How can artists take advantage of livestream sessions that combine displaying studio work and answering questions from a live audience? We will also discuss how they can make these sessions sustainable and meaningful.

In our multimedia environment, audiences and users crave human connection as much as spectacle. For artists, livestreams can be extremely beneficial if they act as both a creative reveal and a relationship builder. If a livestream merely shows the process, it can feel passive; those that are only a Q&A can feel quite disconnected from the creative side of they artist they admire. Merging the two – showing real work and behind the scenes while inviting real-time questions and a form of dialogue – allows artists to build authenticity and to share what their audience really wants to know, it breaks down the “mystery wall” and turn viewers from spectators to co-witnesses of the creative journey. This double format can help cultivate loyal supporters: those who feel like they “saw it happen” tend to care more. Yet this can also be risky and backfire: too much exposure may devalue mystery, and audience questions might derail flow or demand more intimacy than the artist is comfortable offering. For artists, mastering this hybrid livestream is a powerful PR skill and it’s not just about visibility, but trust, narrative control and deepening engagement.

Artists can adopt easy best practices to create more effective live studio Q&As. Clarifying the topic at the beginning—whether it's focused on technique, inspiration, or more casual chatting—will help guide the kinds of questions posed. Allocating time during the session can also help to split between uninterrupted working time and scheduled interaction time. This will support balancing creativity and working with engaging an audience. Lastly, after the session, saving or clipping highlights can allow the artist to create public relations material from a single livestreaming opportunity. While every artist will still have their unique way of performing a live studio Q&A, these small strategies will allow for some sustainability of the format while still allowing for a deeper connection with the audience.

And now for our PR experts: How can artists strike the right balance between showing authenticity in a livestream and maintaining a professional image? What strategies can artists use to moderate live audience questions so the conversation stays respectful and on-topic? In your experience, how can artists repurpose livestream content most effectively to maximize its PR value beyond the live moment?

Here are the experts' insights:

• A certain level of media training is important for all artists
• Viewers respect artists who take charge of their space
• It is the thought struggle and its solution that gives the audience connection
• Productive operations have a multiplicity of productive assets
• Balancing the Authentic and the Professional

A certain level of media training is important for all artists

Emily Reynolds, Owner at R Public Relations

"A certain level of media training is important for all artists. Of course, it’s great to let your personality shine, but working with a professional to avoid offensive language and gestures can help preserve fan loyalty. In terms of mediating live Q&As, leverage AI tools within the platform to block any questions that include keywords you wish to avoid. You may also consider having a PR manager or friend vet questions as they come in, so there’s a slight delay in answering, thereby ensuring nothing inappropriate is addressed. All video content from livestreams can be utilized on social media and other digital platforms. It can also be put behind a password-protected site and only accessible to super-fans or loyalty members."

Viewers respect artists who take charge of their space

Dr Trenice Brinkley, Publicist at Two Queens Media

"As a PR professional, I always tell artists that livestreaming is not just about showing the art; it is about shaping the narrative. The goal is to pull back the curtain just enough to invite curiosity, not give away the entire show. Authenticity is powerful, but it still needs structure.

I suggest starting each livestream with intention. Tell viewers what they are about to experience, whether it is a painting session, a songwriting process, or a design reveal. For instance, you might say, 'Welcome to today’s session, where I’ll be sharing the first strokes on a new canvas' or 'Join me as I explore the journey behind creating this song.' These prompts set a clear and honest stage for the experience.

Now, let’s talk moderation. Artists should never be afraid to set boundaries. Use a moderator or pin guidelines in the chat so people know what is off-limits. Viewers respect artists who take charge of their space. If someone veers off-topic or gets too personal, redirect with humor or grace. Think of it as curating a conversation the same way you curate your art.

Repurposing is where PR really shines. Save your best moments, show progress shots, and turn Q&A highlights into short videos or behind-the-scenes clips. This way, one session can become weeks of content that keeps your story going and your audience engaged. The trick is to include your audience while keeping some mystery. Share your process, protect your peace, and always remember that you control what you share."

It is the thought struggle and its solution that gives the audience connection

Gabrielle Marie Yap, Culinary Entrepreneur at Carnivore Style

"As an owner of a culinary company, I treat the kitchen as a kind of studio and the recipes, as the finished products. To build a food brand requires the same principle as an artist, especially in the aspect of business of digital appeal. The marketing tools used to share pastry techniques and develop community ingredients on the net transform into an artist exposing the methodology for articulating the story connecting the audience in a deeper way.

The biggest mistake is treating a livestream as simply that an event and not a machine for producing content minend for the PR workings and transposed as well as can be by planning for repurposing of the product before lifestreaming goes forth. An hour’s worth of session should yield a minimum of 10 bites of smaller content. These include but are not limited to: 60 second timelapse of artwork progress for instagram reel later, 30 sec snippet in which at least one good question answered (for fb, tiktok), and moments from question and answer period transcribed for a blog or newsletter. These are the means by which the assets become a library of content to continually generate interest in the artist long beyond the event at which it is livestreamed. It is all too frequently the realness, or the legitimacy, or even the professionalism, of the artist that is questioned, yet this is a false dichotomy of reasoning. The real process is the professional. In my work life with pastry chef work, energy spent showing a cake which has imperfections and didn’t rise quite well and exhibiting the science of the set process of exposure produces a greater trust, connection and interest than full perfection in a process. It is the thought struggle and its solution that gives the audience connection to the process of perfection, not the perfect object. Let the studio be seen, the many artsy processes and accidentals, for that is the “taggety” part of the success story, and the “tricks” to produce them that warms a passive viewer towards being a member of a group, a devoted follower and collector."

Productive operations have a multiplicity of productive assets

Delbert Baron Lee, President at Wynbert Soapmasters Inc.

"Schemes to build Wynbert Soapmasters into a nine digit entity, enlightened me in every single area that productive operations have a multiplicity of productive assets. Artists should not perceive a livestream as a performance, instead perceive it as a showing of material. It is not enough to be live and seen, but to use that opportunity, that being house, to bring in materials that fill your sales and marketing channels for weeks of time. Assessing it in this manner, a one hour event is not a sink hole, but a long term investment event, and in the long run, generate a sustainable brand position.

The ultimate way to produce the real return on investment of these events, is to perceive that recording of it to be a master batch which is employed for various distribution. After the event itself, the real work is the editing of producing post production product. Have your people immediately begin creating a dozen or more micro assets of the footage you have produced. Make thirty second clips of yourself demonstrating certain technique for use in social media reels. Produce high definition shots of products in process for your portfolio and online store. Heavily chop by making pieces of the best portions of the Q/A for coming up with text for the newsletter or blog which generate search traffic. This wealth of scientifically tested material is how you grow the P.R. value far beyond the impatience of the viewers that were in attendance when you made the presentation.

Authenticity and professionalism are not wood and water, but rather they are factors in a well built system. Professionalism is evidenced by having a plan in place, the co-ordinated subject of the show, etc., a friend from the outside serving as a moderator of the chat, thus listing the questions directed to the subject. This allows the artist to function, and this basis also suppresses panic and this also permits the conversation to remain on a subject. It is in this format that the authenticity of the artist comes through, when the artist is answering the questions posed them in a transparent way, and the authentic creative process is evidenced at that time. Our factory may have the strictest quality control procedures, this is our professionalism, but the authentic creative process is that which is evidenced in how everyone on team is solving the problems posed by the quality control procedures, and in concert with them every day."

Balancing the Authentic and the Professional

Joel Lim, Finance Expert at Becoin.Net

"Artists may remain fully authentic but rigorously professional by establishing strict boundaries just prior to going live, either emotional or visual ones.

This means deciding which parts of their process feel right to share and which ones they feel should stay private.

Keeping it minimal and select, in terms of lighting in their studio, could help the artists appear natural, to retain credibility but not appear too sterile.

Good Moderation:

It is best when moderation is done with pre-framing of the discussion.

For example, pinning a comment on the chat outlining the theme for what is welcome in the chat is helpful in keeping questions relevant and respectful.

Time for Window Shopping:

Either before, during, or after the streaming has started, artists can go on social media and look for someone who is interested in buying their artworks or commissions.

Artists need to do everything they can to stay connected with those interested in purchasing their works.

Search for a trusted moderator or assistant.

Having a moderator or assistant to screen live questions in real time prevents awkward interruptions and allows for a balanced flow between creation and conversation.

Repurposing Live Streams for PR Value:

After every session, artists need to clip important show segments with special moments in the creation or audience reactions and convert them into short videos, Reels, or other types of behind-the-scenes content.

This also increases exposure and keeps the story of their creative process alive long after the stream is terminated."

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