This workshop is suitable for artists of every persuasion - musicians, actors, dancers, writers, visual artists and craftspeople - anyone who is trying to make a living out of their creative work. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect to examine for yourself when you participate (it's OK, you can make it a private experience if you wish!)

DAY 1
Motivation
  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Model
  • Peer relationships and networking. “Your relationships are everything. You cannot work alone”
  • Practical tips for managed networking
  • Fame – How will you cope with it? How will you cope without it?
  • Money – How much do you need? Discussed in detail in “Financial Management”
  • Self-actualisation – How important is your art to your personal happiness?
Vocation, Culture & Climate
  • Assessing the current industrial landscape
  • How are artists perceived in Australia?
  • What options are available to you to avoid or overcome exploitation?
  • Political; (legislation which affects your livelihood)
  • Economic;( realities of finding funding, Award wages and conditions)
  • Social; (Do you tell taxi drivers what you do? Building a professional “safety-net”)
  • Technological climate analysis.
Morale and empowerment
  • An analysis of the dangers inherent in the creative professions
  • Coping with rejection - comparing ourselves with our peers and others
  • Unemployment – making the best of a bad situation
  • What is cognitive dissonance? What is internal locus of control?
  • Strategies for dealing with disempowerment, isolation and loss of self-esteem.
Strategic thinking
  • Develop a strategy for building the life you want
  • SWOT analysis –consider your strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats
  • Decision-making & commitment
  • Goal-setting & persistence
DAY 2
Marketing
  • Develop a marketing plan
  • Product – defining the product, (your work, your style, yourself?)
  • Positioning – market segmentation, (where will your product fit?)
  • Placement – targeting segments ( do you specialize or spread yourself around)
  • Promotion – making decisions (what physical means of marketing do you choose?)
  • Pricing – knowing your rights in relation to Awards, Agents, galleries, publishers and the marketplace.
Financial management
  • Develop a plan for achieving your financial goals
  • Portfolio life
  • Financial Empowerment for the Freelance Artist
  • How important is the Alliance in shaping your financial future?
  • Thinking long-term – what can and does JUST Super do for you?

Outcomes for participants
  • An insight into personal motivation
  • A strengthened sense of artistic identity
  • A greater understanding of the business environment in the Arts & Entertainment industries
  • An awareness of the pitfalls inherent in the business, and some tactics for coping
  • Some skills to apply strategic thinking to a career, including: some basic marketing tools and a model for financial empowerment
  • A resource listing