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The Sound of One Hand: Reaching Beyond the limits of Traditional Ink Painting

Friday, August 28, 2009

World Art Media and NY Arts Magazine Scam!


Possible Money Art Scam!
Posted so you can make an informed decision for yourself!
Art World Media and NY Arts Magazine (same company) is a possible huge scam praying on vulnerable artists. Watch out for these folks. I received an email on my website from a woman claiming to be a NY art rep with Art World Media. At the end of this post I have included the email that I received, which I have learned is similar to what other artists have received on their websites.
The first two lines of the email sent to me seemed personal but the rest of the email sounded 'canned'. I viewed the websites I was directed to and those looked pretty good. I looked at the person's email address and it was @gmail, rather than a company email. I became suspicious. I forwarded the email to my friend who is the undisputed 'Internet Queen' and within minutes she found a lot of negative talk out there about this group on a reputable art community website called ArtBistro. I went there and found more information on various artist's blogs who had also been approached by these people.
Blog Resource

It appears World Art Media and NY Arts magazine (same company) send out thousands of unsolicited emails each month to artists on their websites promising art representation via online sources, publications, gallery shows etc. for a FEE. They do not advertise their fee on their website anymore, but I learned from other artists the fee starts at $500 and goes up from there to $4000 and $6000 depending on what they say they are doing for you.



World Art Media
does publish your work in the NY Art magazine. However, it does not have the millions of viewers, buyers, and following that they claim. One New Yorker said it is sold only in the newstand down the street from their NY office. 


NY Arts Magazine promises promotion, publicity and articles in their magazine and an art show in their gallery, 450 BROADWAY GALLERY, which, although it exists is in the inaccessible, interminable, un-climable 4th floor walk-up at that address. The gallery isn't even listed on the local Gallery Guide. However, It is listed in, where else, the NY World Arts Magazine. It is also my understanding, that even the so called 'Marketing Associates' get ripped off. Most of their positions are continually advertised on Craig's List. When they sign on, they are promised wonderful commissions. After working like crazy soliciting artists, they are not given these commissions. One guy wrote, that after working for World Art Media, he could have made more money had he been employed flipping hamburgers at McDonald's.

World Art Media seems to be just 'legit enough' to keep from getting arrested. However, they operate in an unethical manner. They don't tell the entire truth about what they can/will do for artists and actually charge you ridiculous fees for their services. This is not the kind of company I choose to do business with ever! My advice? Run.....run far away.

The email letter I received:
Dear Casey,
I have just reviewed your website (caseyshannon.com) and I am very impressed with your body of work, particularly the Sumi-e brush paintings..

My name is Annie Scott and I'm an artist representative with World Art Media (a dynamic international arts publicity and PR company based in NYC). We promote galleries, museums, art fairs and committed artists. After briefly reviewing your works I feel its possible to explore some form of collaboration. Working closely with our affiliates at many international art companies and exhibition spaces (including the Broadway Gallery NYC and New York Arts Magazine), we are able to offer different exhibition and publication options.
I feel very strongly that your current body of work is ideally suited to a publication project I am coordinating for the near future. I want to discuss the possibility of having your work publicized in an upcoming print issue of the magazine as well as in the different online venues.

We've been successfully working with artists like you and with our partner NY Arts Magazine for more than 10 years. The homepage now gets over 2 million hits per month, and the print version, with international distribution, reaches a large sector of art professionals and art enthusiasts. I believe this would be an important step toward gaining more attention for your work by offering you a number of opportunities to expose your work.

Our package, a combination of print and on line publicity, also includes a month of exposure with another affiliate: Art Fairs International www.artfairsinternational.com The introductory promotional package is priced to meet your particular needs and our low prices and high quality are unmatched anywhere else in the art community.
WAM is dedicated solely to artists-providing them with the best possible options to further their career. Please see www.worldartmedia.com, to find more about the different and exciting projects we have to offer. I would be delighted to send you further information regarding this project, as well further options and costs. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any further questions you may have as well. I look forward to hearing from you soon, and our working together.

Sincerely,
Annie Scott
Marketing Associate
www.worldartmedia.com
World Art Media 473 Broadway, 7th floor, NY NY 10013
1-212-431-1079
Do your research. Follow the links that I have provided and you will find even more negative information. Don't be fooled. We artists always want our work to be exhibited and appreciated. We are flattered and get excited about stuff like this. And, we are vulnerable to scam. Watch yourself!!!

Be sure to read through the blog comments on this post from other artists. There is more information and experiences contained here.

37 comments:

  1. Bravo! It is so disappointing to receive an e mail like the one you did Casey, and find out it is a Vanity Gallery that charges a lot of money. Thank goodness we can keep this type of thing to a minimum because artists are communicating with each other on the Internet.
    That way we share..the Good..and the Bad. Thanks for taking the time to caution us.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yikes, my name is Annie Scott and this just came up in my Google Alerts accordingly -- just want to let you know: it's not me!

    Best wishes, and thanks for getting the word out there on a scammer,
    Annie Scott (a different one)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for saving me a lot of money and vast humiliation. I am sick of these types of people playing with our egos and our desires to exhibit. I had a weird feeling about this "too-good-to-be-true" invitation and thanks to the web, I found your information. Greatly appreciated!! www.wewerart.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am pleased I could be of help! We artists need to stick together!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello dear artist

      i share with you the ridiculous way they try aswell to catch me ..
      Be careful always when people are asking from you to pay...you are the artist and you are not vulnerable!!!!!!!!!

      Carla Sabini
      carla.nyarts@gmail.com


      Rachel,

      Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly. I was looking through your works and your watercolor paintings really stood out to me. The slightly provocative nature of your works would really resonate well with our audience in New York. That is why I would like to extend to you our publicity package.

      This four part package we want to present to you goes as follows:

      1. A full page expose in the spring issue of NY Arts Magazine including 1 or 2 of your pieces and a brief artist's statement and your website URL
      2. featured on both of our websites for a full year
      3. Display 2 of your pieces here in our Broadway Gallery until the end of the month.
      4. Release multiple press releases to other publications (Art Fairs International, and Art Fairs Newspaper, Chicago Institute of Art, etc.) and galleries regarding your expose.

      The production cost for this package is $1,900 USD which can be paid in 3 installments ( Vous pouvez payer en trois versements). Please review the attached contract for more details and feel free to call or email should you have any further questions.

      I'd love to hear more from you!

      All the best,

      Delete
  5. Hello Casey, thank god i did a quick internet search on this company before sending any money! I have just received an email from someone who claims to be the publisher of NYC Gallery, the one you mentioned above, and they email did seem very personalised, when i emailed back, the same guy sent me a personalised reply. Im wondering if this is still a scam or the genuine article? In any case, the fee they're asking for is impossible for me to pay...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Maria,
    I would not trust this company. I have heard from other artists that have trusted these people and have been very sorry that they did. In addition, their fees are outrageous!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi. I recently came across this blog and Im glad I did! NY Arts Magazine invited me to be a part of their "Beijing Collection" because their staff felt that one of my pieces "would be an important addition" to the show. In the last paragraph, they also 'offered as an option' a publicity program for $950 which basically includes getting your name and website up on their online directory and a couple other things that are not going to do a whole lot for anyones art career.
    Turns out if you don't want to pay the $950, you don't get to be in the show which was NOT what was said in the initial email- in the first email, I was given a choice, and then once I agreed to do the show, he said I had to pay. Oh, and the artists also have to pay to have their artwork shipped to Beijing which is expensive! So basically they are asking you to donate a painting for free, send it too Beijing (where you will never see it again and have no idea what will happen to it), and give them over $1,000 (for shipping plus $950). Needless to say, I declined.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Katy,
    Thank you for adding this post. I think this added knowledge about NY Arts Magazine will benefit other artists who take the time to do a little bit of research about what they offer. From what you have written here, I see they are just getting more and more outrageous in their schemes. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Casey,
    Many thanks for helping another fellow artist who came very close to being scammed by these charlatans.
    I'm a fairly successful American artist now living in Canada, who could barely resist the allure of Soho.
    Keep up your beautiful work and protective instincts for your fellow creators.
    Marilyn.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Marilyn,
    I am happy that you found this information helpful! We artists need to help one another and that was my intention with this blog post.
    Casey

    ReplyDelete
  11. I got the $1900 scam email today. I get things of this nature all the time — pitches to pay to be in directories no one will ever see, etc. I must say, I was rather impressed that before they sent me email, they clearly looked at my website and blog and made references to two individual works. At least they put more effort than usual into their scam.
    I figured I'd google them just to see what would come up and came across your blog. Thanks for posting this Casey.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for posting your thoughts Tofu. I see from your comment they are getting a bit more sophisticated with their scaming and it's good to let others now about this. If they had mentioned individual art pieces of mine in their email to me, I might have been douped. Casey

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Casey, Thank you for posting your comments about Broadway Gallery and NY Arts Magazine. My wife, Sandra Jane Suleski, also received an e-mail from Abraham Lubelski yesterday. As we have received e-mails like this in the past, I was also suspicious. It is disgusting that these individuals try to make a living out of scamming hard working artist. I have included a couple of the e-mail below.

    Dear Sandra,

    I am pleased to inform you of an exciting opportunity to join an international publicity program based in New York City as well as exhibition in Broadway Gallery in SoHo, New York City.

    My name is Abraham Lubelski, the publisher of New York Arts Magazine, and owner of The Broadway Gallery in NYC and Beijing Arts Space in China. I would like to invite you to join our publicity program that includes an exhibition in New York City in December 2011. I am interested in your work " For When the Angel " and I believe it would be an important addition to our program. Brilliant work ! By paying close attention to the intuitive works of each artist, we are hoping to construct an exhibition of works that truly speaks to our viewers and subscribers.

    With this program you will get one year of publicity, full page in NY Arts Magazine (sold worldwide in major bookstores), an exhibition in the heart of NYC, in Broadway Gallery, a spread in Art Fair International Newsletter along with a year subscription, for a cost of $1,900. This is a media driven event and offers both emerging and established artists the broadest media coverage possible.

    Abraham Lubelski
    Publisher
    NY Arts Magazine

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you New Zealand Art Blog for your comment. It teaches us more. Wow, they are getting very forward and mentioning individual art pieces. There are other so called 'vanity operations' out there. Artists beware! Do you research!
    Casey

    ReplyDelete
  15. I got a similar letter...see below!

    Dear Jeff,

    My name is Peter Sullivan and I am a freelance curator working with Abraham Lubelski organizing a March group exhibition in New York. I am inviting you to participate and take advantage of a unique opportunity to not only exhibit but to also get a full years’ worth of publicity/exposure on the web and in print. This offer is the best publicity package available anywhere in today's contemporary art world. The fee for this complete one-year publicity package (and New York exhibition) is $1,950. I am particularly excited and interested in your work "fachada cubano" and I believe it would be an important addition to our program. By paying close attention to the intuitive works of each artist, we are hoping to construct an exhibition of works that truly speaks to our viewers and subscribers.





    Please look at the entire proposal below for the NY Arts Publicity Package and Broadway Gallery March Exhibition. Feel free to contact Abraham Lubelski and me at any time to discuss this proposal further.





    We look forward to a fruitful and constructive collaboration.





    All the best,





    Peter Sullivan

    Associate Curator

    nyartsmarketing@gmail.com





    Abraham Lubelski

    Publisher

    lubelski@nyartsmagazine.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you Jeff for sharing the letter you received from them with us. We need to share this kind of information with one another artist to artist. We need to be able to make informed decisions. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  17. while a friend of mine had this blog as an informative link about he Art Scammers, (thank you for that!), the real pleasure is in seeing your beautiful work! I hope to run into you somewhere in the show circuit o I can see some of these in person!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am pleased this post about 'art scammers' could assist you in some positive way. And, thank you very much for your kind comment on my art work. You comment is very much appreciated! *Hugs*

    ReplyDelete
  19. I was sent same thing as many others it looks like back in 2008 and I'm glad I had been burned before on a smaller scale just before,lol! good to see your post is third result on google search to be found on topic:) it just confirmed what I thought back then and forgot about as I was reviewing some old e-mails..

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dear Crasmuss76,
    Thanks for taking the time to comment. We artists need to stick together and help one another.
    Best, Casey

    ReplyDelete
  21. The facts are that NY Arts is a quarterly contemporary art publication with well respected artists and writers contributing. From the start we have had some of the most noted world art critics published in NY Arts Magazine including Robert C. Morgan and Arthur C. Danto. It is distributed throughout the US & Canada in book stores including Barnes and Nobles and McNally Jackson and distributed in European museums and libraries. Add to that the fact that NY Arts website has over 3 million monthly hits.

    Broadway Gallery, one of the affiliates, while not necessarily a high profile or blue chip gallery, does offer exhibits to many artists who would not have the opportunity to exhibit in NYC due to lack of funds, reliable connections or otherwise. Broadway Gallery and it's affiliates is a platform unlike any other that aims to draw attention and support artists world wide. We have promoted over 10,000 artists and writers in our combined publishing/promotion/publicity/exhibitions programs over the past 17 years and are proud of that accomplishment.

    What negative feedback there is on this site may stem from a few angry individuals who haven't received the success they were looking for from the art world. However, fame, money and success are not promised by NY Arts nor Broadway Gallery nor should we be made a scapegoat. Rather, we offer publicity and promotion for artists who see the benefit for having the comprehensive services we offer and provide. If you do not see the benefit, you are not required to participate. If someone has a comparable, less expensive and more generous publicity service please share it with us and with your colleagues.

    Below for the latest listing of satisfied clients:

    http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/thanks/acknowledgements-and-thank-you-letters

    NY Arts asks that you remove any slanderous material from your website.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have authorized the publish of your comment. I will not remove my post. I believe this is fair. Casey

    ReplyDelete
  23. Replies
    1. KAVO, You are very welcome. I hope this helped you make an informed decision. Best, Casey

      Delete
  24. Thanks for this post. I was just email by these people over the Thanksgiving weekend and figured it was a scam and did a subsequent Google search and found your post. Thanks for the confirmation of my suspicions.
    -Michael Fitts

    ReplyDelete
  25. Michael, You are very welcome. The purpose of this blog post is to provide artists with information so you can make an informed decision for yourself whether or not you want to do business with these people. I am pleased this post may have helped you. Casey

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Casey,

    just got the same kind of email here in Munich Germany.
    Now the name of the "curator" is Gustavo Cruz."I am the publicist/curator for New York Arts Magazine in New York City. I came across your work and found it quite striking..." and so on blabla. He asked for the fee of 1900 Dollars.

    I answered him:

    "Hello Gustavo,

    thats a funny proposal...you must be joking! My exibitions are allways at the cost of my galeristes.

    So as you find my work quite striking, I propose, you send me a first class ticket to New York, I would like to live in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel with a chaufeur at my disposition, of course all at your cost, while you organise the framing of my paintings, the vernissage and the presswork.

    Then you will get 50 % of the sales. OK?

    Kind thougts

    Edda

    Great Casey, that you have made this public. All the best for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Edda,
      Thank you for your comment to this blog and sharing your experience with everyone. I found your reply to New York Arts Magazine and the email you got from them quite fitting and very humorous.
      Cheers, Casey

      Delete
    2. Dear Casey,

      just got an ever so charming answer from NY Arts Magazine:

      "Edda,

      Excuse me. Obviously I thought you needed more promotion. You clearly have reached a level of "success" that is astronomical, otherwise why else would you condescend like such an asshole? My mistake.

      Gustavo Vaisman"

      Delete
  27. Edda,
    Wow! That's quite a response you got from NY Arts Magazine. I do not know what to say about it. Best not to say anything, eh? The response you got pretty much sums up this company, I'd say. Thank you for sharing.
    Best, Casey

    ReplyDelete
  28. I received the same email but signed Angel Fereira. Since I am an expat living in Europe, I had no idea if this was legitimate. Some googling brought me here. Needless to say I won't be answering at all.

    Best regards,

    Sam Middleton
    www.sammiddleton.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Sam, I am pleased you discovered this info and I hope it helped you make an informed decision for yourself. Casey

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hey Casey,

    I just received the email from the same Angei Ferrera. And I did a quick google search before I replied and it took me here when I types in reviews. Very interesting indeed.

    Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
  31. Suzanne, I hope this blog post and the comments here have helped you make an informed decision for yourself. Casey

    ReplyDelete
  32. I received the following message from Carla Sabini:

    Hello dear artist

    i share with you the ridiculous way they try aswell to catch me ..
    Be careful always when people are asking from you to pay...you are the artist and you are not vulnerable!!!!!!!!!

    Carla Sabini
    carla.nyarts@gmail.com


    Rachel,

    Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly. I was looking through your works and your watercolor paintings really stood out to me. The slightly provocative nature of your works would really resonate well with our audience in New York. That is why I would like to extend to you our publicity package.

    This four part package we want to present to you goes as follows:

    1. A full page expose in the spring issue of NY Arts Magazine including 1 or 2 of your pieces and a brief artist's statement and your website URL
    2. featured on both of our websites for a full year
    3. Display 2 of your pieces here in our Broadway Gallery until the end of the month.
    4. Release multiple press releases to other publications (Art Fairs International, and Art Fairs Newspaper, Chicago Institute of Art, etc.) and galleries regarding your expose.

    The production cost for this package is $1,900 USD which can be paid in 3 installments ( Vous pouvez payer en trois versements). Please review the attached contract for more details and feel free to call or email should you have any further questions.

    I'd love to hear more from you!

    All the best,
    (Name of World Arts Representative)

    ReplyDelete
  33. There seems to be something wrong with Blogger today. Therefore I am having difficulty posting this comment from a viewer. I actually received the above post from Rachel Yield sharing with us the email she received from NY World Arts. I hope this information is helpful to you in some way. Casey

    ReplyDelete

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