Breaking into Business is a two-day workshop offering business and marketing planning specifically tailored to the needs of artists. The program is open to Vermont artists of all disciplines (visual, performing, media, literary, crafts and traditional) and is facilitated by Maren Brown of Maren Brown Associates arts consulting firm and Dee Boyle Clapp from the Arts Extension Service at UMass Amherst. Once again this year's workshops are generously supported by Ernst & Young. We deeply appreciate their ongoing support for this program.
"The fact that this workshop was presented by artists for artists meant that none of us felt out of our element," said participant Caitlin Christiana of Springfield. "This is exactly the sort of community-building experience that we artists are in need of."
The 2012 Breaking into Business Workshops will be held in Bennington and in St. Johnsbury on the following dates:
The Bennington Museum
- February 11th (snow date Feb. 18th) from 9am to 4:30pm - Business Planning for Artists
- February 12th (snow date Feb 19th) from 9am to 4:30pm - Marketing for Artists
Catamount Arts Center
- March 10th (snow date March 17th) from 9am to 4:30pm – Business Planning for Artists
- March 11th (snow date March 18th) from 9am to 4:30pm – Marketing for Artists
Applications are now being accepted. The deadline has been extended to January 9th. Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis. Notification will be by January 20, 2012.
Attendance is limited to 25 participants at each two-day workshop. The cost of the workshop is being subsidized by Ernst and Young, and is only $75 for the two-day program and $50 to attend a single day-long workshop. Artists may apply to attend one or both days, however preference will be given to artists that apply to attend both workshop days at the same location.
Upon completion of the program, artists will be eligible to apply for special Arts Council funding of up to $500 to implement some aspect of their business plan.
Cost: $75 for the two-day program; $50 to attend a single workshop.
APPLY NOW!
The Bennington Museum and the Catamount Arts Center are wheel chair accessible. Questions regarding accessibility should be addressed to Michele Bailey, 504/ADA Coordinator: 802-828-3294 (voice). Relay calls welcome.
BREAKING INTO BUSINESS
DAY 1: BUSINESS PLANNING FOR ARTISTS
If you look forward to the development of a business plan for your artist business as much as you do a visit to the dentist, this workshop is for you! Business plans are a proven tool for starting and growing a successful business yet can be intimidating for artists to develop. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of how to create a business plan for your artist business, including how to describe your work, hire outside experts, handle financial details (especially when you are financially challenged!), and structure your business. This workshop is designed to be fun and informative, including role plays, short lectures, and group projects. At the end of the day, you will leave with the start of a business plan for your artist business, using a template provided in the workshop.
DAY 2: MARKETING FOR ARTISTS
Whether you are new to marketing, or have been marketing your artist business for decades, this program is designed to help you to create or refine your marketing strategy. Learn fundamental marketing concepts, such as how to analyze your customer or audience base, program mix, and pricing strategies. Explore promotional strategies—both online and off—in a supportive learning environment with other artists, and decide which ones are best for you. This program is highly interactive and designed to help you to apply the learning to your artist business. At the end of the day, you will leave with the start of a marketing plan for your performing and/or teaching artist business.
Maren Brown, MBA
Principal, Maren Brown Associates, LLC
98 Lake Street
Florence, MA 01062
413-313-4097
maren@marenbrown.com
Maren is the Principal of the arts consulting firm, Maren Brown Associates, LLC. She is a practicing egg tempera painter with has over 25 years of experience in the field of arts management, primarily in museums (art, history and science museums) and higher education. She works with a variety of clients nationwide, including arts service organizations such as Americans for the Arts and the National Partnerships Program of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; state, local and regional arts agencies (most recently for Illinois, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut), individual artists and community arts organizations. She teaches introduction to arts management, arts marketing, arts programming and in the arts management degree and certificate program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and has taught dozens of training programs in subjects ranging from artist business skills to program evaluation in arts organizations for thousands of participants nationwide. She is the co-editor of the 5th edition of Fundamentals of Arts Management, used in 45% of the arts management degree programs in the nation. During her 25 year arts management career, Maren has directed a national arts service organization, an arts council (funding organization) and a museum school, founded a regional creative economy initiative, originated a family program series, developed school tours, curated an exhibition series of regional artists, and served a variety of other functions in museums. She has an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she also received her B.A. degree in women’s studies and arts management.
Dee Boyle-Clapp, MFA, MNM
Interim Director, Arts Extension Service
University of Massachusetts Amherst
223 Middlesex House, 111 County Way
Amherst, MA 01003
413-545-5241
dboyle-clapp@acad.umass.edu
Dee is a sculptor, installation artist and lecturer on 'green' topics. She has taught studio, art history and arts management courses for 20 years at UMass Amherst, museum schools, and at community colleges. Dee co-owned the Artemis Gallery and was a founding member and the first director of the Art Bank, and was part of the restoration team for this 1860's bank building in Shelburne Falls, MA. As Director she ran all programming for two galleries, studio art courses, the Children’s Blue Snow Performance Series, the Adult Performance Series, festivals and community events. Dee directed a local humane society, and established successful humane education and outreach programs, doubled the organization’s endowment and annual operating budget, and prepared the organization for a $5 million capital campaign. She coordinated the Fostering the Arts and Culture Partnership creative economy project organizing business and marketing training, exhibition and web opportunities, and networking for artists. She joined the staff at the Arts Extension Service at UMass Amherst in 2008, where she is now the Interim Director. Dee's work has long involved sustainability: she has greened two organizations, co-chairs a UMass Green Team, lectures on sustainability issues, and lives with her husband and son on a solar-powered off-grid llama farm. Dee holds bachelor's degrees in art and art history from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, an MFA in sculpture from UMass Amherst, and a Master's in non-profit management from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
Artists who complete one or both workshops will receive a Certificate of Completion and will be eligible to apply for specific grant funding of up to $500 to implement part of their Marketing or Business Plan. Grant funding will be awarded competitively and on the following basis:
- Successful completion of a written Business and/or Marketing Plan
- Attendance at a follow-up meeting (dates to be determined)
- Submission of a viable proposal to the Council
If you have any questions about the workshops and how to apply please contact: Sonia Rae by calling 802 828 5425 or by email.