In partnership with MerrigongX. Many creatives hate the idea of selling, but what if marketing could be more than impersonal hustle? How about a strategic approach that focuses on people first? Marketing is one of the most despised and least understood aspects of running a creative business or working in the arts. Most creatives hate to sell and would rather be making than hustling. However, there is a simple solution to making marketing more palatable – take out the sales and focus on the strategy. The Creative’s Guide to Marketing workshop shares a simple six-step marketing approach that has been designed to take the pain out of promotion. BOOK NOW Participants will learn all the following, with a focus on arts practice and creative industries: + Re-imagining traditional marketing in a way that makes sense for creativity and the arts. + Getting the foundational elements of “YOU” marketing right, without the terror of a deadline. + Understating the breadth of our ‘customers’, from clients to funding bodies to audience. + Knowing and learning from our peers, and from word-of-mouth. + Choosing the best digital and ‘old school’ tactics to help achieve your marketing goals. More resources and templates will also […]

You’ve poured your passion into your craft, art or products, and the time has come to share with the world. What are the basics to building an online business? Selling online and using e-commerce can be overwhelming at first, especially for creatives – but where to begin? Creative’s Guide to Selling Online is a beginner's course ideal for any creatives with little or no experience, who have products or services ready to sell, and no idea how to get their online sales set up. The webinar covers the easiest path to digital commerce, and the best ways to untangle the mess of legal jargon, platform choices, and marketing mysteries. BOOK NOW With a focus on people selling in the arts and creative industries, you will learn: + Understanding the process of selling online, including the pros and cons to watch for. + Preparing for the basics of an online business – registration, banking, accounting, stock management, legal requirements, consumer regulations and more. + Understanding eCommerce model and choosing the best one for your business. + Dropshipping and the elements of using external parties to help with sales and productions. + The Customer Journey, and how to craft an experience to […]

Curious about turning your creative practice into a fully-fledged small business? Loving your artistic hobby, and wondering if you have the chops for freelancing? This fun and friendly workshop will cover all the essentials you need to get the basics of creative business right, and avoid some of the most common pitfalls that artists can experience when entering the world of self-employment and freelancing. 'How to Start a Creative Business' was designed by creative practitioners for absolute beginners, and it’s a friendly safe space where every question is a good question, and the mysteries of business will become a little clearer. BOOK NOW You will learn all the following, with a special focus on arts practice and creative industries: + Setting goals and making a plan for your start-up journey, + The Basics of Business including ABNs, structures, business names and licences, + The legal steps to registering your Business, + Getting ready for managing the money, + Preparing for marketing and promotion, + Where to go for more help. 'How to Start a Creative Business' is your passport to a world where you can be creative, make money from your craft, and love your work. What do I get? […]

In Partnership with WildLearning. Many creatives hate the idea of selling, but what if marketing could be more than impersonal hustle? How about a strategic approach that focuses on people first? Marketing is one of the most despised and least understood aspects of running a creative business or working in the arts. Most creatives hate to sell and would rather be making than hustling. However, there is a simple solution to making marketing more palatable – take out the sales and focus on the strategy. The Creative’s Guide to Marketing workshop shares a simple six-step marketing approach that has been designed to take the pain out of promotion. BOOK NOW Participants will learn all the following, with a focus on arts practice and creative industries: + Re-imagining traditional marketing in a way that makes sense for creativity and the arts. + Getting the foundational elements of “YOU” marketing right, without the terror of a deadline. + Understating the breadth of our ‘customers’, from clients to funding bodies to audience. + Knowing and learning from our peers, and from word-of-mouth. + Choosing the best digital and ‘old school’ tactics to help achieve your marketing goals. More resources and templates will also […]

All creatives, arts organisations and small businesses need to understand how their tax rights and responsibilities work – but it’s all so boring! And where to begin? Tax is painful but an inevitable part of surviving and thriving in the creative industries. Managing the annual and ongoing obligations of tax as a creative means getting an understanding what’s involved in the first place, getting organised, and learning about the unique position that creative professionals hold in the Australian tax landscape. It's not fun, but a few simple tips and tricks (and a friendly face) can help. 'Tax Time for Creatives' is a workshop that covers the basics of how tax works for creative professionals, the intersection between individual tax and small business, and how key creative tax rulings can help creative practitioners in the tax world. BOOK NOW With a specific focus on the arts and creative industries, participants will learn: + Understanding what basics of how tax works – jargon, income, expenses, and what to pay. + How to calculate ‘taxable income’ and ‘assessable income’. + The key creative tax rulings, and what they mean in practical terms. + Hobby vs Business, how to work it out, and why […]

In partnership with MerrigongX. Networking, meeting new people, developing relationships –all terrifying stuff. Entering the world of networking without a plan or strategy – even scarier! Networking is a necessity in the creative industries, but many practitioners consider it to be the stuff of nightmares. 'Networking tips for Creatives' is an entertaining hybrid between traditional workshop and social event designed to encourage creative people to get to know each other, while acknowledging the horror, and sharing a few tips at the same time. The first half is dedicated to learning the most effective strategy for effective networking, including preparation and follow up. The second half is a practical opportunity to rehearse some of these tips in a safe and friendly environment, while embracing the discomfort of the whole process and having a laugh. Key learning outcomes: + Preparing for the event, and getting the basics right – introductions, branding, and cards. + Preparing your conversation in advance, and learning how to read the room. + Tips and tricks for dealing with difficult people. + How to make the networking event a success. + The all-important (and often-ignored) follow-up process. This is a practical workshop and participants will have the opportunity […]

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PENRITH CITY COUNCIL You can be a professional creative without being a starving artist. Financial literacy may not come naturally, but the secrets of managing money can be learned. Making a living and building a business means understanding how money works, but the financial situation for creatives can be tricky. Navigating the numbers is not always a happy place, emotions can be overpowering, and who ever learned the basics of business money and financial literacy during their arts training? Financial Literacy for Creatives is a surprisingly fun and practical workshop designed specifically by creatives, for creatives, with a range of tips and insights into navigating the realities of financial management in a professional arts practice. Participants will learn all the following, with a focus on professional arts practice:+ Introduction to the ‘Famine and the Feast’, and understanding how to weather the natural ups and downs of creative income.+ Ways to make better financial decisions by using the cost-benefits analysis tool.+ Learning the basics of budgets and cash flow projection to help navigate financial irregularity.+ The essential paperwork, including managing invoices and receipts.+ Practical steps to getting financially organised, including the best cloud accounting tools.+ More resources […]

In partnership with MerrigongX. A workshop dedicated to the basics of how to write, manage and maintain funding. Grants, funding, procurement, scholarships and awards are often held up as the holy grail of a successful arts career, but this revenue stream also takes hard work, dedication and patience. After all, there’s no such thing as ‘free money’. 'Funding Guidelines for Creatives' is a workshop showcasing the basics of preparation, application, and acquittal for any kind of funding, as well as getting organised for future applications. It’s packed with information and suitable for novices and more experienced funding-seekers alike. There is always more to learn about funding! Key learning outcomes, with a focus on arts practice and creative industries include: + The different kinds of funding available, from grants to procurement and more. + Creating a Funding Folder and Deadline Calendar for regular applications. + Writing the Application – and avoiding the most common errors. + Getting the money right, with budgeting and income (including templates). + The Acquittal Process – and how to recover from setbacks. + The five main ways to avoid ‘failing’ at funding. Resources, examples and templates will also be provided for a variety of funding applications. […]