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The Artrepreneur Series — Building Your Business

Do you practice art as a side-hustle? Are you looking to build your business skills, so you can be more independent as an artist?

Register today for “The Artrepreneur Series — Building Your Business,” a 6-week workshop series from April 29 – June 3, 2021.

About the Workshop Series

With the right resources, artists can flourish as entrepreneurs as well as artists, and create a sustainable living from their artistic practice. 

The Artrepreneur Series — Building Your Business gives artists an opportunity to build their capacity to compete and thrive through a 6-week “Building Your Business” workshop series, including topics such as “Pitching with Confidence,” “Understanding Cash Flow,” and “Creating a Business Plan.”

This series is co-hosted by Arts Council Wood Buffalo in partnership with Community Futures Wood Buffalo. Powered by Project Gazelle.

Workshop Details

  • When: Thursday evenings from April 29 – June 3
  • Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
  • Where: Zoom
  • Fee: $25 (plus administrative fees) — Those who attend 100% of the workshop series will receive a total refund and a certificate of completion.
    • That’s right! Get a refund for attending all six workshops.

Register through Eventbrite

Certificate of Completion 

Those who attend all six workshops will be given a Certificate of Completion.

Made available for pick-up from the Arts Council Wood Buffalo office located at Keyano College, or can be mailed, with shipping fees charged to you.

Who Can Participate?

Open to local artists in the Wood Buffalo region, as well as participants from across Alberta.

20 participants maximum – waitlist available through Eventbrite.

Registration Deadline

Registration closes at 6 p.m. on April 29.

Waitlisted participants will be notified by email if a space opens up, and will be given 24 hours to register before the opportunity is given to the next person on the list.

Workshop Dates & Descriptions

April 29 — Entrepreneurship? (6 – 8 p.m.)
Facilitated by: Glenys Reeves-Gibbs

This session will explore what it means to be an entrepreneur with a focus on the ten talent areas that successful entrepreneurs need to develop to be successful. We will explore some of the research behind these talents and discuss some ways to enhance the natural talents that entrepreneurs have. Following the session any participants who are interested in exploring their own personal talents will have the opportunity to do this through the completion of the Gallup Builder Profile 10 assessment.

May 6 — Side Hustle (p.1) (6 – 8 p.m.)
Facilitated by: Kelly Harris-Martin, CF Fawatinaw

Side Hustles are fun. Side hustles are distracting. It can be difficult to manage your full-time job and your side hustle at the same time. This workshop will take you through the ins and outs of what works, what doesn’t work, and important lessons to keep with you to consistently crush your full-time and side hustle duties.

May 13 — Side Hustle (p.2)  (6 – 8 p.m.)
Facilitated by: Kelly Harris-Martin, CF Fawatinaw

Description TBA

May 20 — Creating a Business Plan  (6 – 8 p.m.)
Facilitator: Michelle MacNeil

A goal without a plan is just a wish – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

So, what’s the plan? A business plan is one of your best tools as an entrepreneur; it is vital to your business, and writing one is easier than you think it is! This session will walk you through the process of developing a business plan – a strategic roadmap towards your entrepreneurial goals. From concept and framework, to SWOT analysis and market research, it’s time to plan for your success.

May 27 — Understanding Cash Flow  (6 – 8 p.m.)
Facilitator: Corrine McGirr

Cash is Queen! Having a clear multi-year cash flow projection can help you and your business manage seasonality, slow times, and the busy times. It can help you prepare for big capital or inventory purchases, or to better manage inflow of revenues. Join us to learn the basics of cash flow and how to manage it effectively.

June 3 — Pitch with Confidence (6 – 8 p.m.)
Facilitator: Wendy Plandowski

Wow your funders, customers and followers with a POWERFUL Pitch. Every entrepreneur launching a new business, needs to have their “pitch” down pat. What to say and how to say it, how to position your unique offer, how to communicate your story, from start to scratch. This workshop will review the steps, delivery methods and provide you with the tools necessary to succeed and “pitch with confidence”.

What Makes this Series Special?

There are plenty of business workshops out there, but this series is targeted specifically to artists looking to grow as artrepreneurs. 

“Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art, and working is art – and good business is the best art.” – Andy Warhol

Getting good at your art is one thing, but turning it into a business is a different adventure. Tie the two together, and take your art to your audience, make sales, get hired, and achieve a new level of success.

Bringing Entrepreneurs Together

This series is hosted in partnership with Community Futures Wood Buffalo, an organization dedicated to helping people just like you turn business ideas into reality. Their small business specialists connect entrepreneurs with the skills, financing, and resources needed to succeed.

This series is powered by Project Gazelle, who believes in the rainforest philosophy, where bringing entrepreneurs together creates opportunities for sharing and new ideas to emerge.

About Business of the Arts

ACWB’s Business of the Arts (BOA) program gives local artists an opportunity to build their capacity to compete and thrive. With the right resources, they can flourish as entrepreneurs as well as artists, and create a sustainable living from their artistic practice.