|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
- By Kerry Lee
Christian Mendoza, a full-time artist, has won this year’s Innovation Franklin Shark Tank with his platform, Artwork City.
“We created a website for New Zealand artists to sell their work online because there wasn’t one already,” Mendoza explains. “They don’t lack talent, that’s always been here, we just needed a platform.”
Artwork City delivers similar functionality for Kiwi creatives as Australia’s Bluethumb.
Once an artist registers, they are contacted by Mendoza and his team for a five-minute interview. Artwork City then begins marketing their work to potential customers.
One of the website’s best features is its voice functionality, which allows artists to communicate directly with potential buyers, to share the stories behind their art.
“It just makes the transaction more real. As an artist, we want to tell our stories not just visually but verbally as well.”
Mendoza says the Shark Tank competition provided the perfect opportunity to showcase Artwork City to some of the best business minds in the area, including Innovation Franklin’s founder, Mike Marr.
As this year’s winner, Mendoza receives a prize pack valued at more than $10,000, including the assistance of top local businesses, business workshops and a cash prize of $1500.
While Shark Tank may be over for another year, the AUT Youth Shark Tank is on soon. Teens aged 15–18 are invited to submit products and ideas to Innovation Franklin by June 12.
See www.innovationfranklin.org.nz for more information about Youth Shark Tank. Artwork City can be accessed at www.artworkcity.com.
