‘Arts Go Pro’: The Business Side Of Arts And Culture

Six workshops for artists and cultural organizations focusing on the business side of arts and culture are being offered in October and November by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council and Artwell Gallery. The workshops will be lead by experts in the fields of e-marketing, grant writing, websites, photography for promotional use, and legal issues.

Amy Wynn, executive director of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council said: “workshops like these have been offered previously in Connecticut, but not normally in our region.  These workshops have been set up in response to direct requests from our constituents throughout the region’s cultural community.  Artists of all types and cultural organizations wisely recognize the need to increase their professional capacity in today’s world.”

The workshops offered are:

*“E-marketing Essentials,” on Saturday, October 13, 9:15 to 10:30 am, at the UConn Torrington campus.

Patron Technology, one of the leaders in arts e-marketing nation-wide, will introduce e-marketing  techniques and what they can do for artists or organizations, including tips for making e-mail marketing efforts more effective.

*“E-Marketing Strategies,” also Saturday, October 13, 10:45 am to 12:15 pm, at the UConn Torrington campus.

Patron Technology continues with a seminar on e-mail marketing campaign design, planning and result tracking. They will introduce some of the fastest growing trends in online marketing: blogs, podcasts, social networks (such as myspace.com), and most importantly, streaming video.

*“Grant Writing,” a two-part class to be offered Thursdays, October 25 and November 1, from 9 am to noon, at 333 Kennedy Drive in Torrington.

Cheryl Murray of Grantwriters Plus will teach basic components of grant writing, along with researching potential funders, building a case and clarifying the project/program to be funded.  Grant tracking and reporting will also be covered.

*“Legal Issues for Artists,” on Wednesday, November 7, 6:30 to 9 pm, at 19 Water Street in Torrington.

Intellectual Property Attorney Paul Rapp will present a quick and entertaining overview of the law as it pertains to visual and performing artists: copyright and trademark law will be discussed, along with issues related to the internet.  There will be ample time for Q&A.

*“Having A Web Presence,” on Thursday, November 8, from 6:30 to 9 pm, also at 19 Water Street in Torrington.

Philip Fortune, artist and owner of Fortune Works Photography and Web Design, will lead this workshop exploring several different options of obtaining a web presence, with varying in levels of time and financial commitment.  A presence on the internet for visual and performing artists as well as cultural organizations of all sizes cannot be ignored in today’s business world.

* “Imaging Your Work,” on Wednesday, November 14, from 6:30 to 9 pm, also 19 Water Street, Torrington.

Chris Ivers, artist and owner of the advertising agency Ivers Associates, will demystify digital imaging for use on the internet, newspapers, brochures, and more.  Various terms and formats will be covered, along with basic tips, and an introduction to Photoshop’s capabilities.

Advance registration is strongly encouraged due to the popularity of these workshops. Tuition ranges from $25 to $45 per workshop, with discounts for Northwest Connecticut Arts Council or Artwell contributing members, and those enrolling in three or more workshops. For more information or to register, call the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council at 860-482-6586 or send e-mail to info@artsnwct.org.

The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council is a region-wide non-profit organization serving as a central information source for cultural information. Artwell Gallery and Community Center is an umbrella organization sponsoring artistic and educational programs, and performances of Connecticut artists.