This article has been updated as of January 2017. ARTKUTEC is now SLAY TV.
A Revolution is happening in the black LGBT community right now. Are you ready for it? ARTKUTEC, an app for the LGBT community is exploding. It is an urban indie streaming network, and it is revolutionizing the artistic community. The app provides a place for LGBT audiences to enjoy content from creators within their community on one platform to unite, showcase and highlight all of the indie LGBT content from their artists (Architects). These artists are building and designing their own reality through the local lens of Art with no apologies, just free to be who they are.
I had the great pleasure of interviewing the dynamic duo of ARTKUTEC, Sean and Terry Torrington on this revolutionary work they are doing now which will continue into the future. These artists (Architects) are “Slaying” it in the black LGBT community. I spoke with Sean to learn more about the work they are doing:
How did the idea for ARTKUTEC (SLAY TV) develop?
My husband Terry and I are both content creators. Two years ago we received an offer to have Season 2 of one of our series on a mainstream platform, however we realized how much work would have to be compromised in order to fit their standards. Exposure and coins are important, but it was even more important that the work stayed true and authentic. After much thought we decided to decline, we realized having ownership is way more important to us. It’s not just for our original work, but for all of the black queer and LGBT content creators.
We feel it isn’t necessary to seek validation from mainstream platforms. There are several talented and skilled people within our community, so we decided to utilize our resources to showcase and highlight everyones work on one platform. This was the birth of ARTKUTEC. We believe all artists are Architects, building and designing their own realities. It’s important that we support each other in our artistic endeavors and grow from within. We feel we can put all our resources together and start to control the way our stories are being told and unite the community.
It’s 2016, there really is a lot of talent out there among communities of color. And there are a lot of individual and unique stories that need telling and sharing. Are there really no other streaming services for creatives of color?
I’m pretty sure they are somewhere in the universe, but I assure you, we slay. I’m certain that they are not as diverse as we are, and the stories are not as interesting as the ones we have on ARTKUTEC. There are stories you would never even know existed. I mean, when you talk about the LGBT community of color, we literally create everything that people are doing today. Imagine all that raw creativity on one platform, you will be entertained for life.
You are launching a new app. What can users discover on the ARTKUTEC (SLAY TV) app?
Users can find web series, short films, visual art films and music videos created by black queer and people of color indie artists. We will soon have talk shows and docu-series.
What do you hope the app will do for the LGBT community?
Our mission is for ARTKUTEC to be a platform for people to come and share their creativity with the world, and to provide a place for people that don’t have access to this culture and stories. Black people want stories and images they can relate to and see themselves, especially the ones that live in small towns and/or countries that feel they are alone, or have little or no voice.
How will you be streaming your content? Will it be just via the ARTKUTEC (SLAY TV) app, or do you intend to use other platforms or technology, eg. your own web-based platform, or such services as YouTube, or Vimeo?
As of right now we’re tethering content straight from YouTube and Vimeo. We want everyone to still receive their views and monetizations for what they create. In the near future we will have our own content managing system for our ARTKUTEC Original Series. We will then start to produce and partner with other content creators to have their shows exclusively on ARTKUTEC. This, I’m sure will take some time, but I truly believe if we create our own platform it can be more beneficial for everyone.
And why are you taking the technological direction you are, with providing the service?
I’m extremely fascinated with the innovation of technology and the evolution of it. I was born in 1980, we didn’t have Internet, emails, and smartphones, instead we had DOS, the mailbox and pay phones. But I honestly feel that technology has taken over, everyone wants everything quick and at the tip of their fingers, why not give them what they live for. Mainstream TV has exceptionally great quality storytelling, however, America is diverse and most broadcast channels don’t reflect that. But with going digital, we as creators have free range to express whatever story we decide to create, most of the times it’s from our own experiences which makes it authentic and relatable to many different walks of life.
In terms of the content being developed and curated for ARTKUTEC (SLAY TV), is it mainly content from you and Terry as the creators?
Between Terry and I, we have 3 shows that we can call ours, and are in the process of developing more. There are almost 30 web series from other artists on ARTKUTEC right now.
For content from other artists, how will the selection process work?
At the moment we are not being too selective, the content just needs to have some sort of quality to it. There are so many new, young, skilled artist that exudes creativity that every one must see to be apart of the experience we provide on ARTKUTEC.
Who will be the target market consuming the content you deliver? Would the heterosexual community, find something of value in the content you’ll be delivering?
Our target audience is the black queer that wants their stories told, and all of the millions of people that live for them. Honestly, we’re curating content that slays, everyone lives for that. People are always seeking to discover new things they have never seen before, that’s why they love everything we create. Let’s take the ballroom scene for instance, the amount of views that are on ball videos lets me know that, there are more than just black queers watching it. Heteros can find a great deal of value for content we deliver, whatever situation that is displayed in any of the series that are being watched on ARTKUTEC, are the same things heteros go through. IT’s not a sex thing, a gender thing, it’s a human thing. This gives them the opportunity to see things differently. Maybe I’m being naive, but I hope they would gain some sort of insight and education on our experiences, or maybe not.
Will this be a paid service for end users?
Right now the app is free, however we will add paid services, that will be only for certain features on the new and evolved app. We would love for us to monetize our own content. But that’s after we gather up every single content creator and have our round table discussion over tea.
What is your vision for the future of ARTKUTEC?
ARTKUTEC is a demo BETA app to test the space for an upgraded version coming in the fall. We wanted to give the world a soft launch of the app, receive feedback, making mistakes and make it better. Being that things are moving quickly here in Brooklyn NY, we will have our official launch for the revised app this Fall 2016. The new name will be SLAY TV. Yes, heard it FIRST, I find it more fitting. We will have more channels and content from all over the globe.
Kinkster magazine is geared to gay men with an edge. We like to ask all our interviewees, “What is something you have done that would be considered edgy, unconventional, or tight-lipped.”
Haha Great question! Terry and I created a digital platform that we know is REVOLUTIONARY! We are #Unbothered, #Untied, #Unapologetic, we truly SLAY… Also, while being out and about if I need to urinate, I will pee anywhere and in front of anybody at any given moment. My go to is in between parked cars. (I drink a lot of water.)
