Update: on September 26th at 3pm, #artSEA trended, because of the effort of hundreds of Seattle arts organizations, artists and fans.  Join us in keeping #artSEA the hashtag individuals and organizations use to promote and search art events in Seattle! Tweet about an upcoming arts event or review and include #artSEA in your tweet.  You can also simply tweet: “Support the Seattle arts community! Use #artSEA when tweeting about current & upcoming arts events! Details: http://bit.ly/OVmLOF ”

FAQs

• What’s the point of a hashtag?

A hashtag is a keyword (prefixed with “#”) you include in tweets on Twitter.  Hashtags are a way of categorizing your tweets, making them easily searchable to others interested in that particular category.  Once included in your tweet, a hashtag becomes a clickable link, sending users to a live stream of other public tweets that have been identified as belonging to that same category, via the same hashtag.

• How does using this new hashtag benefit my organization?

Our goal is to make this particular hashtag the go-to search for Seattle-area residents looking for great arts events and arts news around town.  By using this hashtag, you join a collaborative effort to raise the online visibility of Seattle’s arts scene.  Each tweet you send with this hashtag adds to the collective discussion about the arts in Seattle, and we hope it becomes an invaluable resource for both organizations and patrons who want to keep their finger on the pulse of our thriving community.

• Do you have an example of this type of campaign in another city?

We were inspired by New York City’s #artstech hashtag, which was profiled in The New York Times last fall.  #artstech is an ongoing discussion on how technology intersects with the arts, and has led to in-person meetups, collaborations between arts organizations and individuals, an exchange of ideas relevant to the arts, and a heightened visibility for exciting events in NYC.

The possibilities for our own Seattle-based hashtag, as it gains traction, are numerous, but #artstech is a good example of some applications.

• I just like the arts! Can I join in as an individual?

Absolutely!  Some examples of how you can participate include: using the hashtag in your tweets to let your followers know what local arts events you’re attending, sharing your thoughts on an event you recently attended, and sharing links to interesting articles about local events.  And search the hashtag to discover new artsy things to do, find cool organizations, meet other area arts patrons, and keep up with the local arts buzz.

About the #artSEA organizers:

Tamara Vallejos is an arts writer who has written, primarily about music, for NPR.org, SPIN.com, FILTER, and several other newspapers, magazines, and websites. She is currently Seattle Opera’s Public Programs and Media Associate, and holds an M.A. in Arts Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.  Tweet her @t_vallejos, or visit her website a TamaraVallejos.com.

Keridwyn Deller is an arts enthusiast and owns Social Magnet, a boutique social media marketing agency. She worked in marketing at 5th Avenue Theatre for 8+ years and has been performing since age 4. She shares Seattle arts events on her blog, SeattlePockets.com.  She currently manages social media for Seattle Art Museum, among other clients.  Follow her on Twitter @keridwyn.