Website Address: www.artplatform.org
ArtPlatform is a simple idea with a big heart - to enable contemporary artists from around the world to offer a selection of their work for sale in aid of charity, while being a marketing tool for artists and a source of interesting information on art for buyers, charities and the public.
THE START
When we first got involved with ArtPlatform there was nothing - no infrastructure, no website, no databases, just Nichole and this fantastic idea.
It became clear ArtPlatform.org would be more than just a website; it was the lynchpin of the entire operation.
So our first step was to really get involved in the ideas behind the project, understand what ArtPlatform were trying to achieve, so we could design a solution which would help them deliver it.
The Process
Working in co-operation with ArtPlatform's design and advertising agency Pepper (www.peppercorp.com) the look and feel of the public facing website took shape. Pepper were invaluable to the project, aside from providing an abundance of creativity and shaping the look-and-feel of the website, they gave critical guidance on layout, marketing and copy.
Away from the public website we worked with ArtPlatform to design an intuitive submission process for the Artists, and helped shape the processes ArtPlatform would regularly have to perform in their day-to-day operations.
The result
The most visible part of the outcome is the ArtPlatform.org website, but that is only a fraction of the full system. Behind the scenes lies the most advanced implementation of White Cobalt's Content Management System to date - giving ArtPlatform the capability to update all aspects of the website as often as they desire.
In addition to this, the website features a fully automated Art submission system - guiding an Artist through the process of submitted their work. This checks the size and quality of the photos uploaded, prompts the Artist to nominate their preferred charity and categorises the submissions. Given the global nature of the ArtPlatform project it is important this can happen in any time-zone without interaction from the team.
Today there is art available from every populated continent and over 20 countries.
The most important part of the system is hidden far from public view; the Business Management tools. These are seamlessly integrated into the Content Management System and enable ArtPlatform to:
- Review Art, Artists and Charities before they are visible to the public
- Maintain a database of Artists and Charities
- Track the popularity of individual Art Pieces / Artists
- Monitor and report on sales through the site
- Manage the necessary transfer of funds to Artists and Charities
- Manage the international shipping process for Art
- Create and send email newsletters
All of these functions are intrinsic to the operations of ArtPlatform. By having the logic and processes built into the Business Management tools White Cobalt provides, they can be sure no steps are missed and the public website is always up to date.
This allows ArtPlatform to deliver more, in less time with less people - without worrying about things getting missed.
On going
We continue to work with ArtPlatform today. Every piece of technology we provide is specifically designed right from the start to be flexible - this allows us to adapt the solution quickly as the idea is refined and the enterprise grows.
ArtPlatform says
White Cobalt is one of those go to companies if you want a great result.
They have both breadth and depth of knowledge of their field and turn around results faster than I can draw out what I think I need. They are inventive, creative, and build software to a very high standard, making it robust and open to future development.
If you have a business that needs an IT system of sorts to deliver your business then White Cobalt are the people you should be talking to.
Nichole Herbert - Founder, ArtPlatform CIC
Screenshots presented with the kind permission of ArtPlatform CIC, content and images within the screenshots may be subject to copyright laws.