If you are an art enthusiast, a visit to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (MAF) is a must. Home to more than 450,000 art pieces, this famous museum is one of the largest in America. Streams of visitors pour in each day to the Museum of Fine Arts to catch a glimpse of its comprehensive collection that goes back to historic times. Opened in 1870, the place offers an extensive range of things to view that range from Impressionist artwork to an ancient mummy.

The museum is filled with many interesting exhibitions, interactive displays and other unique features that are bound to leave you appreciative of the true nature of art. Apart from the art work on display, the museum also hosts special gallery talks, concerts, movies, family programs and artist lectures on a daily basis.

Amid the Museumâ??s popular collections are those of the Art of Asia, the Art of Europe, the Art of Americas, the Art of the Ancient World and Contemporary Art collections. The Art of Asia features art starting from 4000 BC and extensively covers about half the worldâ??s population. It includes Japanese, Chinese and Indian artwork. The Art of Europe highlights a fine collection of art by famous artists like Van Gogh, Renoir, Rembrandt and Titian. The collection of Art from the Ancient World holds over 70,000 pieces that are highly interesting to view. You will be able to see artifacts such as mummies, gold work and sculptures retrieved from historic times from places like Egypt and Rome.

At the Musical Instrument section, instruments that range from its first innovation to those that are used today are on display. Even fashion lovers have something here that they will be interested in. The Museum of Fine Artâ??s Textiles Collection has over 27,000 items that include Middle Eastern throw rugs, European drapes, African cloth and haute couture designs. The Prints, Drawings and Photographs section is also worth a visit to gain a historic perspective into these categories.

Boston is home to many attractions like that of the Museum of Fine Arts. If you are looking for elegant and cozy Boston luxury hotel that is well placed for exploring the city, the Langham hotel Boston is a top choice among other Boston hotels. This hotel provides a perfect blend of modern charm with classy elegance that will make your stay in the city a comfortable one.

With the popularity of social networking websites emerging, and people finding, seemingly, more popularity than they have ever acquired in their whole entire lives because of such social vehicles.  Being an owner of a built from scratch social community – Grindmodeconnect, I have found that there are endless possibilities that derive from these communities, but I would like to use this time to caution artists that depend solely on these websites, to make them â??famous.’  Artists need to realize that there takes more efforts than simply creating a page, adding the most friends – who are, 9 times out of 10, artists themselves, trying to get noticed for their music, just as you are, so this means that you have to expand your publicity plan beyond the confounds of those social walls, and also try other mediums to help in your expansion process.

The Media

No matter how conniving some outlets can be (while there are some that are not), let’s face it, you need them, because nothing gives more credibility than appearing in several interviews – giving you validated exposure – if you are validated by the media, then this means that your chances of going further are even greater.  The person that gets the coveted review, story, radio play, is the person that is diligent, shows that they have put their self together, and are ready to be signed to a record deal if they are already not.  The way that they get most of these things, is by announcing it to media, and that is through a press release and/or a press kit.  A press release can make or break you, but nonetheless, it is you announcing to the world about you, and what you have going on.  Most people either write these themselves or have a publicist add their flair to it, but it is a must have, and no getting around it.  A press kit, simply put, is your musical resume, and is a must have, no matter how many times you may say that you have a MySpace or a Facebook page, because chances are, the journalist (print, online, radio, television), will not click onto your link, so you have to entice them in other ways. You just would not send an editor a package and say to them, â??oh, if you would like more information on me, then log onto my Myspace page’ – it simply does not work that way, and they will immediately trash your press kit, if that is all that you send to them in a letter or an e-mail.

Advice from an Editor

I have been an editor-in-chief  of a publication for many years and before that, I worked in the newsroom on assignments, and I obtain press kits and press releases all day long – 90% of my e-mail inboxes are flooded with nothing but press releases, and the reality is that, some are so poorly written and formatted, that I automatically trash them, some people have the arrogance to tell me that if I want to know more about them, then click onto the link below, to check out their MySpace page or whatever site they’re on, but they do not realize that my time is very limited, and that the reality is that they have to grab my interest right away, or they’ll lose me in the first 10 seconds -after all, they contacted me, so shouldn’t they make it as easy as possible for me?   I have also seen press kits that were horribly put together, and did not have the correct information enclosed, to peak my interest.  When I was in the newsroom, I used to see press kits tossed to the side all of the time, because they lacked what was needed, and likewise with e-mails obtained, as the reporter gets bombarded with hundreds of pitches a day, but would actually look through them, and select the ones that had the best presentation, to at least give it a chance.

The Bottom Line

You have to go beyond social websites.  On our website at www.grindmodeconnect.com, we even help you by giving you music resources, advice and further exposure within the industry, but, that is not enough – it takes being signed up to different websites.  Creating press releases and press kits, and getting your story out beyond being signed up to a website, and having the most friends.  You have to keep in mind that in order to be the best – you have to exhaust all possibilities, because no one will come to you, so you have to go to them.  You need exposure in all mediums.  So, make sure to get yourself together with your media and publicity campaign.  We also encourage you to check out www.grindmodepress.com to at least find out how to format your press releases, and to create an EPK (electronic press kit), and if you do not go with the aforementioned service, then make sure to go with someone, to have your full game plan in tact.  Good luck, and please feel free to contact me personally, anytime.  Yes, you have a lot of friends on your social networking page, but ask yourself this; do you have the right friends, because of your publicity and promotional efforts?

There are literally thousands of art galleries all over the world. Almost every city has an art gallery but there are some art galleries that are known all around the world. People will travel across the world just to see some of these famous art galleries and the master pieces that they house inside.

Probably the most famous art gallery in the world is ‘The Louvre’ in Paris. The most famous piece of art in the Louvre is the Mona Lisa, by Leonardo Da Vinci. This famous painting is kept under high security as it tops the list of art thieves the world over. The Louvre also houses many other famous paintings by Da Vinci and hundreds of other famous artists.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is a renowned location for beautiful art masterpieces. This museum has an impressive assortment of American paintings. In addition to these, it also has paintings and statues by famous artists such as Botticelli, Raphael, and El Greco. This makes it a global museum.

London has an amazing gallery known as The National Gallery. This gallery boasts of some of the finest examples of European art, including paintings by Raphael, Manet, Leonardo Da Vinci, Renoir, and Monet. This gallery has a very large number of paintings and some of the most famous ones are: Sunflowers, by Vincent van Gogh, The Virgin of the Rocks, by Leonardo Da Vinci, and Venus and Mars, by Sandro Botticelli.

Not all galleries across the world are homes to the old masters. Many of them offer representations from the twentieth century. Among the most famous contemporary art galleries and museums is the George Pompidou Center in Paris. The architecture is unique as well, since the piping and ducts are on the outside, rather than being hidden behind walls.

Contemporary art galleries and museums typically feature not only paintings, drawings, and prints, but exhibits of furniture, sound, light, and even music. Visiting these galleries can be a fascinating visit through the past few decades and shows how much style and taste has changed.

Most of the major European cities are home to at least a national and a contemporary gallery. Usually there are also private galleries. Any time you visit a major metropolitan area, be sure to include the galleries in your itinerary. It’s a wonderful way to learn about a country and its cultures. History and its changes are reflected in the art on display.

If you plan on buying some art pieces, you won’t be able to do so at the national galleries. You can however visit private galleries in your pursuit of owning some major works. These probably won’t include Renoir’s or Van Gogh’s, but you will find many wonderful pieces that you’ll be able to call your own. Art auctions are often held at Christie’s and other art houses. This is another way of obtaining some incredible works of art.

Art as an expression of our culture, thought process and creativity has no parallel. Viewing these masterpieces in an art gallery transposes the viewer into the mind and time of the creator who has shaped our culture.

Whatever your views on Cuba, everyone agrees that the island has been home to some of the most colourful and passionate people in history. Cuba seems to lend itself to free-spirited and wonderful figures, many of whom take holidays to Cuba, find themselves under her spell and decide to stay.

The Buena Vista Social Club

More of an institution or group than single inhabitant, The Buena Vista Social Club is the umbrella name for a series of Jazz musicians and singers. The name itself comes from a club in Havana which was popular in the 1940s and 1950s with Jazz musicians. A fraternal club where black musicians would go to hang out and jam, the venue became a focal point for Cuban music. Famous artists would gravitate to the club, which gained what would today be called cult fame with international black musicians. Many planned holidays to Cuba specifically to go to the club and jam with the band.

The club was closed down after the revolution as it was seen as a part of Havana’s hedonistic lifestyle, and it wasn’t until 1997 when the club’s musical style was revived. An album recording by producer Nick Gold went wrong when some of his musicians couldn’t get to Cuba, so Gold filled in with local artists. Most had been members of the club, and the album took on the flavour of the club and its name as a title. The musicians themselves gained international renown – Juan de Marcos González, Compay Segundo, Rubén González, and Ibrahim Ferrer became known as Los Superabuelos (or “The Super-Grandfathers”). The album sold more than five million copies, and the club itself took on legendary status; so much so that searching for it while on holiday to Cuba is a wild goose chase – even residents who lived nearby at the time can’t agree on where the club actually was!

Ernesto “Che” Guevara

Wherever you are in the world, you can’t escape images of “Che”. In student bedrooms, revolutionary enclaves and art galleries, Che Guevara is iconic, and he was one of Cuba’s most famous residents. This is even more obvious on holidays to Cuba, where he is a hero of the revolution. His image is everywhere, not least in famous murals and sculptures in Havana.

Originally from Argentina, Che was a key figure in the Cuban revolution under Fidel Castro. He literally wrote the book on guerrilla warfare, rising to command in some of the major battles of the revolution. Committed to his Marxist beliefs, he was a fierce fighter and revolutionary and became a high-ranking international negotiator and political appointee in Castro’s government.

Though he spent much of his time in Cuba, his beliefs lead him to aid other revolutions with anti-capitalist sympathies. He travelled to many countries on state sanctioned and personal missions, eventually being caught and killed while attempting to foster a revolution in Bolivia. However, his fame and fervour were such that he is still hailed as a countercultural symbol worldwide.

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway was a world famous journalist and writer, and spent almost half his life on holiday, working or living in Cuba. He was involved in the First World War, the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War, and produced a huge body of short stories, longer prose pieces and articles including classics such as “For Whom The Bell Tolls”, “The Old Man and The Sea” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”.

Hemingway created his own writing style that became influential for a whole series of later journalists and authors. He is one of Cuba’s most famous inhabitants, and people on holidays to Cuba visit the Hemingway Museum housed in his villa, which includes his boat and preserved examples of his writing.

Now that you created your profile page on MySpace, how do you make sure people see it?
In order to promote your music, uploading songs, providing a bio or band history, uploading photos and video of your band playing or rehearsing, and joining various forums are all great ways to promote your music. But what about those people who are new to MySpace? Or those who don’t read forums or blogs? What about record producers who don’t have time to sift through hundreds of pages looking for their next big recording star? Making it easy to find your page will help you build a fan base and get noticed by labels. The tips listed below are ways you can market your page.
Tip#1: Links are important
Linking your page to other musician pages and to your web site will help to drive traffic to your profile page. The music community on MySpace is filled with musicians who are into making different types of music. Hooking up with some musicians and swapping links is a good way to expand your marketing net.
Record labels love to find two or three bands at a time in order to save money and minimize search efforts. If they find a band they like, they will also check out who is linked to the page. By helping out fellow musicians, you will be doing yourself a big favor as well.
Tip#2: Selling merchandise on MySpace
Since MySpace now allows you to sell CD’s and other promotional items on the site, this is a great opportunity to get your music noticed. Printed t-shirts, hats, mouse pads, and other merchandise can be printed up quickly and sold in order to build your fan base and advertise at the same time. If you have some cool stuff to sell, then you will build a reputation. More people will visit your page to see new items offered.
You can also partner with other musicians and sell items together if you choose. Cross-marketing with musicians of a different genre will allow you to tap into new markets. Most people enjoy a few different types of music. Appealing to different genres of music lovers will help build a strong, but mixed fan base.
Tip#3: Add keywords to your profile page
Specific keywords that demonstrate which genre your music belongs to, famous artists you sound like or admire, or a list of songs you upload can help get your page noticed by those conducting MySpace music searches. When people are in the mood to listen to different types of music, they usually conduct a search to find artists that match what they are looking for. Keywords allow your page to come up during searches.

Tip#4: Meeting new friends
Another way to increase traffic to your site is to meet others on MySpace. These can be musicians, music fans, tech junkies, or others that are interested in the music industry. Adding friends to your profile page will increase your exposure while increasing curiosity by those who are surfing the MySpace site. Pages that are popular will be looked at more often by others.
Increasing traffic to your profile page is crucial to your success on MySpace. While there are others way to market your music, the tips mentioned above are quick and easy to use. Getting your page out there will allow you to create a fan base and get you noticed by record labels.