Events

THERE ARE SOME (PRETTY FABULOUS) DIRTY WORDS OUT THERE, BUT MONEY IS NOT ONE OF THEM The starving artist is a pervasive idea, and in reality many creative people struggle in self-employment because money is a constant battle. This isn’t always just due to lack of funds. Creative practitioners sometimes need the basics of business money and financial literacy explained in a way that is easy to understand. This online workshop helps to bridge that gap in financial literacy with an entertaining and real-world discussion of money that makes sense to the artistic brain. The most common financial questions that creatives have are answered, including:+ How do I weather the ups and downs of creative income?+ Do I have to keep working for free?+ What should I charge? How do I work that out?+ What’s the deal with cash flow and budgets?+ How do I invoice? How do I enforce an invoice?+ What’s the deal with tax, and what is cloud accounting?+ Where can I go for more help? This online workshop will be relaxed and informal. You can ask all the questions you have never been able to ask before and will have ample opportunity to network and get […]

HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU THINK OF TO MAKE MONEY? Creative businesses often need help to brainstorm all the possible ways to diversify their income streams (especially now!) and become more financially sustainable. Diversify Your Creative Income is an interactive online workshop that allows participants to discuss the various general ways that creatives can make money (including services, goods and passive income), and includes practical exercises to help brainstorm those ideas. This workshop examines:+ Identifying your Core and Complementary Skills;+ The Minimum Viable Offering;+ Using a Skills Audit to inspire ideas;+ How to identify a ‘good’ idea;+ Helpful resources and more! What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Diversify Your Creative Income Dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a dedicated webpage full of links and resources to help them get ahead in their creative business. Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with time, work and creativity. It’s also relevant no matter what your profession – filmmakers, writers, designers, visual artists, musicians, composers, dancers, performers – everyone can benefit from a quick introduction or refresher to the basics of time management and […]

HATE SELLING? TRY STRATEGY INSTEAD. Marketing is one of the most despised and least understood aspects of running a creative business and being an arts entrepreneur. Most creatives hate to sell, and would rather be making than hustling. There is a simple secret to making marketing more palatable - understanding the strategy behind the sales will make a huge impact on your creative career. This down-to-earth and enjoyable workshop explores the mystery behind the marketing magic, specifically for creative professionals. We’ll also examine:+ The key elements of a successful marketing campaign;+ How to understand clients, customer and competitors;+ The deeper meaning of word-of-mouth marketing;+ The importance of social media;+ How to make a website with impact … and much more! Our Creative's Guide to Marketing workshop is tailored specifically to creative people who are (or want to be) self-employed, from students and start-ups to experienced freelancers and arts organisations. What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Creative's Guide to Marketing dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a dedicated webpage full of links and resources to help them get ahead in their creative business. Who should enrol?This workshop is […]

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE! Curious about turning your creative practice into a fully-fledged small business?  This fun and friendly workshop will cover all the essentials you’ll need to get the basics right and avoid some of the most common pitfalls for creatives as they enter the world of self-employment and freelancing.  You will learn all the following, with a focus on the arts and creative industries :+ Making a plan for your start-up journey+ Understanding ABNs, structures, business names and licences+ Getting ready for the money+ Preparing for the market+ Where to go for more (free) help. What do I get?  All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a Dropbox folder jam-packed with resources+ A Creative Business Start-Up Checklist+ A One Page Creative Business and Marketing Plan+ The option of more one-to-one advice from a creative business specialist.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and network with their fellow practitioners. Who is presenting?Monica Davidson is an award-winning expert on the creative industries, who began her professional life as a freelance journalist and filmmaker. In 2014 Monica completed her Masters degree in Screen Arts […]

LINKEDIN IS NOT FOR CREATIVES… Actually, that’s where you’re wrong. LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for creatives but it does take a little bit of manipulation to make it work for you – and help you connect to potential clients and customers! In this interactive online workshop, creative practitioners can learn as a group about how to make the most of LinkedIn for their career. We’ll work together to:+ Finish your summary and experiences;+ Add media and info to your categories;+ Learn what makes a great photo and banner;+ Use a format for previous work that’s ideal for creative workers and freelancers;+ Discuss the strategy: posting, blogging and more. Come and join us for some light learning, a virtual glass of wine and the opportunity to work together get to know each other. You’ll also get to work together in a practical way on your own LinkedIn profile with the help of a professional! What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Hands-on help with their LinkedIn profile;+ Additional resources, including a free webinar to remind them of key pointsYou also get free advice! All NSW participants are entitled to 4 x 1-hour CHAT sessions, with a creative […]

CREATIVE COSTING, PRICING AND SHARING YOUR WORTH Working out what to charge for creative products and services can be a colossal challenge. Where to even start? What’s It Worth is a practical workshop that covers the basics of figuring out the price point for creative work, including calculating costs and understanding what the market can bear. What’s It Worth is vital for anyone struggling to understand the value of their own work, and how to share that value with others.   Participants will also discuss the larger issues of:+ Understanding budgets, including the value of time;+ The psychology of pricing;+ Where cost and price overlap and intersect;+ Understanding the marketplace (and market research); + Creating loss leaders and more. What do I get? All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated What’s it Worth? Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions are welcome in this relaxed, safe and inclusive workshop. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences and […]

DOES SOCIAL MEDIA HURT YOUR BRAIN? Social media is a complex and challenging marketing tool for a lot of creatives, who find it hard to strike the balance between constantly talking about themselves and ignoring the platforms entirely! This friendly and up-to-date workshop covers the basics of how to kickstart marketing using social media, with a focus on the main tools at your disposal and the strategy behind the socials. We’ll also cover:+ Understanding your Brand online+ Understanding your Tribe+ Choosing the right platform for your clients+ Tips and tricks on staying up to date … and much more! What do I get?All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Printed materials to help in class;+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Social Media for Creatives dropbox folder full of additional resources and help;+ Access to a website full of links and resources to help you get ahead in their creative business. Who should enrol?This workshop is ideal for recent graduates, freelancers and anyone struggling with the business aspects of their creativity. Who is presenting?Lillie Brown is a freelance marketing strategist and Marketing Manager of Creative Plus Business. Lillie works with small to medium creative businesses to devise and implement marketing and […]

HOW TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF A COMPELLING BRAND Branding can be a tricky concept to comprehend and many creative freelancers and arts organisations don’t understand how to make it work. In a marketplace full of mixed marketing messages, a compelling brand can help a creative practitioner or organisation stand out from the crowd. Creatives who make the most of their branding can build a loyal community of clients and customers that are engaged and interested, willing to spend money, and happy to spread the word.  In this down-to-earth workshop, participants will learn about:+ The basic concepts of branding, and why it’s so important;+ Personal and professional branding, and how it applies to creative practitioners;+ The ingredients that make a compelling brand;+ Practical steps to help participants bring their branding A-Game What do I get?  All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated Understanding Branding Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the workshop is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to supplement the material covered in the workshop;+ The possibility of further one-to-one business advice, mentoring and support from one of our creative industries business specialist advisors.All questions […]

“BY FAILING TO PREPARE, YOU ARE PREPARING TO FAIL.” Benjamin Franklin summed it up best in the quote above.  A business or strategic plan is a summary and evaluation of an entrepreneurial idea – and it should be more than just a conciliation for bank managers and funding bodies. A useful plan can make the difference between creative business success and heading back to the drawing board. This workshop reframes the planning process specifically for creative practitioners, and helps participants create a plan that will actually help. Participants will dig into the deeper issues of:+ The planning process in general, and to make it useful both internally and externally;+ Choosing the right template, and adding an Action Plan;+ The four sections: admin, finances, marketing and goals;+ The Personal/Private and Professional Plans. Resources and templates will also be provided for a variety of both business and strategic plans, including the preferred options for the Australia Council and other kinds of financing.  What do I get?  All participants of this workshop also receive:+ Lifetime access to a dedicated BUSINESS PLANNING  Dropbox folder full of additional resources and workbooks to help continue the learning after the webinar is over;+ Access to additional free webinars to […]