New Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshop series for artists in Western and North Central Minnesota

Fergus Falls, MN – Springboard for the Arts, Lake Region Arts Council and Region 2 Arts Council are delighted to announce a new series of Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshops. Funding for the series is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and support of the West Central Initiative Fund.

Workshops will be available exclusively to artists and creative entrepreneurs in the Lakes Region Arts Council and Region 2 Arts Council service areas: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, Wilkin, Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods and Mahnomen counties. Workshops will be held online and start October 21 and will be held every two Wednesdays from 1:00 - 3:30pm through April 7.

Registration & more information: https://springboardforthearts.org/work-of-art-business-skills-for-artists-lrac-r2ac/

"We are delighted to be able to partner with the Lakes Region Arts Council and Region 2 Arts Council to bring these workshops to artists in our area," says Springboard Rural Program Director Michele Anderson. "Right now it is especially important for artists to have the skills, connection, and community needed to build their practices and their creative businesses, and these workshops will provide that opportunity."

"Work of Art is always a hit with our artists," notes Lake Region Arts Council Executive Director Maxine Adams. "They learn so much and make lasting connections with other artists. We are excited to offer the series again this year."

"Springboard's online delivery of their Work of Art series greatly expands accessibility to participation and career advancement for artists in our rural communities," adds Region 2 Arts Council Executive Director Laura Seter. "Whether an artist attends one workshop or all twelve, engagement with the facilitators and other artist participants is sure to have a lasting impact."

Workshops will be held via Zoom and participation via computer is recommended, however, joining the workshop by phone is also an option if internet or computer access is a barrier. All workshops will include closed captioning services. Participants are invited to register for the whole series or for specific workshops relevant to their needs.

If internet or computer access is a significant barrier to participation, interested artists can contact Springboard for the Arts at (218) 998-4037 to get connected to local community resources to support their participation.

Workshop schedule:

Career Planning – Wednesday, October 21, 2020 – 1pm-3:30pm

Time Management – Wednesday, November 4, 2020 – 1pm-3:30pm

Portfolio Kit – Wednesday, November 18, 2020 – 1pm-3:30pm

Marketing – Wednesday, December 2, 2020 – 1pm-3:30pm

Promotions – Wednesday, December 16, 2020 – 1pm-3:30pm

Pricing – Wednesday, January 13, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Recordkeeping – Wednesday, January 27, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Legal Considerations – Wednesday, February 10, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Funding – Wednesday, February 24, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Grantwriting – Wednesday, March 10, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Business Plan Essentials – Wednesday, March 24, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Engaging Customers and Selling Your Work – Wednesday, April 7, 2021 – 1pm-3:30pm

Registration: https://springboardforthearts.org/work-of-art-business-skills-for-artists-lrac-r2ac/

The Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists has been led by Springboard for the Arts across the state of Minnesota, and replicated across the country as an accessible, practical resource for artists and creative entrepreneurs to develop their business skills. The toolkit of the curriculum can be downloaded for free from Springboard for the Arts: https://springboardforthearts.org/woa/

About Springboard for the Arts

Springboard for the Arts is an economic and community development organization for artists and by artists. From our offices in Fergus Falls and Saint Paul, MN, Springboard provides programs that help artists make a living and a life, and programs that help communities connect to the creative power of artists. Our work is about creating communities and artists that have a reciprocal relationship, where artists are key contributors to community issues and are visible and valued for the impact they create. We do this work by creating simple, practical solutions and systems to support artists. Springboard's work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Guardian and directly impacts over 25,000 artists each year in our home state of Minnesota. Through national tools and training Springboard's programs have been replicated in over 80 communities across the U.S. and internationally. Learn more about our work at: http://www.springboardforthearts.org.

About Lakes Region Arts Council

Since its inception as an arm of the Rural Development Commission in 1977, Lake Region Arts Council (LRAC) has been committed to providing access to quality arts opportunities and programming. Based in Fergus Falls, Lake Region Arts Council serves the nine counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin in west central Minnesota. Learn more at: https://lrac4.org/

About Region 2 Arts Council

Since 1980, the Region 2 Arts Council (R2AC), has been helping the people of North Central Minnesota strengthen the presence and purpose of the arts in their lives. Based in Bemidji, R2AC supports opportunities for arts creation, promotion, and education for the people of Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, and Mahnomen counties. Learn more at: https://r2arts.org/