Artist Education and Professional Development
I began conducting marketing workshops for small organizations (mostly theaters) in the late 70s while serving as the Audience Development Director at the Manhattan Theatre Club. That blossomed into many years of working with the members of the Alliance of Resident Theaters NY (ART-NY) and working extensively with the Foundation for the Extension and Development of the American Professional Theater (FEDAPT). I co-designed the FEDAPT conference, The Challenge of Change, and co-led a number of their week-long workshops in marketing, held for many years at the Eugene O’Neill Center in Waterbury, CT.
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Once I began to run membership organizations that focused more on individuals than organizations, I realized that the business training available to organizations was sporadic and generally unavailable to individual artists. So, my focus shifted.
When I was developing Creative Capital during the year prior to our launch in 1999, I knew that Professional Development would be a major part of the program design. To a number of our grantees, the new business skills they acquired were as useful as the financial award. Once we saw the impact of the training on our own awardees, we recognized that many more artists could benefit from the information and we began conducting workshops throughout the United States. Our Professional Development Program reached more than 15,000 artists during my tenure, and transformed a lot of lives.
The pieces included in this section are representative of my speeches, workshops, and general advocacy for professional practice training for artists and cultural leaders. I am particularly passionate about both the skill set and mindset artists need to thrive.
What is the skill set and mindset you feel you need in order to thrive? What resources do you have access to that have helped or will help you develop these skills?
