Business Skills for Artists
From 2011 we have designed and delivered international workshops on business skills for artists and artisans in Egypt, India, Sierra Leone, Botswana and Jamaica as well delivering international programmes for UNHCR on livelihoods (Lebanon, Uganda and Thailand) and the International Labour Organisation (Italy) on entrepreneurship development. The intention of the programme is to help artists and artisans develop sustainable livelihoods from the creative talents. For many, this is a pathway from poverty.
The programme addressed how to cost and price, branding, marketing and sales. The programme takes the participants through the stages from conceptual design to production, to costing and pricing and packaging, marketing and sales outlets. One of the great successes was the Governor in the Red Sea, so impressed with the programme, offering a dedicated shop space for local artists and artisans to promote and sell their products.
The Business Skills programme was also the precursor to the MAKE IT programme that was launched in 2018
The programme addressed how to cost and price, branding, marketing and sales. The programme takes the participants through the stages from conceptual design to production, to costing and pricing and packaging, marketing and sales outlets. One of the great successes was the Governor in the Red Sea, so impressed with the programme, offering a dedicated shop space for local artists and artisans to promote and sell their products.
The Business Skills programme was also the precursor to the MAKE IT programme that was launched in 2018
Make It
Business Skills for Artists and Artisans
Making a living in the creative industries is not easy; artists and artisans often do not have the necessary business skills or may not know where to focus their talents. Their specific needs require training which recognises their creativity, while honing their ability to make money from their talents. Make It! Business Skills for Artists and Artisans is a programme designed to support artists and artisans in building key skills to run a business, as well as training the mentors who will work with them, to encourage artists and artisans, key members of the community, to make a livelihood from their creative talents. |
Many young people enter the labour market every year and the cultural and creative economy (CCE) is a potential reservoir of jobs far more attractive than some of the more traditional employment sectors. Within the CCE ecosystem there are opportunities to train in new skills and access jobs in areas such as management, marketing, strengthening the development of professional associations, and further build networks and alliances for young cultural and creative professionals. There is also an opportunity to maintain traditional crafts that reflect history and culture and are in danger of becoming extinct.
Most business and entrepreneurship programmes deal perfectly well with the technical side of doing business (fixed and variable costs, the 4 Ps etc) yet may appear dry and dusty to the artist and artisan who sees financial discussions to be at odds with their creativity. By asking participants to present their work from the outset and setting the structure around the triad of easily produced and saleable/high-end/creative joy, they will orientate business discussions around their creative output, seeing the links between a viable strategy to create a livelihood - growing a business - and their growth as an artist.
Most business and entrepreneurship programmes deal perfectly well with the technical side of doing business (fixed and variable costs, the 4 Ps etc) yet may appear dry and dusty to the artist and artisan who sees financial discussions to be at odds with their creativity. By asking participants to present their work from the outset and setting the structure around the triad of easily produced and saleable/high-end/creative joy, they will orientate business discussions around their creative output, seeing the links between a viable strategy to create a livelihood - growing a business - and their growth as an artist.