Making Art Work: Professional Skills for Emerging Artists
Left to right: Shelli Cassidy-McIntosh (Co-owner/Director, Olga Korper Gallery, Toronto) photo by LF Documentation, Alexandria Masse (Artist), and Mark H. Evans (Dickinson Wright, Toronto).
Do you want to feel more prepared for a career as a visual artist? Come and learn some important and valuable skills that you can carry with you after you graduate. This series of three FREE professional development workshops is designed to encourage artists to think of their studio practice not only as an act of creative and intellectual expression, but also as a business that can create an income.
Registration is required due to capacity limitations. Register here!
Western University students who attend all three workshops in this series and complete the workshop assignment are eligible to receive credit on their Western Co-Curricular Record. WCCR allows Students to showcase their experiences and share their professional skills with future employers.
Pitching to a Dealer/Building You Professional Networking
Tuesday, October 6th, 6 - 9 pm
Scholar's Square, Weldon Library
Curious about how to approach an art dealer about having your work represented in a commercial gallery? This workshop will give participants the chance to hear from well-respected dealer Shelli Cassidy-McIntosh (Co-Owner/Director, Olga Korper Gallery, Toronto) about the protocols and unwritten rules for approaching a gallerist. The workshop will include a series of lightning portfolio reviews for feedback to use when seeking commercial representation. Participants will also be given strategies for developing their professional network and getting their name and work out into the world.
Thinking Beyond the Artist-Dealer Model—Using Social Media to Generate Revenue
Thursday, October 22nd, 6 - 9 pm
Scholar's Square, Weldon Library
Are you interested in marketing your own work? Meet artist Alexandria Masse (Windsor/Toronto) and learn how she has leveraged social media to gain almost 300,000 followers on Instagram alone, land a series of artist’s residencies, develop brand partnerships, and generate an income - all while staying true to her studio practice. Participants will learn about entrepreneurial opportunities available at Western and will work through a series of activities to analyze social media platforms and learn the fundamentals of creating an appealing website.
Navigating Artists Contracts, CARFAC Fees, and the Canadian Copyright Act
Tuesday, October 27th, 6-9 pmScholar's Square, Weldon Library
Are you posting your work online? Have you been asked to sign a contract for an upcoming exhibition? Even if you haven’t already, you probably will in the future if you plan to build a career as an artist. This workshop will introduce you to artist’s exhibition contracts and the CARFAC fee schedule. Lawyer Mark H. Evans (Dickinson Wright, Toronto) will explain how the Canadian Copyright Act protects your rights as an artist (and sometimes how it doesn’t). Participants will work in groups to identify problems in “artist-unfriendly” contracts and suggest strategies for how to advocate for themselves.
