Introduction
Digital technology has become part of the everyday life in the world. Various sectors such as music industries have faced the problem of responding to the speedy developments in digital technology. In the world of arts, digital technology changes every day especially in media convergence technologies and digitalisation of production.
Gündüz (2012, p. 202) confirms how digital technology factors have become the engine through which the wheels of art and design revolve all across the world. This advancement has made it very difficult for any country in the world to do without digital technology in its arts industry.
Various economies have therefore put in place mechanisms to counter the effect of the digital revolution to keep abreast with technological changes. This section of the paper discusses the impacts of digital technology on the world of arts.
It has reduced Expenditure
Digital technology has cut down the expenditure of producing art works thus improving accessibility by many people. Just the way the use of cars, motorbikes, and airplanes has increased the speed of travelling, with people reaching their destinations without much efforts, the digital technology has lessened the efforts that people had to put on walking or running to production studios and to areas where artists portray their work.
According to Bhattacharjee et al. (2009, p. 140), the art industry, which used to produce its work manually thus using much funds, has increased the speed of production with less efforts and expenses due to digital technology. Since works of art are now produced at a lower cost, it has also become easier for masses to access this work because prices are also lower in the market.
Technology reduces production expenditure hence making production expenses cheaper. Constaninides (2004, p. 115) also points out that digital technology has lessened the efforts that producers and consumers put in accessing raw materials and products consecutively. Artists can currently access raw materials for their business from the internet thus cutting on travelling costs.
It has expanded the Amount of Artwork that One Artist can do
With digital technology in place, one artist can do several activities at the same time. According to Van House (2011, p. 125), an artist can sing on a digital audio recorder, play some digital accompaniments, and dance at the same time. Digital technology enhances efficiency of the whole process of producing artwork.
Writing of scripts, a stage that was very cumbersome to most artwork producers, has been made easy by the inception of digital technology. Constaninides (2004, p. 112) argues that a lot of information is available for artists on the internet and other educative media. From such sites, artists learn how to improve their multi-tasking skills.
According to Faye et al. (2012, p. 147), reduction of manual work has also enabled the disabled artists to take part in arts through the digital technology. Recording of artwork was also a cumbersome activity in the past. However, with digital technology, an artist can record a multiplicity of episodes in one day.
According to Bhattacharjee et al. (2009, p. 140), today, digital cameras, audio devices and recorders, and editing programs are in place. They have improved the quality of the products that come from artwork.
Digital technology makes images and pictures clearer, attractive, and clean for the consumers despite having been produced simultaneously. Accessibility of cost effective machines and gadgets for example Digital Versatile Discs players (DVD) and video players though which consumers can access products of art has also enabled the artist to produce more.
For artists who involve themselves in drawing and designing, digital technology has enabled them to produce their products in bulk. Digital technology has also improved on the quality of artwork that artists produce.
It has improved the Capacity of Artists to show up their expected Designs
Digital technology has widened consumer platform. With a wider consumer contact point, artists can access millions of consumers hence providing the right information and impression about their products directly to them. These platforms include televisions channels, cinema, video players, social media, and the internet among others.
As the number of platforms increases, the number of audiences that the artists have also increases. It is also possible that digital technology provides more elaborative information about an artist. Consumers are therefore more informed. Hence, they can make the right choices in picking products. Faye et al. (2012, p. 147) affirm that even the visually impaired artists can display their products through the help of the digital technology.
Live recording and presentation programs such as programs on beauty pageants competitions that are televised live are an opportunity for designers to show up their designs (Van House 2011, p. 125). Artists can now televise, record, and sell various works of arts including martial arts as videos. Through digital technology, the artist can now reach almost every person who accesses the new media.
The audience has also been empowered through digital technology. Foss (2001) argues that the media has been so active in monitoring the behaviour and conduct of leaders in various nations. Artists have become opinion leaders due to their fame and acceptance as celebrities. Most of the people would want to be achievers in certain areas just as the artists.
When the audience accesses information about immorality or underperformance of their favourite artists on the digital platforms, they are empowered to change their opinions about them and even to stop consuming their products. In fact, digital technology provides a better platform in which the audience can interact, scrutinise, and even criticise the artist.
However, uncontrolled access to the websites of these artists can be problematic. Moore argues, “Identifying and accessing various resources of network system can allow a way into confidential documents or even databases” (2005, p.258). Cyber crimes have intensified with growth in digitalisation.
Therefore, digital communication technology has brought the power of people-to-people. Artists have become very powerful and influential across the world. Almost every commercial advertisement, political advertisement, charity, and even religious advertisement is using artists as product ambassadors thus increasing their platforms.
Aghion and Tirole (1997) also affirm that people are also exchanging information through the social networks about how various celebrities are conducting themselves. For example, a gospel artist whom a company has adopted and paid to advertise and become the product ambassador for a product or a program that is sponsored by a beer or cigarette company is likely to be criticised and mocked on the social media.
Similar complains and ridicules have been raised on televisions and radios through call-ins from the audience. Digital technology has therefore increased the platform for the audience to monitor the lives of artists. Foss (2001) insists that various artists and art companies have established websites that they post information about themselves and their programs for the citizens.
The consumers of artwork who prefer plays, songs, paintings, and martial arts can also access any information they want from such websites. This possibility is a great response to digital communication exploration in the world today.
Digital technology has paved a way for artists to speak to wider spectators
Spectators are the target markets for all artists. They can watch the artists live on televisions and on the internet as they perform on stage. According to Marchese (2011, p. 302), although most of the spectators may not be in a position to travel to the venues of the concerts and exhibitions, they can become part of the program through digital communication.
As artists display their products and talents, many more spectators are now able to access the proceedings in real time. In fact, some people become spectators and fans through accident. As one scrolls through the channels, he or she is likely to find such a program proceedings. If the work of art is interesting, educative, or entertaining, the audience becomes part of the spectators of such an artist.
Digital technology increases the number of spectators. Marchese (2011, p. 302) argues that the response to digital technology in arts that is clearly visible in most countries is the development of e-commerce. E-commerce enables artists to market and sell their products to a wider market. With e-commerce, the artist does not have to meet one-on-one with the customer. All the transactions can be done online.
Calvo and Monge (2009, p. 281) argue that many countries of the world have realised that trading in arts especially in the current world of digitalisation cannot escape the impact of modern technology. D’Rozario and Bryant (2013, p. 9) confirm that the adoption of digital technology by most nations of the world today has made the world of economics a small business village.
One can trade and even converse with his or her fans that are in a far continent. Constaninides (2004, p. 112) argues that digital technology has eliminated the geographical boundaries between trading partners such as artists, their fans, art firms, and their fans hence reducing transport cost and increasing the quality and quantity of information flow between parties.
Calvo and Monge (2009, p. 281) argue that, in the United States, a spectator can order for certain products from an artist online and pay for them online and wait for delivery online within no time. The indication is that digitalisation of arts has even enlarged the market to spectators and artists (García & Whittinghill 2011, p. 309).
Another good example is the use of digital technology to purchase ringtones for mobile phones and even to download videos. During live concerts, artists pause to take the audience through a process of prompting downloads of ringtones and videos over the mobile phones and iPods. In such a forum, artists gain a lot of money instantly since most of the fans buy their products online as prompted by e-commerce.
According to Bonsu and Darmody (2008, p.356), e-commerce has empowered consumers in the world of business to undertake their roles. Customers of the products of arts have become more informed in making choices between products. D’Rozario and Bryant (2013, p. 10) argue that the roles played by buyers and sellers in the US before the inception of e-commerce have drastically been changed.
The time of passive customers and over active sellers has been eliminated in the American economy through digital technology. According to Gronroos (1994, p.9), quick evolution of e-commerce has made consumers of art products active players in the whole transaction. Customers have an opportunity to choose from an assortment of goods and services advertised online.
In the same way, consumers can trade with the artist that they consider the best according to the information posted on their websites. Gronroos (1994, p.9) also argues that e-commerce has made many economies turn from 12 hours to 24-hour working economies.
According to Constaninides (2004, p. 112), increase in the number of hours for doing business in many nations has also increased the number of online customers and audience for artists. Largely, this case increases the market since most people can access the products of the work of art that the artist places in stalls. Such is the economy of the United States.
Gronroos (1994, p.9) believes that customers and artists can carry out exchange transactions at any time of the day or night via the internet. García and Whittinghill (2011, p. 309) affirm that artists in the economy of United States have become very powerful and influential across the world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, digital technology has had a big influence on art. The world has become a global village today due to digital revolution. Gündüz (2012, p. 202) affirms that as the economy of the world grow, its cultural aspects must also grow with it. Growth in digital technology has cut down the expenditure of producing artworks hence improving the accessibility of artwork by many people.
Digital technology has extended the array and amount of artwork that one artist can do in a given period. Artists can produce many products in a short period and even in real time. The paper concludes that digital technology has improved the capacity of artists to show up their expected designs though various digital platforms such as the internet, social media, televisions, videos, and mobile phones.
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