why two childhood mates created a members-only platform for 'culturally curious' folks
Arts-Matter is an arts consultancy biz that offers a rad program of experiences and opportunities for its members.
Susan Armstrong and Michelle Grey both have pretty impressive resumés. While Michelle has spent 17 years working in cultural programming for super-successful New York brands like workspace collective NeueHouse, members’ club Soho House and newspaper The New York Times, Susan has spent two decades working as an art director, design and experiential curator, and cultural editor across the fashion, music, art and lifestyle industries.
Together, back in Sydney/Warrane, the duo have built an independent art consultancy company and membership platform, Arts-Matter. There, they host a program of arts events and experiences and connect members with top-notch creatives.
We recently sat down for a chinwag with the childhood friends about what makes their business tick.
What led to your decision to start Arts-Matter? Susan: Before COVID, we spoke about how Sydney could benefit from an interdisciplinary platform that intersected a number of different disciplines and was available to anyone who was culturally curious. I always felt there was an appetite for different ways in which people could engage in the creative conversation here in Sydney. When COVID happened and Michelle moved back from New York with her family, it seemed like the perfect time to give it a go.
What kind of stuff does Arts-Matter provide for its community? Michelle: We have a robust monthly calendar of events that include studio visits, workshops, supper clubs, premieres, rehearsal visits, artist-led tours, performances and more. We try to provide unique ways for our members to experience cultural happenings, whether it's dipping your toes in for a taste of what is possible or a full immersion into the creative fabric of Sydney.
We also have an annual publication called A-M Journal that connects local talent with their international contemporaries. Through A-M Journal, we have curated a global collection of storytellers featuring 100 per cent original content from the fields of art, architecture and design, dance, fashion, music and literature – all shot through a fashion lens.
The premise for our magazine and our choice of contributors is predicated on the same principles we use to formulate our programming calendar. We look for people of substance who have something interesting to say – not only about their work, but also about life beyond the pursuit of a single discipline.
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You two are childhood friends. Had you always wanted to start a business together? Susan: I’m not sure if we always planned on starting a business together, but we always knew we would be in each other's lives forever. What’s unique about our relationship is that we have very different skill sets and different points of view that complement each other well. We respect what the other brings to the partnership and we trust each other's intentions.
Why is the concept of community so important to you? Michelle: People want to belong and feel part of something greater than themselves. Experiencing culture with other like-minded people is always better than doing it alone.
What kinds of strategies have you put in place to get the word out about Arts-Matter? Susan: I’m not sure if there has been much of a strategy, but we have an Instagram account that we try to keep up to date and that’s about it! We believe there is no better way to be discovered than word of mouth. If people come to our events and have an enjoyable and inspiring experience, they’ll share that with their friends. We have noticed that collaborating with brands that share a similar ethos also helps to broaden our reach.
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How many people are in the Arts-Matter team, and what kinds of roles do they perform? Michelle: We’re a small team and are very hands on across all aspects of the business, but we recognise we can’t do it all! We have two part-timers and another two consultants who work with us on a per-project basis. The most definable roles are operations, membership, production, public art, and magazine ad sales. As we’ve grown and expanded our offering (we also curate artworks for commercial developments and white label experiences and activations for property groups), it became clear that we needed to share the load. With each project being so different, we’re constantly meeting and engaging with new people to learn from.
If you could outsource one aspect of your role at Arts-Matter, what would it be? Susan: Having so many events can be exhausting. We recognise it’s the life blood of our business, but we also have to be mindful of not burning out, and making sure we have enough time to spend with our families! More and more we subscribe to the motto “divide and conquer” so we don’t both have to be at every event together.
What’s next for you? Michelle: A lot! We are about to launch a coffee table book published by Thames and Hudson; we’re curating public art for a few iconic new developments opening across Sydney; there’s a two-week community art activation in Double Bay; a curated interstate trip; a pop-up residency in Melbourne; another issue of A-M Journal as well as our monthly program of events.
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