Publishing is a painful experience… especially a website!
If you are an author, or have a friend who is one, you will either know – or have been told – that getting anything ready for publication is a painful exercise. Getting something ready for a website is no less painful – in fact, I think it is even more painful as you have to engage in combat with an electronic entity that only exists in the ether. And then there is the language that is entirely invented and has no roots anywhere. On top of that, those who claim to be experts use a jargon only known to the in-crowd.
Another by-product is acquiring square eyes… not to mention the painful neck and back! 
Yes, I have been through the mill since January, the learning curve almost impossible to navigate as it was so steep. I have learned though! I’m quite proud for someone of my seniority to have accomplished the feat of preparing the Cyprus Open Studios website.
No, I didn’t do it alone – Daniel Economou prepared the ground and I am grateful. 
Especially sometimes when I felt like ‘curling’ up and dying…Without his help I would still be at the bottom of the hill… And next year, it will take on a whole new life – we have plans!
I would also like to say a huge THANK YOU to my two partners, Nora Hadjisotiriou and Marina Emphietzi-Harris for the translations and the work they have put in so far. We have a long way to go before we can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labours in the form of watching visitors arriving at the artists’ studios in October.
We can dream, can’t we?
Right now, we are excited and fairly happy with the response we have had for this year’s event – you can view all the participants on the website in both English and Greek: www.cyprusopenstudios.com
There are still people out there who have no idea what we are about. This is now your job: tell people about us and what we do! Word of mouth is a wonderful advertising tool. We would like Cyprus to be abuzz with art talk, especially during the month of October. We want lots and lots of visitors to stream through our studios and work spaces and other venues where we are set up and working – we want to tell the world just how marvellous we are!
Tell the world! 
Tell the world!
A few technical points need to be covered:
1. Have you studied the COS Participant Handbook? Please do – there are numerous tips and tricks to help you make your event a better one.
2. Have you printed out the forms (advertising and sponsorship) and started approaching people who are interested in becoming involved in the largest art happening-to-be in Cyprus? If not, why not? The forms and in Greek and English and so is the handbook!
3. Have you checked your entry on the website to see if it is correct? If you find any errors in the text, you need to let us know as soon as possible, please! There are still a few bits that need translating and an intro to be written on the participants’ page.
I have been told that people’s attentions spans these days are becoming shorter and shorter which means that I will love and leave you now to get on with what you need to get on with.
Right now… 
we are ready for a break!
When the next post goes out, this old artist will have had a good rest and be ready for more!
Enjoy the summer weather!
If you are considering sponsorship or advertising, please contact us on info@cyprusopenstudios.com – we would welcome you with open arms! If you jump on this bandwagon now, you will grow with us in the years to come… and there will be a lot of growth!
Keep on creating! See you next time.
~Maria Etheridge~
cyprusopenstudios 