Meet the Founder.
Shani Gailbreath is a working makeup artist with 15+ years of experience in destination events and commercial shoots. After years of managing multi-city bookings, she kept running into the same frustrating problem:
Planners would bring her amazing destination opportunities — luxury weddings in Europe, shoots in the Bahamas, events in New York — but didn’t have the budget to fly her Nashville-based team along to assist her.
“I’d end up working with whoever the planner found locally to save costs. But then I’d spend half my time fixing their work and trying to control the getting-ready room vibe instead of focusing on my bride. I was losing money and losing control of the experience I’m known for.”
Shani realized that if she was dealing with this, other lead artists were too.
So she built the solution.
The Artist Association started as Shani’s way to take back control, to have trusted artists she could count on in any city, so she could say yes to those dream destination jobs without compromising her standards or her reputation.
Built for the way we actually work
TAA exists to solve the real problems that keep you up at night: Will this person actually show up? Can I trust them with my biggest client? How do I scale without starting from scratch every time?
Whether you need one reliable assistant or you’re building a 12-person team, The Artist Association makes it possible to find the right artists based on location, availability, and actual skill — not just who responded first to your desperate Facebook post.
This is just the beginning
What started as a simple solution to destination team challenges has grown into a global network of professionals who actually get it. But we’re just getting started. The Artist Association is becoming: – The go-to resource for serious beauty pros who are done with amateur hour – A centralized hub for real opportunities, professional referrals, and industry connections that matter – The launchpad for artists building sustainable businesses and rewriting what success looks like in beauty. This isn’t about followers or fake networking — it’s about raising the bar for what it means to work professionally in beauty, and finally giving artists the infrastructure we’ve been missing.
“I created TAA because I was tired of my career depending on luck. This community is filled with artists who respect the work, and I can’t wait to see what we build together.”
Where we're going... together
The Artist Association was built to solve one problem — but the vision has always been revolutionary.
In the coming months, TAA will become the global resource for artists who want more from this industry.
Here’s what’s coming to early members first:
✷ Better Opportunities
Direct access to jobs from brands and teams who value experience and professionalism — not just whoever charges the least.
✷ Smarter Connections
Artist-to-artist recommendations and city-specific intel, so you’re booking with confidence instead of crossing your fingers.
✷ Real Community
Curated connections across markets — from NYC to LA to London. Finally, a space to be supported by artists who actually understand the business.
✷ Masterminds + Mentorship
Private strategy sessions, accountability groups, and real industry conversations — no fluff, no fake motivation. Just growth that matters.
✷ Exclusive Events
Small, intentional gatherings that bring the network to life. Less awkward networking, more genuine connections with people who get it.
✷ Industry Intelligence
Market rates, demand trends, job volume data — the insider information that’s impossible to find anywhere else.
TAA is still in its early days — but we’re building something lasting.
Not a moment. A movement.
If you’re here now, you’re early. And you’re exactly who this was built for.
