Based on your feedback, we have taken our most popular workshops, improved upon them, and created a core curriculum and certification program called “the Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists”. This nine-session series is a regularly occurring part of our workshop schedule, however we also present single and multiple session sets around the region to groups of artists interested in career development. Designed to be useful to artists in all disciplines; you can take them all in sequence, or one at a time. Participants earn a certificate upon completion of all nine sessions.

To see which sessions are coming up, check out our workshops page here.

Please contact Kathleen at 651-292-3205 or Nikki at 651-379-0871 for pricing information, to schedule "Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists" workshops in your area, or other questions. You can also email Kathleen or Nikki

Identify It: Career Planning for Artists
Where do you want to be- both artistically and professionally? This session concentrates on examining your career and developing a well-thought-out career plan. Learn how to define your career path, and develop goals and strategies for achieving your objectives.

Make Time For It: Time Management for Creative People
Are you a right-brained person living in a left-brained world? We will recommend approaches for getting control of your day, creating work time, and reaching your artistic goals.

Package It: Professional Presentation
This session focuses on promotional materials: your business card, artist statement, artistic résumé, and your portfolio. We will talk about targeting your resume, choosing a work sample (slides vs. CD, etc.) and composing the catalog page that accompanies it. We’ll discuss documentation techniques and effective uses of promotional materials. Artists are encouraged to bring promotional materials along for review.

Sell It: Marketing for Artists
This session is devoted to identifying the right audience for your artistic output, positioning yourself (including how you price your work) and then developing marketing strategies and a marketing plan geared for that audience. Understanding the rules of the game of self-promotion will help you.

Protect It: Legal Considerations for Artists
From protecting your intellectual property to choosing a legal form for your artistic business, an understanding of underlying legal principles will help you make smarter choices. This session centers on information about copyrights and contract basics regarding selling and licensing your work, as well as getting into business.

Keep Track of It: Recordkeeping and Financial Management for Artists
How does your actual income compare with your desired income? If working with numbers drives you crazy, we have clear, simple methods for setting up your financial books. Learn how Budgets and Cash Flow Statements help you plan for profit (it isn’t just whatever is left at the end.) Making accurate projections about what to expect allows you to plan for it and to prosper.

Plan Its Future: Simple Business Plans for Artists
A business plan will help you grow your artistic business, a.k.a. your career. This session explains how to prepare a simple business plan, in arts friendly language. People primarily think about writing a business plan when they are seeking money, but a business plan is an essential planning tool for any small business (even if you’re “just a painter!”)

Get Paid for It: Funding Your Work
This session’s topic is generating income. We’ll discuss the value of multiple income streams. We’ll cover research and application preparation techniques for grants, fellowships, scholarships, and residency programs available to individual artists, We’ll also talk about finding and maintaining partners in the community as a strategy for expanding your audience and appeal to potential funders.

Go for It: Life After the Work of Art- Planning for Your Future
So, you have your “Springboard Certificate”…now what? We’ll address using the skills learned and resources from the program, and who might care that you’ve taken the time to learn this. We will discuss insurance, retirement savings and planning for your future. This session includes networking time.