Art Times | Gabriel Clark-Brown (Publisher and Founder)
I established the SA Art Information Directory in 2003. For the first time in South Africa’s art history, comprehensive listings of current and upcoming art exhibitions were available to the public.
Due to the gross lack of communication within the arts community at this time, it became obvious that a consistent means of communication was needed to link the dots between members, conducting news and information between them. For the sake of growing the visual arts community, there was also a need for information-sharing that was not purely academic or commercial, but grass-roots in nature.
So, the South African Art Times was started in December 2006. Through the years, it has grown from an 8 pager with a 2000 print run, to a 52 pager with a distribution of 30 000!
The magazine’s sustainability has come from the visual arts community itself rather than reliance on funders and grants, the good intentions of the latter group having left behind a cemetery of previous magazines titles and good ideas. Depending on advertising revenue, based on a two-way street of great exposure for contents and advertising, has been our chosen model for spreading news and new ideas.
Many writers and staff have cut their teeth on the Art Times including: Matthew Partridge, Andrew Lambrecht, Mary Corrigall, Peter Machen, Lloyd Pollak, Jeanne Write, Melvin Minnaar, Stephan Hundt, Michael Coulson, Gordon Froud and Sean O’Toole. Other staff that have served with the Art Times, Art Directory are Kirsty Cockrill, Gethan Gilmore, Brendan Bussy and Linda Stupard. Stalwarts also include Leone Rouse, Neil Frye, Eugene Fisher and Bastienne Klein. We have had the pleasure to have worked with these, and other individuals, and are pleased to see their growing success in the art world.
The next chapter of the Art Times hopes to see it increase its exposure via its website, social media platforms and emailed newsletter. We also hope to develop art appreciation, as well as educate and grow the art market through door-to-door delivery; exposing our national assets and the love of art and creativity through our publication.
Seven years since we began our publication, we believe that we are achieving our goal. We look forward to your support as well continue to be the protagonist of quality visual art education and appreciation.
Newspaper rights: The newspaper reserves the right to reject any material that could be found offensive by its readers. Opinions and views expressed in the SA Art Times (or any of its internet platforms) do not necessarily represent the official viewpoint of the editor, staff or publisher, while inclusion of advertising features does not imply the newspaper’s endorsement of any business, product or service.
