Con Artist Crew, an eclectic group of West Michigan artists, is giving audiences universal accessibility to shows. The group has developed ArtLustr, an interactive electronic still program that can be used anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. Users can connect to ArtLustr at kiosks in the gallery, at home or on the go, enabling them to learn more about art events, various artists and even allow them to purchase art through the app. The Crew’s innovative program has brought West Michigan a new way to experience art, making it more convenient for both the audience and the gallery.
According to Magdalene Law, owner of Con Artist Crew, ArtLustr is a one-of-a-kind platform designed to ease some of the pressure from gallery owners while maintaining sales.
“ArtLustr benefits galleries by allowing [owners] to focus on networking and building relationships with their visitors instead of on selling art pieces,” Law said.
Although the program is still in its beta phase, results have shown the platform is successful in increasing sales.
“What we look at is the normal amount of art an establishment usually sells in a given time frame,” Law said. “Then we look at what was sold when the Con Artist Crew was there.”
During one of the first shows with ArtLustr, the gallery saw sales traffic jump from one or two pieces a month to more than 10 pieces within a few weeks.
“The awesome thing is that we know it solves a problem," Law said. "What we’re currently working on is how it's solving the problem and what we can do to tailor it to the art establishment to achieve the best results."
The program's convenience not only benefits the galleries, however. By using a highly accessible web-based program, Con Artist Crew creates the opportunity to expand from their small, niche group of fans and expose new audiences to their particular art style.
“We don’t want to push the art. If you like it, you like it,” Law said. “Grand Rapids can be traditional when it comes to art and we want to open up the community to contemporary street art. We feel that it brings color, energy and movement to what otherwise would have been boring, un-inspirational buildings.”
