Tricks of the Trade is a Professional development seminar series for artists, artisans and creatives held throughout Berkshire County!
OCTOBER: The Business of Selling
Part 1: Creating an International Marketplace with the creators of Etsy.com
Have an international market for your work by the holidays! Working with the creators of Etsy.com, the online marketplace for the buying and selling all things handmade, you will quickly expand your potential for sales and join one of the fastest growing communities of artisans!
Instructors: Danielle Maveal, Education Coordinator for Etsy.com.
Tuesday, October 14th 7-9pm @ MCLA Computer Lab, 375 Church Street, Murdock Hall, Room 118, North Adams, MA
Part 2: Pricing and Selling your Work
“The sale of the work of art completes the creative process.”- Donald Clark
Learn practical templates to define a marketing costs inventory, overhead costs inventory, pricing sheet, and simple cost worksheet. Learn where your work is most saleable and how to get it there.
Instructor: Donald Clark, author of Making a Living in Crafts and co-owner of Ferrin Gallery
Monday October 27th 7-9pm @ Ferrin Gallery, 437 North Street, Pittsfield, MA
NOVEMBER: Documenting & Archiving your Work
Part 1: Digitally Archiving
This session focuses on the importance of digital archiving and record keeping of your work for both documentation and online exhibition and marketing purposes. Learn how to properly document and digitally archive your work using do-it-yourself photography techniques, imaging software, and online archival and exhibition resources.
Instructor: Tony Israel
Tuesday, November 11th 7-9pm @ Northern Berkshire Creative Arts, Heritage State Park, 115 State Street, Building 1, 1st Floor, North Adams, MA
Part 2: Digital Documentation Workshop
Take what you learned in Part 1 and produce archival quality images of your work. Bring a digital camera and no more than three, preferably different, examples of your work.
NOTE: Participants must take Part 1 in order to participate. Please pre-register for this session.
Instructor: Tony Israel
Wednesday, November 12th 7-9pm @ IS183 Art School of the Berkshires, 13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA
DECEMBER: Technology Take-off
Part 1: Websites and Blogs
Wondering if your business needs a website and how to create one? Want to know what a blog can do for you? This course will answer those questions and much more. We will take you through the step-by-step process of creating a website from idea to launch and beyond. Other topics include the pros and cons of free websites, what you get from creating a web site yourself, the difference between a web site and a blog, as well as e-commerce, web 2.0, social networking, and more.
Instructor: Bob O’Haver, Technology Consultant and Founder of Graymatterhost.com
Wednesday, December 10th 7-9pm @ MCLA Computer Lab, 375 Church Street, Murdock Hall, Room 118, North Adams, MA
Part 2: Marketing Online
As of February 2007, one survey has counted 108 millions web sites on the web, with 29.7 billion pages. Wow! But with so many websites out there how can yours be found? Come to this seminar and find out how to get seen by using Pay per click, Search Engine Optimization, blogging, and social networking to build your client base and get seen on the web.
Instructor: Bob O’Haver, Technology Consultant and Founder of Graymatterhost.com
Thursday, December 11th 7-9pm @ Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Ave., Pittsfield, MA
JANUARY: Art = Business
Part 1: Writing a Business Plan
You have the talent or skill, but how is that translated into a viable business? A business plan is simply a roadmap, showing you how to get from where you are to where you want to be. Defining your goals and finding ways to reach them will assure your success.
Instructor: Keith Girouard, Business Advisor with Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network
Tuesday, January 13th 7-9pm @ Northern Berkshire Creative Arts, Heritage State Park, 115 State Street, Building 1, 1st Floor, North Adams, MA
Part 2: Tax Time
Taxes are rarely fun… so why not have a party. Join other creatives to learn more about unique deductions and other tax saving strategies for the self-employed creative.
Instructor: Sandra Herkowitz, CPA
Wednesday, January 14th 7-9pm @ Hancock Shaker Village, Route 20, Pittsfield, MA
FEBRUARY: Art for Social Change
The future health of our community demands an active role by artists and cultural institutions. This seminar will explore contemporary issues in public life, from local neighborhoods to global communities, as they relate to the individual artist.
Part 1: Art for Social Change I
Instructor: Megan Whilden, City of Pittsfield Director of Cultural Development
Tuesday, February 10th 7-9pm @ MCLA Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, 51 Main Street, North Adams, MA
The future health of our community demands an active role by artists and cultural institutions. No where has this been more evident locally than in witnessing the economic and social revival of downtown Pittsfield. This seminar, led by Megan Whilden the driving force behind using art as a means of change in Pittsfield, will explore how local artists and arts institutions can build on the success’s of Pittsfield while avoiding some of the failures.
The City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development was created to enhance the city’s quality of life and its role as the cultural hub of the Berkshires by promoting, supporting and initiating cultural activities for residents and visitors to Pittsfield. The Director of the Office of Cultural Development, Megan Whilden, works closely with the City’s Cultural Development Board and representatives of the city’s cultural organizations, individual artists, teachers, and community members to ensure that arts and culture are accessible to all Pittsfield residents.
Megan Whilden is one of the greatest connectors and creators in the Berkshires. She is one of the true pioneers of the cultural revitalization happening in downtown Pittsfield. Programs like Artscape and 3rd Thursday not only make art accessible to all, but really use art to bring the whole community together.
Part 2: Art for Social Change II
Instructor: Reverend Billy
Wednesday, February 11th 7-9pm @ Storefront Artist Project, 124 Fenn Street, Pittsfield, MA
Art can be used as a force of change- social, political and economical. We just witnessed how artists and arts institutions can help propel a presidential campaign to victory. Some do it within the system. Others like Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping work on the fringes.
Join us on Wednesday as we talk with the messiah of street action, the crucifier of all that symbolizes over-consumerism and consumption. Rev. Billy and his partner Savitri will lead this workshop on how one can work towards sustainable consumption, a strong local economy and the defense of the First Amendment and the use of public spaces through performance and other artistic endeavors.
The Church of Stop Shopping is a project of The Immediate Life, a New York based arts organization using theater, humor, and grassroots organizing to advance individuals and communities towards a more equitable future. They partner with citizens, grassroots organizations and progressive visionaries to produce dynamic, informed public campaigns that enact their core values – participatory democracy, ecological sustainability, and the preservation of vibrant communities and local economies.
Since 1996 their project has expanded from a one-man performance artist preaching against consumerism on the sidewalks of Times Square to a 35-person choir and 7-person band with dozens of original songs, a critically acclaimed stage show, a major motion picture and multiple media platforms.
MARCH: The Business of Presenting Yourself
Part 1: The Written Word
An artist statement is essential to a cohesive and professional portfolio. An effective statement creates a context for your work, forges a deeper connection between your work and the audience, and demonstrates professionalism to potential gallerists and buyers.
NOTE: Participants should bring a few samples of their work (either print-outs or something you can share on a computer).
Instructor: Lauren O’Neal, Artist, Professor of Arts Management
at MCLA
Tuesday, March 10th 7-9pm @ Northern Berkshire Creative Arts, Heritage State Park, 115 State Street, Building 1, 1st Floor, North Adams, MA
Part 2: Speak Up!
Written components are important to your professional presentation as an artist. Equally important is the ability to speak about your work… live! Learn how to speak confidently to a variety of audiences about your process, content, and influences in this seminar.
Instructor: Marilyn Jess, Distinguished Toastmaster
Wednesday, March 11th 7-9pm @ Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Ave., Pittsfield, MA
APRIL: Funding Sources for Artists
Staying afloat and prospering, sometimes requires finding funding sources other than sales. At these seminars, we’ll look at the range of possibilities that exist.
Part 1: Finding Artist Grants
Tonight, April 14th – 7-9 p.m. at MCLA Gallery 51
Instructor: Thomas Bernard, Advancement Office, MCLA
Learn how to search online for foundation funding for your creative projects through The Foundation Center.*
Part II: Teaching What You Know
Wednesday, April 15th – 7-9 p.m. at IS183 Art School
Panelists: Directors of IS183 Art School and Community Access to the Arts
Many artists supplement their income through teaching their craft. Join the staff of two local organizations, IS183 Art School a community visual arts school in Stockbridge and Community Access to the Arts (CATA), a Berkshire County organization that brings artmaking experiences to children and adults with physical and mental disabilities, to talk about the qualities and credentials needed to be a successful teaching artist.
Learn from IS183 Art School Executive and Program Director, Hope Sullivan and Cindy Kelly as well as CATA Executive and Program Director, Sandy Newman and Dawn Lane what they seek in the over 100 local artists which their organizations collectively employ.
Part III: Finding Artist Grants
Thursday, April 16th – 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Berkshire Athenaeum
NOTE: Hands-on; limited to twelve participants. If you have a laptop, please bring.
Thursday night, get a hands on training session of The Foundation Center* with librarian Madeline Kelly plus time to do some custom searching.
*The Foundation Center is a national non-profit that provides the most comprehensive database available of U.S. grantmakers and their grants through annual directories and a searchable online database. Both are expensive to access for individual use. The only fulltime free public access to these resources in Berkshire County is at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, which serves as a cooperating collection of The Foundation Center.
MAY: Finding the Muse
John MacDonald, a practicing artist and certified creativity coach will explain the nature of the creative process and how we can learn to recognize, understand, and manage those persistent blocks to our creativity.
Part 1: Finding the Muse I
Instructor: John McDonald
Tuesday, May 12th 7-9pm @ Northern Berkshire Creative Arts, Heritage State Park, 115 State Street, Building 1, 1st Floor, North Adams, MA
Part 2: Finding the Muse II
Instructor: John McDonald
Wednesday, May 13th 7-9pm @ IS183 Art School of the Berkshires, 13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA
All workshops are free, but do require pre-registration. For more information on the workshops and/or to pre-register, please call MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center program coordinator, Jess Conzo at 413.663.5253.
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