Spark offers bright online window for artists’ Saudi cultural creations

A local entrepreneur has come up with the bright idea of providing an online store for the increasingly popular work of artists showcasing Saudi culture.

With many Saudis proudly wearing or displaying culturally embedded prints and logos on clothing, cellphone covers, bags and wall art, Bahaa Gazzaz, the owner of the website Spark, saw an opportunity to market and sell these artistic creations.

Spark is a smart web application that transforms artists’ creative expressions into custom-made products. It’s a marketplace for trailblazers and a monetization portal for designers, photographers, and creatives, she said.

“It came about in 2013 during a business trip I took to China. Let’s just say, I got sparked. Three years down the line, with many trials and errors, Spark made its debut in 2016,” Gazzaz told Arab News.

Many talented designers are benefiting financially from their designs without the worry of printing, shipping and other logistics because Spark does the job for them.

“Local designers are benefiting financially from Spark by enabling them to monetize their skills as … artist(s). Understanding how their creative expressions can relate to customers, thus makes a sale.” The site has over 50,000 registered users including artists from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world, Gazzaz said.

She said the launch of Spark was the hardest part of getting the business off the ground.

 “As a business owner, you have to understand that your brand is up for a ride of constant change cultivated by your customers and fueled by your passion. And it starts when you hit the launch button. It will always linger in your head if your product/brand can be better? The answer is always going to be ‘yes.’ Don’t let that stop you, and just roll the ball.”

All of Spark’s products are custom-made and printed on demand in the Kingdom. Customers buy products they can relate to, and they often return to make more purchases, she said.

She said an entrepreneur has to encounter and overcome setbacks; and encouraged artists to use her business to showcase their work. “Let the customers decide.”