SouthAfricanArtists.com

This initiative uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) to help support the communication and financial needs of artists living in rural areas of South Africa. Organisers provide artists who have limited Internet access with an email address. They also use phone, fax, and postal services to pass on any correspondence - say, from potential buyers of their artwork - to the artists.

The SouthAfricanArtists website is a marketplace for artists and galleries. This site is meant to empower artists and galleries by introducing their creative works to a wider audience, hopefully giving them the exposure they need to support themselves. The administrator says, "We want to bring a positive change in all artists and I am constantly busy motivating artists to believe in themselves."

Specifically, the website includes images of South African art for sale, as well as searchable databases of local galleries, artists, and artworks. One strategy is making the purchasing experience personal: the visitor to the site is greeted with this note: "We provide a personalised service free of charge to help you select suitable works. You can call us toll-free from most countries or send us your details and we will call you at your convenience at no cost to you. If you cannot see what you want, many artists will undertake commissions and portraits. Just ask!" Visitors to the site may sign up to receive email updates sharing details of new additions to the website.

Economic Development.

Organisers believe that "Fine art is the spiritual signature of a nation. There are estimated to be around 2 500 artists living and working in South Africa, many of these in remote areas, without good communications and lacking any form of Internet access."

There have been challenges in this process: "The aim of the site is to reach out to artists in rural areas, but we need more facilitators to work through. It is difficult to get hold of artists with no phones, should there be a purchase request for their work. We sometimes have to post a copy of the requested image to rural areas in Gauteng or other regions as proof of which work has been sold and ensure that the correct work reaches the buyer. This is time consuming, but overseas buyers seem to understand and accept this." The SouthAfricanArtists.com site claims to have a 100% delivery record.