And Then There Was Talenthouse…

We’d like to welcome to the World Wide Web the latest in online networking.  No, Facebook did not create a whole new site that makes stalking your crush or ex any easier.  This is networking for a purpose – or a more acceptable purpose anyway.  This is Talenthouse.  Created by Roman Scharf and Amos Pizzey, Talenthouse is a platform on which emerging and established artists can find innovative ways of collaborating that weren’t necessarily available to them before.  It’s a concept that could really go either way – users may jump on this bandwagon, create projects with which to find new sources of creativity or they could end up using this as an extension of their Facebook/Myspace presence, only showcasing themselves.  

I spoke on the phone last week with creator Roman Scharf to discuss their five-year plan, why this is the coolest thing since sliced bread, and how he plans to make all the starving artists out there some money.   

FALA: What is the basic plan for Talenthouse?

Roman Scharf:  We created the site to bring artists together based on collaborations between emerging and established talents.  The internet hasn’t given artists a proper place to bloom and because Talenthouse isn’t a niche site (i.e. one that offers help to only photographers or graphic designers), it’s a platform for collaboration that happens in front of the more people in the world. 

FALA: What does it mean that celebrities or large arts organizations have a presence on Talenthouse?

RS:  Well for example, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra is a user on our site and they’ve initiated a project to find a classical composer who will compose a piece that they’ll play live at their famed Spring concert.  They set up a “Creative/ Artist Invitation” because it’s very difficult for a classical composer to find an established orchestra to play their works, it’s quite risky for the orchestra who needs to sell tickets. 

FALA:  Can you explain further what a “Creative / Artist Invitation” is?

RS: Yes, it’s basically an artist driven project that invites the community on Talenthouse to compete for a particular role (like the classical composer for the Vienna Orchestra) or contribute their ideas to a project together.  Jay-Z has also created an invitation looking for a multimedia artist to contribute work that will go along with his live music.  It’s an initial way of online collaboration.  We hope to build a network so strong and creative that companies, Stussi for example, will create an invitation to which artists can submit their work and then the chosen artist will be paid for the project. 

FALA: And anyone can be a user, right? Even someone who’s just a spectator?

RS: Oh yes! We encourage everyone to become a member.  It’s free and people who don’t wish to be creative can vote on other projects and can keep an eye on emerging artists.  Our goal is for this to be a “must go to” kind of site when looking for new, innovative artists, art, and collaborations.