We recently connected with AstroKnot Collective and have shared our conversation below.
Hi AstroKnot, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
With being a creative, entrepreneur or artist you are always faced with adversities that could discourage you from your journey. The road we often choose isn’t the most popular option compared to working your typical 9-5 and joining the hamster wheel but there are plenty of positives that come with taking those extras steps to create a new outcome for yourself. One of the biggest risks as a collective we have encountered is garnering our multi use art studio. The idea of having and managing our own space has been something we’ve dreamed of for a while. In 2021, we partnered with a space in Philadelphia that acted as our headquarters for a few months. The space included a variety of supplies such as shirt press, video equipment, backdrops and more. Within 2 years we’ve been able to acquire our own in Baltimore and we are ecstatic at the progress we’ve made in such a small amount of time. Executing the idea of creating and maintaining a physical space for the collective and community can be scary. With limited resources, minimal financial support from outside organizations, inconsistent community support and an overall lack of monetary backing are just a few of the risks we have ran into but will not allow these issues to intimidate us from creating a safe space for the community. I believe with the help and backing of the members within the community, organizations, grants and businesses we can create the support we need to continue to blossom.
AstroKnot, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
AstroKnot Collective is a growing Baltimore organization. We currently mentor about 10 different artists from all across the U.S. and Africa, but primarily Baltimore. We help guide young artists and entrepreneurs careers, create monthly opportunities, artists development, branding, insight and more. Our artists range from graphic designers, visual artists, movement and yoga, hair artistry, music, photography to name a few. We’ve curated a number of community and art events including hair shows, youth art supply drives, workshops, clothing drives, art auction events for young POC artists to find homes for their pieces etc. One of our biggest accomplishments so far with the help of Family League and Cllctivly is acquiring our own multi use art studio. We are offering artists residencies and weekly opportunities for growth. We curate events weekly and create opportunities for young artists to elevate their platforms, network and create. Our targeted audience is primarily artists and entrepreneurs, but not limited to anyone that is interested in learning more about our initiatives.
On August 28th 2021, our founder, Neru The Fourth Fugee curated a hair show called “AstroKnot” which focused on black futurism, alternative hairstyles and hair sculptures. The event itself was very highly appreciated within the arts here. We were able to gain coverage on Baltimore’s LED art board as well as a few publications to accompany the very rare show. A quote from our founder, “During that time I realized I’ve reached a point in my career where I can help others elevate. There has always been a need for more resources for homegrown POC artists from Baltimore. I was one of them. With knowing and understanding all sides of the coin I decided with my accomplishments, credentials and experience that I should do what I can to fulfill the need within the community.” In November 2021, the AstroKnot Collective was born.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media is one of those tools that are pivotal in today’s culture. Whether you are an influencer, musician, artists, celebrity or business social media is a platform that is used primarily to build an audience, sell products, market yourself and so much more. It can be pretty tedious to be consistent in posting and creating as well as overwhelming to juggle the different platforms to continue to engage your audience. Here’s a few tips to help building a strong presence on social media without burning yourself out.
Consistency is very important when creating social media platforms to market yourself. Each day people are looking for new and unique content to relate to. With the dwindling attention span of our generation it’s necessary to practice consistency in posting to grow and maintain a strong audience. There are also ways to help manage the consistency of your content like scheduled posts, apps and the draft post option.
Creativity is another key component in creating your social media presence. Take some time to study the best way to relate to your targeted audience. Some creatives use laughter as a way to create awareness for their art. Others may use information or fashion to intrigue their followers. Interact with your following by way of story posts and polls to receive feedback and tailor your content towards what they would like to see.
Cross marketing with other brands, interacting with your followers, even free giveaways are all great angles to practice in building an audience. Within 2 years of creating our AstroKnot collective instagram we’ve been able to grow over 1500 organic followers. Within 8 months of creating our Thee Portal instagram we’ve been able to grow over 600 organic followers. It takes times to build and sustain a social media community. Above is a few pointers that can help grow your social media presence organically.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is producing art that is inspirational. When I was young, I was inspired and influenced by the music, art and fashion I was around. Seeing people that looked like me creating revenue by doing what they loved really impacted me to become the entrepreneur I am today. We intend to continue to impact our youth and communities in the same way.
Another aspect that is truly rewarding is creating art that is relatable to our audience. Mental health has been an important topic more recently in our generation. I believe as an artist it’s pivotal to be the voice for our generation and save lives. Art is a great way to express emotions and storytelling but listening and observing art can also contribute the same qualities. As the voices of our generation it’s necessary to be cautious of the narrative and topics we are rendering to the masses. When becoming a creative you decide to become an influencer or leader. It’s pivotal to understand the power that you are accessing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Astroknotcollective?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=da248ed7-d7a5-494a-9c27-3a6b44ac63a2
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/astroknotcollective?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@astroknotcollective4126
- Other: Neru IG (founder) – https://instagram.com/neruthee4thfugee?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Thee Portal IG (headquarters) – https://instagram.com/thee.portal?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Here’s a breakdown of our artists contingent on where they live and art mediums. DMV Music Sector and Art sector: Silver Moonn (@silver._moonn) Snypa B (@snypab) Bunny Blu333 (@bunny_blu333) Stvrlight (@damnthatsstvr) Afiya (@afiyasupremacy) 6illi3ank (@6illionairebaby) Josh (@legendary_joshh) Mar (@youngmareternal) NY Music Sector: iR8 (@eye_r8) Nairobi Kenya Africa Music Sector: The Basthma (@thebasthma) Pricing: *Art Projects Pricing is Contingent upon Proposal (Email with budget) *Modeling $125 (per artist) *Creative direction $175 *Collective features $400 (Individual AstroKnot artists features vary email with budget) *Collective Booking Vary (Email with your budget)
Image Credits
Local Marquet Out4th3night Heiroglyphix