Tuesday, February 28, 2012

‘Flourish: Continuing Professional Development for craftspeople’ at Craft in the Bay.

Below are the latest CPD workshops, talks, and seminars I've coordinated for the Makers Guild in Wales. Hope they might be of interest.......
How to cost your time & your craft work, Laura Thomas

1st March 2012, 11-1pm
 
New to the craft business and need some guidance on how to price your work? Laura Thomas will take you through the basics of working out your cost and retail price of your handmade products. She will also cover working out your daily rate for freelance projects or commissions.

What to bring: a calculator! Handouts will be given, but bring a pen so can make extra notes if you wish.

Cost: £20 for non members, £18 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611



Exhibiting at Craft Fairs, Sarah James

1st March 2012, 2-3pm

Sarah James, Director of Made by Hand (Newport), The Contemporary Craft Fair (Bovey Tracey) and Co-Director of www.madebyhandonline.com will present a short session about selling at craft fairs. With the impending deadline to apply to exhibit at Made by Hand at Tredegar House in Newport, Sarah will introduce the craft fair to you along with how to compose a successful application. She will discuss good photography, effective stand design and ideas for promotion.

 Cost: £8 for non members, £7.20 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611




An introduction to Adobe Illustrator, Ray Nicklin

22nd March 2012 10.00 – 4.30pm

A one-day course introducing the principles of the Adobe Illustrator CAD programme, specifically focused on the needs of craftspeople.  The emphasis will be on creating imagery for patterns to be either digitally printed (i.e. onto fabric) or laser cut. (NB, the workshop does not actual include doing laser cutting or digital printing, just preparing the artwork). This workshop will be hosted at Cardiff Metropolitan University (Llandaff Campus, UWIC) and led by Ray Nicklin one of their highly experienced members of staff. This workshop is suitable for complete novices to the Illustrator programme, but requires reasonable computer literacy. We will be working on Macs.

What to bring to the workshop: notebook and pen, memory stick. You could also bring drawings/images (max size A3) which you would like to modify/adapt using the programme. Other source images will be provided too.

There is parking on site - pay and display £2 per day.

IMPORTANT: please arrive by 9.50am at the latest and meet at the entrance to the N-Block, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Llandaff Campus.

Cost: £85 for non members, £76.50 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

NB: lunch is not included, but there is an on-site cafe where you can buy food and drinks should you wish. 

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611



Sell Yourself! The art of effective communication, Noleen Mathias & Erin Martin

24th March 2012, 10 - 4pm
Applied for lots of grants, exhibition opportunities, commissions, residencies or projects haven’t been successful? Are you not getting leads from your website or from your speculative letters and emails?  Whilst your creative work might be strong, if you’re not presenting yourself well in the written form, you’re likely to fall at the first hurdle. For many artists and makers, getting your CV and Artists Statement right can be real challenge. Likewise many struggle with making formal applications, attending interviews and having the confidence to talk clearly and confidently about their practice to a variety of audiences.

This workshop is designed to increase your skills and self-confidence in the areas of presenting yourself and your work, in a variety of contexts. Alongside analysing successful written communication whether it be digital or print, you will also learn how to become a more confident communicator using both verbal and non-verbal language to help achieve positive outcomes.

This will be a lively workshop designed to encourage real self reflection and to reinvigorate your confidence and enthusiasm. It will interactive and allows for plenty of opportunity for individual and group advice.

This one day seminar forms part of the M+M ‘Professional Development for Artist Programme “The Art of Success | Making Creativity Pay” which is a collaboration between Noleen Mathias and Erin Martin.

Noleen Mathias has over twenty years experience in Arts and Business Management. Prior to setting up the Mathias Agency, Noleen was Co-Director of Artworks Wales the National Organisation for Public Art in Wales and Director of Finance and Operations for Public Art Agency, Safle. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Trustee of the National Federation of Artist Studio Providers (NFASP).

Erin Martin is an experienced education professional and an Accredited Personal and Business Coach with many years experience of coaching for success in a wide variety of contexts. She has a particular interest in Creativity Coaching and in the issues of aspiration, motivation and self-belief as they relate to artists and writers. Erin recently returned from China where she was an education adviser with VSO.

Before the workshop, you will be sent a questionnaire by Noleen and Erin which will help them understand your background and needs, as well as encouraging you to evaluate your current strengths and weaknesses.

Cost: £55 for non members, £49.50 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

NB: lunch is not included, but there is an on-site cafe where you can buy food and drinks should you wish. 

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611



Make craft pay! Jules Mallory Skinner

30th May 2012, 11-4.30pm

Jules Mallory Skinner will present a one day workshop covering all aspects of managing a sustainable craft business. He will present ideas and methodologies for creating a sales package; creating sales platforms and relationships; market research; targeting key customers; pitching via the phone or in person; pricing; closing deals and getting paid; range building; and online sales as well as in person sales.  Be prepared for an energetic and inspiring day which will ask you the hard questions about your business and leave you full of ideas for moving forward.

Jules Mallory Skinner has been actively engaged in the Cultural Industries as a creative practitioner and entrepreneur since 1977 and as a creative industries educator and mentor since 1983 when he started an innovative advisory service for musicians and creative entrepreneurs in London. He set up Creative Enterprise Consulting in 1994 becoming an independent advisor to creative businesses, universities, colleges, professional associations and industry initiatives working in this capacity alongside his own creative and business projects to the present day.

Cost: £55 for non members, £49.50 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

NB: lunch is not included, but there is an on-site cafe where you can buy food and drinks should you wish. 

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611


‘Thinking Big – exploring the opportunities for craft in public art’
15th June 2012, 1-5.15pm

Are you curious to find out more about how you could scale up your craft practice to work to commission in the public art arena? Need some inspiration / information / confidence to apply for large scale projects that could stretch your practice into exciting new areas both in terms of scale and concept?

Five high-profile speakers will make inspirational presentations about the various facets of craft in public art. 

·         Sue Lawty is an internationally renowned tapestry artist who also works with lead, stone and other materials. She will discuss the many and varied public art projects she has undertaken, as well her major residency at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  (NB Sue will be running a 2-day tapestry master class at Craft in the Bay on the 16-17th June – please see the Craft in the Bay website for further details.)

·         Brigid Howarth is an established art strategy consultant with extensive experience across the cultural industries. Brigid will discuss her role as the Co-Project Director of the Museumaker programme managing a £1 million programme connecting contemporary crafts with museums and heritage centres across England resulting in 18 major craft public art commissions. Brigid will discuss the diverse Museumaker projects in detail along with the associated community engagement events. She will also highlight what makes a good application for commissions such as Museumaker.

·         Ann Catrin Evans is an established metalsmith based in North Wales. As well as making jewellery and domestic ironwork for interiors, a key aspect of Ann Catrin’s practice has been working on significant public art projects from large scale sculptures through to metal door furniture for the Wales Millennium Centre. Ann Catrin will discuss her various commissions and the associated design challenges and considerations for craftspeople scaling up their practice.

·         Rodney Bender, iGP (Innovative Glass Products) has produced inventive architectural glass artworks and interventions to major buildings and sites across the UK and further afield. iGP also offers a unique service working with artists and other developers to realise their designs in glass. Rodney will discuss his own practice in the public art and architectural field alongside the services and processes he can offer to makers to help them realise their own projects.

·         Nathalie Camus, is the Senior Officer for Applied Arts with the Arts Council Wales (ACW). Following a major strategic review of the Arts Council of Wales, Nathalie will present the new public art strategy for Wales highlighting its key priorities, partnerships and the opportunities for makers based in Wales.

Cost: £35 for non members, £31.50 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611


Internet Strategy, Pete Moseley
12th July 2012, 11-4.30pm

Want to learn how to take advantage of the internet to promote you and your business using no-cost or low-cost options?  Are you somewhat bewildered by Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, RSS Feeds, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc?  This workshop will demystify these topics in clear and accessible language, examining the various pros and cons, and how these online tools can be put into practice as part of your marketing strategy.

·            Arts websites – the good, the bad and the ugly!

·            The use of directory and ‘aggregator’ sites – how the ‘long tail’ works

·            Blogging – and how Blogs and websites work together synergistically

·            RSS and  social bookmarking

·            The use of Google Analytics to measure traffic

·            Keyword testing techniques

·            Getting visible on Google and other search engines.

·            Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and social sharing

·            Flickr, YouTube, Behance, Pinterest – and other useful social sites.

·            Email applications e.g. Constant Contact and MailChimp

·            How to set up an email database and use it effectively

·            A/B email testing, subject lines and CTA’s (calls to action)

·            Email etiquette

Pete Mosley works exclusively with artists and arts organisations. His primary focus is providing bespoke coaching and mentoring to artists and makers, either face to face or through training sessions and seminars.

Pete is a strong advocate of the internet as a powerful tool for artists and makers to market their work using traditional media such as websites and email newsletters or through social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Pete is also Business Editor for craft&design magazine, writing regular articles and features for the printed magazine, website and e-newsletters. He also maintains the magazine’s Facebook and Twitter presence and has grown the Twitter fanbase to over 4000 in the space of 12 months.

What to bring: a laptop, although it is fine to share one with another delegate.  Pete will bring the workshop presentation on a CD which you can take home with you.  This will enable you to follow up elements of the workshop on your own computer.  Also bring a pen and paper to make any further notes. 

Cost: £55 for non members, £49.50 for members and friends of the Makers Guild in Wales

NB: lunch is not included, but there is an on-site cafe where you can buy food and drinks should you wish.  

To book, please phone Craft in the Bay on 02920 484 611


If you are a maker based in Wales you may be eligible to apply for a small training grant from the Arts Council of Wales to support your attendance at one or more of these CPD sessions. Contact your local Arts Officer to discuss further. http://www.artswales.org/what-we-do/funding/funding-advice-and-guidelines/individuals

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