How to Craft Your

Elevator Speech As
An Artist
Prof. Crisencio M. Paner, LPT, MSc.
 Your elevator speech, which is also
referred to as an elevator pitch, is a brief
description of you and your artwork.

Elevator It’s the reply you give when someone

Speech says, “Tell me about yourself.

What kind of art do you make?”

 Elevator Speech

It’s a verbal form of

description that takes It offers a way to share your
roughly 30 seconds, the creative passion and
approximate time it takes to credentials quickly and
ride an elevator, which is effectively with people
how the speech got its you’ve just met.
name.
Why is the elevator
speech important?
• Simply stated, art marketing experts agree the
artist who tells the best story will have more art
career success.
• How you introduce yourself to others will make
a lasting impression.
• You want to make the best first impression you
can or you may not have another opportunity.
• It’s important for listeners to take you seriously.
When will you use your
elevator speech?

• During your art career you will have many

opportunities to discuss yourself and your
artwork.
• You’ll use some form of your elevator speech
when you are meeting a new acquaintance at a
gallery opening, giving a verbal presentation at
your one-person exhibition, or engaging in an
interview with a gallery owner or member of the
press.
A Few Guidelines

• Before you speak, think about what you want

the person to remember most about you.
• Communicate with clarity, confidence, brevity
and poise.
• Include something you’re most proud of in your
speech.
• Express the benefits of your artwork.
 A Few Guidelines

1 2 3 4
Strive to connect Use descriptive Speak with Be yourself.
emotionally with “picture” words honesty and
the other person. so your listener authenticity.
can visualize your
art.
A few Guidelines
• Avoid speaking in a condescending manner that
makes the listener feel uncomfortable.
• Avoid grandiose and egotistical expressions that
will turn people away from you.
• Don’t speak in overly technical terms or
excessive details that will bore the listener.
 Avoid flowery and esoteric
language that will alienate you
from the listener.

A few Talk about what you do, what

your art is about, not what you
Guidelines don’t do.

Keep it positive.
Preparing your elevator
speech requires preparation.

• Practice saying it aloud in front of a mirror, until

the speed and your manner come naturally,
without sounding rehearsed.
• It may take trying several versions before finding
one that is compelling, that expresses how you
are unique, and that sounds most natural in
conversation.
Vary your words
according to the listener.

• The words you choose to communicate to a

curator will be different than what you say to a
potential art buyer who has no art education.
• That means you’ll want to revise your elevator
speech to fit the occasion.
• Your ultimate goal is to have a conversation that
resonates with the listener and makes them
want to know more about you and see your art.
Craft an elevator speech
that excites you.

• Choose words that convey your inspiration.

• What you say should feel good to you and come
from a place of passion and commitment.
• Although the person may not remember
everything that you told them, they will
remember whether you are sincere and
enthusiastic or not.
• Your speech should answer the question “why”
do you create.
Decide, what’s your
goal?

• Your goal should be to spark interest in what you

do.
• It should attract interest in your project and or
creative concept.
• You want to be interesting without giving every
detail.
• You’ll know your successful when after you tell
them your elevator speech they ask a question to
learn more.
• If your talk doesn’t provoke an interest or raise the
person’s curiosity then it’s a sign that you need to
work on it some more.
 An artist might say, “I’m a portrait painter who
adds a sense of surprise and whimsy in my
artwork.

Example of a
good elevator My passion is capturing the personality of the
person while placing them in their favorite

speech
time in history.”

You might also feel like adding something

like this: “I have an upcoming exhibition at
the XYZ Gallery” or “Two of my portrait
paintings appear in the new bestselling book
Most Innovative Portrait Painters in the U.S.”
Videos

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgbhgAgmDAA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQ1NOABHi0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbkYHgtRpHE
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVYyCUwDFhE