Alexandria Commission for the Arts Hosts artCHAT on
“Social Networking to Grow Arts Audiences”

The City’s Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the Alexandria Arts Forum invites the public to attend an artCHAT on Wednesday, April 30, at 7 p.m. at the ArtWhino Gallery (717 N. St. Asaph St.). The artCHAT will offer residents, artists, and arts organizations the opportunity to learn the "social networking" lingo, and how to use these resources to grow audiences. Admission to the artCHAT and the ArtWhino Gallery are free.

“Social networking has been declared 'cutting edge,' and it sounds like both nonprofit arts organizations and small arts businesses should be using this new tool to expand our base of attendees, volunteers and 'buzz creators,' said Arts Commissioner Lynn O'Connell. “This artCHAT will help move many of us from informative Internet usage to a more participatory Web usage.” 

The discussion features:

• Shane Pomajambo, owner of ArtWhino Gallery, a new commercial gallery that established a presence on Facebook and MySpace, and used those and other Web-based tools for identifying artists and finding audiences.
• Dean Browell, PhD, Director of Public Relations and New Media, Neathawk Dubuque & Packett, a company whose specialty is the use of new media in marketing.
• Catherine Colosimo and Jennifer Jandris of the Alexandria Singers, who discuss how their organization used Internet networks to recruit singers and volunteers. 

For additional information on the artCHAT and other Commission for the Arts programs and activities, call 703.838.6348, e-mail ACA@alexandriava.gov, or visit alexandriacommissionforthearts.org.
The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Cheryl Anne Colton, Cultural Arts Administrator, at 703.838.6348 (TTY 703.838.4902) or e-mail cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov.

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