Hundreds of media outlets have had to shut their doors or slash jobs, but on a more light-hearted note ArtsHub has just celebrated its 25th anniversary.
From its early days as a free arts-employment listing service, ArtsHub has grown into a trusted voice for the Australian arts industry. It offers news, opinions, events, and opportunities, and it remains a strong source for arts industry jobs.
Network Membership Drives Revenue Growth
Acquired in 2007 by a group of shareholders led by Simon Baker, who was then CEO and MD of the company behind realestate.com.au, ArtsHub has gone on to build an entirely new, digital publishing group up around itself.
Called the Creative Hubs Group, this larger entity houses both the Australian and UK editions of ArtsHub and also ScreenHub, the dedicated games, film, TV and streaming site. According to the group it receives an average of 604,000 web, social, and email users per month and 3 million social and website impressions per month.
“Rebranding as Creative Hubs Group earlier this year turned our beloved ArtsHub and ScreenHub brand destinations into a powerful, integrated network with the same industry trust and credibility,” said Mimi Curran, group chief commercial officer.
“The launch of our network-wide membership offering for organisations and new opportunities to reach our thousands of members is just the start. Advertisers can now tap into Australia’s leading arts, screen, and games audiences and award-winning journalism through a single point of contact.”
Flourishing During a Media Apocalypse
“ArtsHub.com.au has strengthened during a dire period for the media industry that saw the launch and rise of Facebook and the iPhone, as well as the subsequent destruction of 38 per cent of Australian newspapers (Australian Institute),” said Creative Hubs Group CEO and managing director Sol Wise.
“And it’s not just newspapers. Among the victims are other major arts and culture media brands, like The Daily Review, Kotaku Australia, the Smith Journal, The Adelaide Review, The Australian Art Review, Rip It Up Magazine, and Vice Australia.
“Media giant Nine announced 50 job cuts just last week, and the publishers of the 85-year-old literary magazine, Meanjin, have made its editors redundant and are shutting down, as well.”
The Accidental Media Moguls
Ex-ABC Radio producer Fiona Boyd and ex-Bendigo Arts Centre director David Eedle first launched what has become ArtsHub.com.au as DramaticOnline, rebranding it with its current name in 2003.
“Fiona and David were accidental media moguls and began by posting free job listings, like today you might start an email newsletter. They quickly saw they were filling a vital need for the arts world,” added Wise.
“ArtsHub.com.au grew so rapidly that they quickly gave up their consulting work altogether. From that day on, ArtsHub.com.au and now the Creative Hubs Group have never looked back. And now we’re building a platform for the next 25 years.”
When asked about the website he created with Fiona Boyd, co-founder, David Eedle said, “We are both immensely proud that a business born in our loungeroom that sought to support a fractured and underserved community is still going strong after a quarter century. Even though we both moved on to new endeavours many years ago, people still stop us today to tell us how Artshub is such a useful part of their professional arts lives.”
ArtsHub Celebrates Its Members
“To celebrate our 25 years, we’re launching a series of special offers for industry professionals and organisations. And since our readership includes the most talented creative minds in Australia, we’ve created a competition for members to design a new and limited-edition commemorative bag,” concluded Curran.
“For ArtsHub.com.au to still be thriving after a quarter century is because of our members. That is why, over the next 12 months, instead of celebrating our creativity and accomplishments, we will celebrate theirs. Our editorial team is writing a series of member profiles and giving them the same level of attention as the biggest industry story.”
