Transforming the Aboriginal Artist into an International Entrepreneur

“Art is a medicine, a survival tool, a form of transferring traditional knowledge and stories. Art is our identity, our place and a nomadic sign of our presence on this earth. It is medicine as it helps healing others and ones self. Art can communicate in any language. Art is for the people. Art is something I create, heal from, promote in others and a way of living I have committed to” …Raven Davis, 2011
The Idea: Raven Davis Inc. will be owned and operated by Raven Davis; a Native artist and business woman. The company and subsidiary company’s hold Raven’s namesake.
The Raven’s Nest Studio and The Dancing Raven Village will be subsidiaries of Raven Davis Inc. The Raven’s Nest Studio and The Dancing Raven Village are both places where tourists and potential new comers of Nova Scotia can visit to experience authentic Native art, gifts design and culture. It is also a place where Native artists from all over Canada have the opportunity to partner with Raven Davis Inc. and expand their art and products into the European markets. Raven Davis Inc. will also offer services such as: assisting in the building of corporate and private art collections, buying and selling of art and gifts, picture and artwork placement and on-site art consultation, home staging, art rental and consulting and cultural presentations.
In regards to the educational/curriculum and mentorship aspect for artist's, I would like to create curriculum based business for Aboriginal artists in Canada to learn the following: gallery terms, agreements and licensing, Canadian laws and protection using the CARFAC model (Canadian Artists' Representation/le Front des artistes canadiens) Canadian laws and protection, international laws, marketing and promotion, art exhibit coordination, website design and management, financial management and export readiness.
With these tools, I plan to continue to work with the artists in becoming self-sustained Aboriginal entrepreneurs. During the duration of their mentorship, the artists will continue to create and improve on their portfolio development and take part in important events, exhibits and workshops to increase their knowledge in business development. With-in 6-14 months, each artist will be managing the data in their websites, selling reproductions, creating inventory based on volume and marketing using various media’s, nationally and internationally.
The Raven's Nest Studio will also have an on-line store, which will offer a virtual gallery showcasing a large array of artwork from the participating artist's and gifts. With a percentage of the revenue generated from sales, I plan to build a Native Art’s Foundation to assist other artists to continue their formal education in art and design. I would also like to donate a percentage of the revenue made from each artist and put it into an group insurance plan under the name of the artist so that they have an investment to tap into when they decide to retire or unfortunately, if they lose their ability to create art because of aging.
After 15 years of gathering knowledge in management, and skills in art, design and traditional knowledge, I have taken the leap to build on my capacity as an artist and as a businesswoman. In addition to experiential tourism, I will offer many services and products that will be available through the web as well as in Europe and in Canada. I am confident that the artists that we support will become very successful and to ensure this project is successful, I have built a strong circle of peers around me for support.