THERE is still a need to develop market opportunities for local artists in Davao City, Sanctuary Workshops and Trainings chief operating officer Amanda Fe Echevarria said on Wednesday, July 31.

Echevarria, who was a guest during Habi at Kape media forum at the Abreeza Mall, said they observed local artists lack opportunities to sell their works. Therefore, they will be organizing Art Hunt Davao 2019 on August 10 to 11, 2019 at Trinidad Greenhills Subdivision, Bugac, Barangay Maa.

“The main goal of the activity is to create a market for local artists because it a need that we create [some kind of] like a marketing machinery for our local art,” Echevarria said.

“[We see that] there is so little opportunity. We have already observed that a lot of artists have exhibits and yet, no one really buys their works,” she added.

Echevarria said while there is a need to provide avenue for artists to sell their works, there is also a need to teach the local artists on how to market themselves as professional artists.

While exhibits are good, she said most of the time, invited guests during this kind of event are also artists, who will probably not buy their work. Some buyers would only purchase those that are made by already established or famous artists.

“The problem really is about tapping individuals who are really interested in arts,” she said, adding that the best strategy is to attract and inform all art collectors and other interested buyers on events like Art Hunt Davao 2019.

Among the invited participants are visual artists, musicians, performance artists, artisans and crafters, and healthy food sellers. Participating known individuals are Bai Hinang, Noi Narcisso, Gilbert Miraflor, Kublai Milan, and others.

“We invite all the art collectors so that newbies and established artists could sell their works that they have not yet exhibited,” she said.

The event will be organized by the Sanctuary Workshops and Trainings owned by local artist Victor Secuya.