decide yes. Read →
EPK & press kit
Press release for artists: how to write one step by step A press release is not a long email. It has a specific structure, fits on one page, and answers five questions in order. Practical guide with template included. Read → Press release for artists: how to write one step by step A press release is not a long email. It has a specific structure, fits on one page, and answers five questions in order. Practical guide with template included. Read → EPK for dance and circus companies: what a performing arts programmer needs Specific guide for contemporary dance and circus companies: technical rider, show video, synopsis and everything that determines whether a theatre can host your work. Read → EPK for musicians: what a promoter needs before booking you The specific guide for musicians and bands: what your digital press kit needs to reach festivals, venues and specialist media. Read → EPK for visual artists: what a gallerist or curator needs The digital press kit for visual artists is different from a musician's or actor's. Specific guide for visual arts: artistic dossier, artist statement, artwork images and exhibition CV. Read → Press photos for artists: what you need (and what you don't) Guide for artists on press photography: resolution, formats, licensing and who uses them. The difference between a press photo and an Instagram photo. Read → Press release or EPK: which one do you send and when Confusing a press release with an EPK is why media outlets ignore most artist pitches. Here's the difference in thirty seconds. Read → What is an EPK (and why you need one as an artist) EPK, digital press kit, press dossier: three names for the same document. Find out what it's for, how it's evolved, and the 5 elements it can't do without. Read → Press photos for artists: what you need (and what you don't) Guide for artists on press photography: resolution, formats, licensing and who uses them. The difference between a press photo and an Instagram photo. Read → Press release or EPK: which one do you send and when Confusing a press release with an EPK is why media outlets ignore most artist pitches. Here's the difference in thirty seconds. Read → The artist bio: how to write one that actually works An artist bio needs to convince in thirty seconds. Practical guide for writing the short and long versions, in third person, for musicians, actors and companies. Read → What should a digital press kit for actors and actresses include in 2026 Your digital press kit is your professional calling card. Discover which elements are essential and how to make it work for you around the clock. Read → How to prepare for a professional photo session Everything you need to do before, during and after a photo session to get the most out of it and end up with images that actually open doors. Read → How to prepare for a professional photo session Everything you need to do before, during and after a photo session to get the most out of it and end up with images that actually open doors. Read →
Communication & social
Bandcamp, SoundCloud and music distribution platforms: where to put your music Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Spotify, DistroKid, Amuse. Which platform is for selling, which for distributing, which for discovery. A practical guide for independent musicians. Read → Instagram for artists: strategy, formats and dimensions Feed, Stories, Reels, Highlights. How to get the most out of Instagram as an artist: which formats work, which dimensions to use, and how often to post. Read → LinkedIn for artists: when it makes sense and how to use it LinkedIn isn't for everyone in the arts. But for artists working in commercial, educational, or intersectional contexts, it can be the most effective professional platform of all. How to optimise your profile and what content to post. Read → Mastodon, Bluesky and the Fediverse: social media without big corporations Decentralised alternatives to X and Instagram for artists who value data sovereignty, community, and content free from manipulative algorithms. How they work and where to start. Read → Newsletter for artists: the list that's yours forever Substack, Brevo, Listmonk. Why a newsletter is the most stable digital asset an artist can have, how to start one from scratch, and which platform to choose. Read → Professional portals for artists: where programmers look and where they find you The Idealista of art? It doesn't exist. But there are directories, databases and sector portals where programmers, galleries and journalists search for artists. A guide by discipline. Read → Social media for artists: which platform, for what, and when Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Mastodon, newsletters. An honest analysis of each platform for artists: strengths, weaknesses, and the logic for deciding where to invest your time. Read → TikTok for artists: how it works and when it makes sense The most powerful discovery algorithm of the moment. Which types of artists benefit most from TikTok, what formats work, and what you need to know about privacy and data sovereignty. Read → YouTube for artists: the archive that works for you YouTube is the world's second largest search engine. For artists who make concerts, tutorials or process videos, it's the definitive long-form archive platform. How to optimise for long-term discovery. Read → Press release for artists: how to write one step by step A press release is not a long email. It has a specific structure, fits on one page, and answers five questions in order. Practical guide with template included. Read → Promoting a show or concert: the minimum communication plan Premiere, concert, exhibition. Promotion doesn't start the week before: it starts two months before. Here's the minimum framework to fill the venue without depending on a PR agency. Read → The Artist Mailing List: Building It Right and Growing It Legally Your mailing list is the only direct communication channel that's truly yours. But building it wrong — adding contacts without consent — can cost you fines and reputation. Here's how to do it right. Read → Press release or EPK: which one do you send and when Confusing a press release with an EPK is why media outlets ignore most artist pitches. Here's the difference in thirty seconds. Read → Social media for artists: which platforms, for whom, and how Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube: which social networks does an artist actually need, and how to use them professionally without wasting time. Read → What to post on social media if you're an artist (and don't know what to say) Creative block on social media is real. Here are 20 content ideas that work for musicians, actors, dancers and visual artists — no need to be an influencer. Read →
Social media & content
Bandcamp, SoundCloud and music distribution platforms: where to put your music Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Spotify, DistroKid, Amuse. Which platform is for selling, which for distributing, which for discovery. A practical guide for independent musicians. Read → Instagram for artists: strategy, formats and dimensions Feed, Stories, Reels, Highlights. How to get the most out of Instagram as an artist: which formats work, which dimensions to use, and how often to post. Read → LinkedIn for artists: when it makes sense and how to use it LinkedIn isn't for everyone in the arts. But for artists working in commercial, educational, or intersectional contexts, it can be the most effective professional platform of all. How to optimise your profile and what content to post. Read → Mastodon, Bluesky and the Fediverse: social media without big corporations Decentralised alternatives to X and Instagram for artists who value data sovereignty, community, and content free from manipulative algorithms. How they work and where to start. Read → Newsletter for artists: the list that's yours forever Substack, Brevo, Listmonk. Why a newsletter is the most stable digital asset an artist can have, how to start one from scratch, and which platform to choose. Read → Professional portals for artists: where programmers look and where they find you The Idealista of art? It doesn't exist. But there are directories, databases and sector portals where programmers, galleries and journalists search for artists. A guide by discipline. Read → Social media for artists: which platform, for what, and when Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Mastodon, newsletters. An honest analysis of each platform for artists: strengths, weaknesses, and the logic for deciding where to invest your time. Read → TikTok for artists: how it works and when it makes sense The most powerful discovery algorithm of the moment. Which types of artists benefit most from TikTok, what formats work, and what you need to know about privacy and data sovereignty. Read → YouTube for artists: the archive that works for you YouTube is the world's second largest search engine. For artists who make concerts, tutorials or process videos, it's the definitive long-form archive platform. How to optimise for long-term discovery. Read → Bandcamp, SoundCloud and music distribution platforms: where to put your music Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Spotify, DistroKid, Amuse. Which platform is for selling, which for distributing, which for discovery. A practical guide for independent musicians. Read → Instagram for artists: strategy, formats and dimensions Feed, Stories, Reels, Highlights. How to get the most out of Instagram as an artist: which formats work, which dimensions to use, and how often to post. Read → LinkedIn for artists: when it makes sense and how to use it LinkedIn isn't for everyone in the arts. But for artists working in commercial, educational, or intersectional contexts, it can be the most effective professional platform of all. How to optimise your profile and what content to post. Read → Mastodon, Bluesky and the Fediverse: social media without big corporations Decentralised alternatives to X and Instagram for artists who value data sovereignty, community, and content free from manipulative algorithms. How they work and where to start. Read → Newsletter for artists: the list that's yours forever Substack, Brevo, Listmonk. Why a newsletter is the most stable digital asset an artist can have, how to start one from scratch, and which platform to choose. Read → Professional portals for artists: where programmers look and where they find you The Idealista of art? It doesn't exist. But there are directories, databases and sector portals where programmers, galleries and journalists search for artists. A guide by discipline. Read → Social media for artists: which platform, for what, and when Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Mastodon, newsletters. An honest analysis of each platform for artists: strengths, weaknesses, and the logic for deciding where to invest your time. Read → TikTok for artists: how it works and when it makes sense The most powerful discovery algorithm of the moment. Which types of artists benefit most from TikTok, what formats work, and what you need to know about privacy and data sovereignty. Read → YouTube for artists: the archive that works for you YouTube is the world's second largest search engine. For artists who make concerts, tutorials or process videos, it's the definitive long-form archive platform. How to optimise for long-term discovery. Read → Bandcamp for musicians: useful tool, but your website is your headquarters Bandcamp is a solid platform for direct music sales and no-risk merch. But platforms disappear. Your own website, on your own domain, doesn't. Read → Social media for artists: which platforms, for whom, and how Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube: which social networks does an artist actually need, and how to use them professionally without wasting time. Read → Social media for artists: which platforms, for whom, and how Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube: which social networks does an artist actually need, and how to use them professionally without wasting time. Read → Artists on LinkedIn: does it make sense? LinkedIn isn't for musicians or actors, many say. But it depends what you want to do there. Here's who it makes sense for, who it doesn't, and how to use it if you decide yes. Read → What to post on social media if you're an artist (and don't know what to say) Creative block on social media is real. Here are 20 content ideas that work for musicians, actors, dancers and visual artists — no need to be an influencer. Read → What to post on social media if you're an artist (and don't know what to say) Creative block on social media is real. Here are 20 content ideas that work for musicians, actors, dancers and visual artists — no need to be an influencer. Read →
Grants & funding
Catalan arts grants: CoNCA, ICEC and ICUB Consell Nacional de la Cultura i les Arts, Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals and Institut de Cultura de Barcelona. The main public funding routes for artists and cultural projects in Catalonia. Read → European cultural grants for artists: how to access them Creative Europe, Erasmus+, European Cultural Foundation. A practical guide to the main European funding programmes for artists and creative projects. Read → Grants and funding for professional musicians SGAE Foundation, BBVA Foundation, international grants for composers and performers. The main funding calls specific to the music sector. Read → Grants for performing arts: dance, theatre and circus INAEM, CoNCA, Aerowaves, Circostrada, ITI. The main funding calls for dance, theatre and contemporary circus companies and creators. Read → INAEM and Spanish Ministry of Culture grants: a guide for artists INAEM, Spain's Ministry of Culture. Grants for music, dance, theatre, circus and visual arts: programmes, deadlines and how to prepare your application. Read → Local grants for artists: provincial and municipal funding in Catalonia Diputació de Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Lleida and city councils. The closest cultural funding calls — and often the least applied for. Read → Patronage and sponsorship for artists: how it works and how to access it Spain's Patronage Law, tax deductions, the difference between patron and sponsor. A practical guide for artists wanting to diversify project funding with private support. Read → Crowdfunding for Artistic Projects: When It Makes Sense and How to Do It Right Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Verkami. Crowdfunding is not begging — it is testing whether your project has a real audience before you produce it. But you need to know how it works. Read → Crowdfunding for artistic projects: when it makes sense and how to do it well Verkami, Goteo, Kickstarter. Crowdfunding isn't begging: it's testing whether your project has a real audience before producing it. But you need to know how it works. Read → Crowdfunding for Artistic Projects: When It Makes Sense and How to Do It Right Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Verkami. Crowdfunding is not begging — it is testing whether your project has a real audience before you produce it. But you need to know how it works. Read → How to prepare a dossier for arts grants and subsidies A grants dossier is not a press kit. It has a different structure, a different tone and very specific requirements that determine whether your project passes the first filter or not. Read → How to prepare a dossier for arts grants and subsidies A grants dossier is not a press kit. It has a different structure, a different tone and very specific requirements that determine whether your project passes the first filter or not. Read →
Where to play & listen
Classical Music and Opera Route Across Europe Vienna, Salzburg, Bayreuth, La Scala in Milan, the Arena di Verona, Dresden's Semperoper. The great concert halls, legendary festivals and places where classical music is a living ritual. Read → Classical music and opera route through Europe: essential concert halls, opera houses and festivals From the Vienna Musikverein to the Palau de la Música in Barcelona: the concert halls, opera houses and classical festivals that define the continent. A guide for musicians and music lovers. Read → Music and architecture: the buildings that changed the way we hear The Berlin Philharmonie, the Palau de la Música, the Sydney Opera House, the Elbphilharmonie. Buildings conceived as instruments: the relationship between architecture, acoustics and musical experience. Read → 10 Jazz Stops: The European Route Paris, London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Montreux, Barcelona, San Sebastián, Rome. A coherent European jazz route you can do in two weeks. Read → Hard Rock and Heavy Metal in Europe: a Complete Guide From Black Sabbath's Birmingham to the Wacken fields. Scenes, subgenres, essential European festivals and venues for hard rock and metal fans and musicians. Read → Keep Moving: Dance Festivals Across Europe Contemporary dance, folk, flamenco, urban and social. From Olot's Sismògraf to the Venice Biennale and Le Grand Bal de l'Europe: a guide to European dance festivals for performers and audiences alike. Read → Techno Route Across Europe: Essential Festivals and Reference Clubs From Berghain to Sónar, from Dekmantel to Time Warp. A guide for fans who want to follow the circuit and for electronic artists who want to understand the scene from the inside. Read → Chasing the Duende: Flamenco in Spain and Europe From the tablaos of Barcelona to the peñas of Jerez and festivals across Europe: a complete guide to flamenco for those who want to experience it first-hand. Read → Roots in Motion: Folk and Traditional Music Across Europe From Tradicionàrius and the Fira Mediterrània to the Celtic festivals of Brittany, Balkan accordions and Scandinavian fiddles: a guide to European folk for those who want to experience it first-hand. Read → Travelling with Jazz Across Europe From Barcelona to Copenhagen: jazz and blues clubs, festivals and jam sessions for touring musicians and enthusiasts. A complete guide by country and city. Read →
Training
Circus schools in Europe: where to train in contemporary circus CNAC, ESAC, Circomedia, DOCH, ACAPA. Europe's contemporary circus schools, what they offer and how to access them. Read → Learning online as an artist: platforms, channels and habits Domestika, MasterClass, Coursera, YouTube. Where to find real training for artists, which platform works for what, and how to build a learning habit that actually lasts. Read → Music schools in Catalonia: a guide by style and instrument Conservatories, municipal music schools, jazz and modern music centres. A practical guide to finding where to study music in Catalonia based on your style and level. Read → Online music training: the best schools and platforms worldwide Berklee Online, ArtistWorks, Lessonface, Learn Jazz Standards. Where to study music online seriously, with real teachers and recognised qualifications. Read → Reference teachers and players by instrument: who to learn from and follow Guitar, piano, voice, bass, drums, violin, saxophone. For each instrument, the reference players and teachers to learn from — in person, online or through their recordings. Read → Summer masterclasses and music courses in Europe: a selection Mozarteum Salzburg, Accademia Chigiana, Dartington, Saintes. The summer music courses where professional musicians keep learning and connecting. Read → Unusual instruments: where to learn viola da gamba, theremin, oud and more Carillons, viola da gamba, harpsichord, theremin, oud, sitar, exotic reed instruments. Where to find teachers, schools and festivals for instruments outside the mainstream. Read →
Creation & process
The tour book, album book, or exhibition catalogue: turning an artistic project into a document Turning a tour, a recording session, or an exhibition into a quality book: to give away, to sell, to leave behind. Photography, editing, printing, and where to start. Read → Collaborating with other artists: how to find them, propose it and formalise it The best artistic collaborations don't happen by chance. How to actively seek collaborators, make the initial proposal and protect both parties when things go well. Read → Creative block: why it happens and how to get out of it Every artist goes through periods where nothing comes. It's not a talent crisis: it's a known mechanism. Practical tools to start creating again when it feels impossible. Read → How to document your creative process (without it becoming extra work) Rehearsal photos, process notes and working videos serve grant applications, residency dossiers, social media and your own memory. How to do it sustainably. Read → Networking for artists: how to build professional relationships without feeling like a salesperson Artistic networking isn't handing out business cards. It's building real relationships with colleagues, programmers and sector professionals — in a way that works and that you can sustain. Read → Time management for independent artists: creating, admin, and not losing yourself How to organise a week when you have artistic projects, pending admin, social media and a life. There's no single solution, but there are principles that work. Read → Wellbeing for the independent artist: emotional sustainability and burnout prevention Independent artists manage three jobs at once and rarely talk about the emotional cost. Practical tools for sustaining a career without burning out in the process. Read →
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