Interview with Tyrone Burris, Creative Director of Access4Artists

Two global platforms have met — Access4Artists, a site where independent artists from 11 different talent categories can build their fan base, has partnered with Indiegogo to spread the reach of its artists. Below is my exchange with Tyrone Burris of Access4Artists:

Andrew: What is Access4Artists? 

Tyrone: Access4Artists.com (a4a), is a new global online talent discovery platform that connects and promotes artists across more than 11 categories by giving them direct access to their fans.

Andrew: What does a4a do?  

Tyrone: Artists simply create a profile that can be tagged in multiple categories to build a broader fan base by uploading their talents.  Fans gain access to up and coming artists by contributing to their success with their votes.  All in all, a relationship is established where the artists get direct feedback on their material while growing their fan base.  This relationship eliminates any middleman or corporate entity.

Andrew: How does a4a do what it does?

Tyrone: Fans take an active role in launching their favorite artist success with their vote.  The artists’ votes will then be showcased on our homepage.  Our platform gives the fans access to discovering new artists by using our messaging feature to inspire and promote the artists they come to love.  We want more than a union of artists and fans.  In addition, we are continuously looking for ways to make our product better.

Andrew: How did a4a get started?  

Tyrone: Kiate Moy started Access4Artists.  Moy’s vision was inspired by a visit to the Winter Music Conference in Miami: “We created Access4Artists because we wanted to build an authentic platform which puts artists in the spotlight.”  His goal was to create a platform for a variety of artists looking for exposure and sustainable living. Since then the a4a team has worked hard to create a home for all artists.

Andrew: What are some of the challenges that face artists around the world these days? 

Tyrone: Artists around the world have difficulty gaining the exposure that gets their material seen or heard by people who would be interested.  Access4Artists provides artists with a simple way to gain fans and industry experience alike.

Andrew: How is a4a planning to use Indiegogo?

Tyrone: Indiegogo brings a level of authenticity within their projects that appeals to people with a variety of ideas. For many artists, the goal is to bring awareness to their talent and get their fans involved. We are excited to bring this additional option to a community of artists.

Andrew: Are there any current, past or future campaigns that you would like to highlight? 

Tyrone: A unique campaign that stands out is Kimberly Bryant’s “BlackGirlsCODE.”  Black Girls Code is a San Francisco based organization, and their campaign allowed a4a to venture away from the world of digital entertainment into the world of technology and social consciousness.   Their goal is to prepare young girls of color for entry into the fast growing world of computer science.  This is a special campaign for us because Access4Artists recognizes that the future of art and performance relies heavily on the innovation and expansion of technology.

Andrew: Why did you choose to partner with Indiegogo?

Tyrone: We chose to partner with Indiegogo to help build a community and create something of value for our members.  We decided that Indiegogo is a necessary tool for artists to raise awareness about their art and receive funding for their projects.  Therefore, it was important for us to align our vision with the work happening at Indiegogo.

Andrew: How do you see this partnership growing in the future?

Tyrone: We see this partnership facilitating increased awareness based on an appreciation for art and culture.  Our vision is for the two platforms to become a support system for those men and women on the frontline.

You can check out access4artists’ Indiegogo Partner page here: https://www.indiegogo.com/partners/4A4A