'Making It' Short Course

Image Credit: Oliver Cottam, Film Still

10.30-12.30: Seminar

12.30-13.30: Lunch (Provided). Notify [email protected] if you have any allergies or intolerances. (NB. Lunch may not be provided on 9 Sep, tbc.)

The aim of this course is to give you the tools needed to thrive professionally as a visual artist. How do we seek first God’s Kingdom as practising artists? How do we balance professional integrity and career ambitions with Christian characteristics such as humility, prayer and love? We’ll look at how to manage time and resources such as money and studio with building websites, developing social media platforms, writing a CV, artists statements and developing relationships with galleries, curators and collectors.

This course is designed to help you build confidence as an artist and nurture professional skills for a sustainable career. Each session includes a biblical reflection, brief lecture with practical tips and guidance followed by structured reflective time in small groups and individually. There will be opportunity to ask questions and have discussion for group support and mentoring. This is a tailor-made course for artists looking to take the next steps in their career with a look to making it for many years to come.

Course Overview:

1. Making and Maintaining Opportunities

Working as an artist today doesn’t just involve making the work. There’s the whole business side of things, marketing, networking and getting your work out there. Most of us cringe at such things but it’s really about giving yourself the best opportunities to thrive as an artist and earn a living through your art. This introductory session looks at various strategies for a sustainable art career covering foundations of social media, web development, how to approach galleries and getting yourself noticed.

2. Making a Statement

Most artists are asked to write about their work these days. Whether press release for exhibition, statement for website or short snippet for social media it’s important to know how to write about your work well. In this session we’ll be looking at best practice for artists statements and CVs, helping you write in a winsome way that opens doors for further possibilities.

3. Making a Living

There are ways of making a living without selling out. In this session we’ll look at various models for income and case studies of artists who’ve found a way to fund it. Many artists work independently of galleries yet others prefer the commercial gallery route. With consideration of artists residencies, fund applications and parallel career options we’ll also discuss how to price your work, market and sell it.

4. Mapping your art worlds

As artists we rarely work on our own. Most of us will be part of a community or network who support our practice. In this session we’ll discuss how to build connections with fellow artists, curators, collectors, gallerists, critics, artists and supporters. We’ll talk about how to navigate the art world, building sustainable relationships with galleries, art fairs and public institutions. In this final session we’ll discuss how to plan for the future. Building on what we have learned together we’ll consider what the next steps are for your art career. A reflective session with review of the last four weeks and opportunity to ask more specific questions.

Tutor

Alastair Gordon is an artist, writer and co-director Morphē Arts. He is also a practising Christian.

Alastair is represented by a London gallery and his paintings are exhibited in international art fairs and collections. He studied at Glasgow School of Art and Wimbledon School of Art. After graduating he was awarded the inaugural Shoesmiths Painting Prize and now has over a decade experience working professionally with galleries, collectors and public museums. His first book Why Art Matters was published by IVP and his latest monograph book, Quodlibet is published by Anomie. He also lectures in painting at the Leith School of Art, Edinburgh where he serves as Programme Leader for the Graduate Residency. Last year, together with Sarah, he set up the Morphē Arts residency programme – a 6 month residency hosted at St Barnabas Church in East London.

Host or Publisher Morphe Arts