As anyone will tell you, New York is not the most livable town for artists. The days of the cold water flat and government funding are gone, replaced by overpriced studios and the ubiquitous job at the bookstore or the office. Frustrated but inspired, a group of Brooklyn artists pooled their knowledge, experience, and resources to form a unique online/offline community for local (and not so local) artists to learn how to market themselves on a budget. The Wiselephant staff includes an award-winning filmmaker, a published novelist, a poet, the owner of an indie record label, and two working visual artists, all of whom use their combined years of experience in the arts to help clients build their own careers.

Wiselephant isn’t a P.R. or publicity firm. It’s a new kind of company, a one-stop resource center for creative professionals. Whether it’s a single press release, promotional postcards, or a website with e-commerce capabilities, with Wiselephant an artist can build their own marketing campaign, or have Wiselephant plan and implement a campaign for them. Wiselephant also provides an online store where clients can sell their work, has a database of dozens of mailing lists for press and marketing, and has searched far and wide to get their clients the best prices on printing, CD and DVD duplication, and design.

“Everyone on our staff has been there,” says founding partner Jason Moriber. "Anyone can go to our website and purchase products or services, but we consider it part of our mission to connect people who do want advice with what they really need, an honest opinion and the push to get them going."

Although only open since the first of October, the response to Wiselephant has already been overwhelming. Clients range from a handbag designer to a small publisher, and of course a slew of writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, their core clientele. “The one comment we hear more than any other,” says Sheila Shidnia, founding partner, “is ‘why didn’t anyone think of this before?’”

While their focus is on the arts, the team at Wiselephant is happy to help anyone who can benefit from their services. “Basically, anyone with a project to promote can use these same tools,” says lead partner Alex Johnson. You can contact any of the Wiselephant staff at 888-625-9258 for advice on how to build your career, small business, or organization, and all of their products, services and tools can be purchased online at www.wiselephant.com.