Assets for Artists is back with FREE professional development workshops for artists in all disciplines. We have a great roster of workshops lined up in Massachusetts and Connecticut this fall (with more to come in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts in the Winter/Spring 2020). If you're serious about strengthening your practice, learning from art business and marketing experts, connecting with fellow artists and makers, and can commute to our workshop locations, we hope you’ll apply!
Although we call it an “application,” don’t be intimidated! It only takes a couple minutes, and well over half of all applicants receive a spot in the workshop.
Participation is FREE! Workshops will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
*Registration still open for “Deciding if a Gig is Worth It” with Billy Dean Thomas. See below. All other workshop registrations are now full.
The A4A program promotes equal opportunity and seeks diversity in its workshop participants.
FALL WORKSHOPS
TAXES FOR ARTISTS w/ Hannah Cole
Recommended for artists of all disciplines.
Hannah Cole is a tax expert who specializes in working with creative businesses and artists. A long-time working artist with a high-level exhibition history, Hannah has a unique vantage point for understanding the financial challenges of freelancers and small creative businesses. In this workshop she will discuss the basic tax equation and tax issues specifically relevant to artists, followed by a Q&A period. Hannah Cole is the founder of Sunlight Tax and is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS.
Available session:
October 6, 2019 | 1-3pm | Holyoke, MA
DECIDING IF A GIG IS WORTH IT
w/ Billy Dean Thomas
Recommended for musicians and other performers with a gig-based career.
Billy Dean Thomas (aka “The Queer B.I.G.”) is a hip-hop recording artist, composer, and arts consultant whose work addresses intersectional feminism, social justice, and the difficulties of growing up in NYC. Currently residing in Boston, they are a recipient of the Boston Foundations Lab grant, the Barr Foundation Risk Taking Grant, and the City of Boston’s Opportunity Fund grant.
In this 4-hour workshop, Billy Dean will equip performing artists with tools for finding gigs, setting rates, communicating with venues and collaborators, and ultimately assessing whether a gig is a good strategic fit. Attendees will build skills around decision-making and reducing burnout.
Available Session:
October 17, 2019 | 1-5pm | Boston, MA
SPOTS STILL OPEN! Contact assetsforartists@massmoca.org to reserve your spot.
THE ART OF LICENSING w/ Allison Cole
Recommended for visual artists and craftspeople.
Allison Cole is an award-winning illustrator, artist and surface designer who never stops creating. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked with a wide variety of clients that span many different industries, including stationery, wall art, giftware, apparel, home furnishings and bolt fabric.
In this workshop participants will learn about the industry of surface design and art licensing, and discover how artists can get their designs on a wide variety of products by partnering with different companies. You will learn about marketing and branding your work, reaching clients and setting achievable goals.
In the afternoon following the group workshop, selected artists will be invited to meet individually (for 30 minutes) with Allison for personalized attention to their licensing questions.
Available session:
October 25, 2019 | 9am - 1pm | Torrington, CT
One-on-one sessions with selected artists will be held in the afternoon
In requesting this workshop, please specify if you’d like a one-on-one session (if space is available) in the afternoon following the group workshop.
FIND YOUR MESSAGE: Branding & Marketing for Visual Artists
w/ Jessica Burko
Recommended for visual artists and craftspeople.
Jessica Burko is a Boston-based exhibiting artist, curator, and arts marketing professional. In this workshop, Jessica will help visual artists and craftspeople gain a better understanding of how to present their work, identify their target audience, and create a detailed marketing plan while building the confidence to implement it.
On the day following the group workshop, selected artists will be invited to meet individually (for 30 minutes) with Jessica for an in-depth discussion of specific marketing questions and concerns, and to review their arts marketing strategies.
Available session:
November 1, 2019 | 10:30am - 4:30pm | Greenfield, MA
One-on-one sessions with selected artists will be held the following day
In requesting this workshop, please specify if you’d like a one-on-one session (if space is still available) the day following the group workshop.
FOUNDATIONS OF SHARED VALUES IN PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
w/ Carolyn Lewenberg
Recommended for artists wishing to work in the public sphere.
Carolyn Lewenberg is a public artist and educator whose areas of focus include sculptural installation and public art project management. Her work is guided by values of reciprocity towards people and the environment, collaboration, and honoring a spirit of place. Carolyn was a recipient of NEFA’s Creative City grant and has long-term installations at the Boston Children’s Museum and Franklin Park Zoo.
In this workshop, participants will learn about developing foundations for public art projects that begin with articulating shared values as a community. Through a mixture of personal reflection, participatory exercises, and case studies, artists will develop tools for engaging community members and collaborators around shared values, with the goal of creating more authentic and inclusive projects.
Available Session:
November 19, 2019 | 2-4:30pm | Boston, MA
WORKSHOPS COMING THIS WINTER:
UNDERSTANDING YOUR VISUAL ART PRACTICE AS A BUSINESS w/ Kim Faler
Recommended for fine / non-commercial visual artists.
Kim Faler is an installation artist who has been awarded Rauschenberg and Artpace residencies and has exhibited at MASS MoCA and Art Dubai.
In this workshop, participants will create a framework for understanding their practice as a business and a strategic plan for advancing their goals. Participants will receive guidance on improving their artist statements, portfolios, websites, budgeting, time management, and fundraising.
Available session:
TBD | North Adams, MA
Our work is possible because of our wonderful funders & partners, including the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Development Program. Our Rhode Island workshops are in partnership with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. Our Connecticut workshops are in partnership with the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, Southeast Connecticut Arts Council, Windham Arts, and Connecticut Office of the Arts. Our Massachusetts workshops are made possible by the Barr Foundation, the City of Boston, New England Foundation for the Arts, Massachusetts Growth Capital Corp, and the Boston Cultural Council.