by Quentin Casey
Aaron Vincent Elkaim for National PostSean Green created the MyCityMuse app to bring the world of fine art to the masses.
Sean
Green admits he’s not an “art guy.” But after talking to a friend who
is an artist, he said, “I was intrigued for some weird reason. And now
I’m lost in the art space.”
The 31-year-old studied software engineering at the University of Western Ontario and computer science at Toronto’s York University. So it was a “daunting” task when he started pitching artists and gallery owners on an app designed to highlight their offerings.
“[It's] cliquey and it’s not always the most open. I’m a pretty confident individual. And I’m pretty personable. I thought, ‘I’ll start with that — and I’ll wear a pretty good suit — and see where it takes me,’ ” he added.
So far, Mr. Green’s charm offensive has delivered results. His app, MyCityMuse, is now available in iTunes, and is being tested by 40 galleries in Toronto and 15 in Manhattan, N.Y.
The mobile app is designed to replace traditional paper gallery guides, providing users with a visual tour of nearby galleries, including pictures of the most recent exhibits, as well as the ability to share that information via Facebook, Twitter and email.
The app (originally called ArtzScene) will include gallery contact information and directions. And because it will detect the user’s location, the flow of information will be from the nearest galleries. The intent is to help private galleries drive sales, especially among visitors in the 28 to 35 age bracket. For public galleries, the software is intended to boost foot traffic, which is often connected to funding levels.
“I want to try to democratize the art space and make it accessible. We’re in a day and age where everything should be accessible,” Mr. Green said.
MyCityMuse has a revenue model — galleries will pay a subscription fee to be included in the feed and they can refresh their information.
“It’s pretty ambitious. And it’s something that, in New York, is desperately needed,” said Michael Lyons Wier, owner of the Lyons Wier Gallery. “There’s no one-stop-shop where I can find out what openings are going on and who is exhibiting. It’s piecemeal across the web and magazines [now],” he added.
Scrolling through the app, Mr. Lyons Wier said the software’s use of exhibit photographs and social media is very useful. That said, he noted it’s still difficult to burrow into information from the galleries closest to him. “Once the navigation is honed, it will surely be my go-to app,” he said from New York.
Mr. Green sees MyCityMuse as the first “visual arts social network,” but with a revenue stream from the beginning. The New York and Toronto galleries currently signed up are part of a trial. He expects paying customers to be signed up by July or August.
Mr. Lyons Wier says he would “absolutely” sign up. But Kunter Kula, of New York’s Sperone Westwater gallery, isn’t yet sold. He has tested the app but isn’t ready to pay for it. “But that could change depending on the sophistication,” he said. “It’s still in development and I suspect will get better with time.”
Mr. Green hopes to launch the app, which he began developing eight months ago, in 10 more North American cities in the coming year, including Montreal, Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. A European launch could arrive by late 2013.
Not bad for a guy who has scant knowledge of the scene. “I see an opportunity,” he said. “I know it’s niche. But if you’re niche and you’re global it’s a big market.”
http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/10/can-a-toronto-software-developer-open-the-art-world-to-the-masses/
The 31-year-old studied software engineering at the University of Western Ontario and computer science at Toronto’s York University. So it was a “daunting” task when he started pitching artists and gallery owners on an app designed to highlight their offerings.
“[It's] cliquey and it’s not always the most open. I’m a pretty confident individual. And I’m pretty personable. I thought, ‘I’ll start with that — and I’ll wear a pretty good suit — and see where it takes me,’ ” he added.
So far, Mr. Green’s charm offensive has delivered results. His app, MyCityMuse, is now available in iTunes, and is being tested by 40 galleries in Toronto and 15 in Manhattan, N.Y.
The mobile app is designed to replace traditional paper gallery guides, providing users with a visual tour of nearby galleries, including pictures of the most recent exhibits, as well as the ability to share that information via Facebook, Twitter and email.
The app (originally called ArtzScene) will include gallery contact information and directions. And because it will detect the user’s location, the flow of information will be from the nearest galleries. The intent is to help private galleries drive sales, especially among visitors in the 28 to 35 age bracket. For public galleries, the software is intended to boost foot traffic, which is often connected to funding levels.
“I want to try to democratize the art space and make it accessible. We’re in a day and age where everything should be accessible,” Mr. Green said.
MyCityMuse has a revenue model — galleries will pay a subscription fee to be included in the feed and they can refresh their information.
“It’s pretty ambitious. And it’s something that, in New York, is desperately needed,” said Michael Lyons Wier, owner of the Lyons Wier Gallery. “There’s no one-stop-shop where I can find out what openings are going on and who is exhibiting. It’s piecemeal across the web and magazines [now],” he added.
Scrolling through the app, Mr. Lyons Wier said the software’s use of exhibit photographs and social media is very useful. That said, he noted it’s still difficult to burrow into information from the galleries closest to him. “Once the navigation is honed, it will surely be my go-to app,” he said from New York.
Mr. Green sees MyCityMuse as the first “visual arts social network,” but with a revenue stream from the beginning. The New York and Toronto galleries currently signed up are part of a trial. He expects paying customers to be signed up by July or August.
Mr. Lyons Wier says he would “absolutely” sign up. But Kunter Kula, of New York’s Sperone Westwater gallery, isn’t yet sold. He has tested the app but isn’t ready to pay for it. “But that could change depending on the sophistication,” he said. “It’s still in development and I suspect will get better with time.”
Mr. Green hopes to launch the app, which he began developing eight months ago, in 10 more North American cities in the coming year, including Montreal, Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. A European launch could arrive by late 2013.
Not bad for a guy who has scant knowledge of the scene. “I see an opportunity,” he said. “I know it’s niche. But if you’re niche and you’re global it’s a big market.”
http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/10/can-a-toronto-software-developer-open-the-art-world-to-the-masses/
No comments:
Post a Comment