MAKING YOUR OWN CAREER WITH PUBLIC ART
Focused Training for Artists
Our comprehensive 6-week course is aimed at early- and mid-career artists interested in successfully developing public art projects.
This course explores how an art career can include public and large-scale artworks and will support the artists in your community to diversify their careers. With a mix of activities and discussions, participants work to develop professional support materials and illuminate best practices and common mistakes. Live and current calls are explored and many participants will have the opportunity to submit for active calls with instructor assistance. Course is delivered digitally with live teaching and discussions and includes interaction with working public and installation artists from around your region.
To bring this course to your community, contact us here.
Are you an artist looking for available courses? Click here to check out our scheduled workshops.
WHAT ARTISTS SAY ABOUT THIS COURSE
“The Raleigh Public Art Program led by Cynthia Deis and Matt McConnell was an absolute gift to my small woman-owned business. The support from the cohort, and conversations with incredible artists like Eliza Redmann, Dare Coulter, and Matt McConnell, gave me real-world insight on how to protect my work, navigate contracts, and pitch projects with clarity. Through this experience, I applied, presented for feedback, and landed my largest public arts commission to date. I walked into that opportunity feeling prepared, calm, and confident—and I credit this course for helping me get there.”
“Coming into this, I already had 20+ years experience working as a professional artist but I was shocked by how much I learned throughout the six-week course. Not only do I feel inspired and excited to go out and apply for RFQ/RFP’s, it provided me with useful tools and strong presentation materials to confidently apply for public art commissions with the knowledge that I am representing myself in the best way that I can. It fundamentally changed the way that I envision my art career going forward, with a stronger emphasis on collaboration and community engagement, as well as on delegation and working to one’s strengths! My already high expectations for this training were exceeded!”
“Great class, enjoyed the lessons and real life expertise provided by teachers...I’ve already put into practice many of the things introduced.”
Course curriculum includes
Pre-course participant interview
Budgeting for Business
Cash Flow Statements
Pricing for Profit
Retail and Wholesale Sales
Organizing Accounting For Taxes
Regulations and Insurance*
Employees
Marketing and Promotion
Self-worth and Combating Imposter Syndrome
Our instructors combine their personal experience and the best in current business education with the REAL Craft Entrepreneurship Curriculum. Our NC REAL Craft accredited instructors are experienced, successful craft artists and educators with strong ties to both the retail and wholesale markets. They will bring their own experience to the course to help participants build successful craft business.
*Instructors tailor this information for your geographic service area
Want to learn more about our business training for artists?
For Economic & Workforce Development Organizations
Those working in the arts sector in your community not only impact your economic vitality, but also make your community a fun, diverse, beautiful and creative place that people want to live, work and start businesses. By bringing this course to your community, they will get business training tailored to their work AND their learning style. More importantly, you will show this sector that you value their work and their community impact.
For Nonprofits
If your organization works with creatives, this intensive course will provide your community with the business skills they need to move beyond the ‘starving artist’ mentality. Artists and craftspeople can succeed when they have the business skills they need to correctly price their work, record and account for their income and expenses, budget for sustainability and confidently create the work they know will sell.
For Art Councils &
Commissions
The arts and creative sector in your area is largely made up of small businesses, sole proprietorships and single-person businesses that have unique needs often not met by typical small business education programs. Artists and craft artists or artisans need to learn the skills required to maximize their income to create sustainable, profitable businesses. Stronger arts businesses pay more taxes, pay more employees, and produce more work to benefit your community.