Negotiating the business world can be tricky for young people who are artistically inclined. A local program has been training them over the last few months to help change that.
Tonight, at 6 p.m., they’ll show off what they’ve learned at a fair called “Artrepreneur” at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts on Dunlop at Bayfield.
It’s the second cohort of the program, created by the York Region Arts Council in 2015 and which completed five cohorts in four municipalities by the end of 2016.
Here, the program is run by Invest Barrie, and senior strategy and marketing coordinator Neeta Grover, explains a bit of what it’s all about.
“The students are all artists or run art-based businesses. The program is designed to provide artists with business skills to help them turn their art practice into a sustainable business.”
Last year, Artrepreneur advanced the business skills of dozens of local artists, by teaching them valuable lessons, according to Grover.
“They learned how to put a value proposition around their art/business that will differentiate themselves. They also put together a business plan which they can use when talking to investors, banks, or others.”
Moreover, “the majority of the students are based in Barrie, with their businesses here as well.”
Artrepreneur Barrie was made up of weekly seminars and workshops, assignments, mentorships and a final presentation and expo over four months. Those who run the program say it primarily serves Barrie-based artists, arts groups, arts businesses and creative entrepreneurs working in all creative disciplines such as visual arts, dance, theatre, film, music, jewellery, fashion, graphic design, gaming and augmented reality.
Weekly sessions have been taking place since mid-September out of Georgian College, wrapping up classes toward Christmas.
Tonight marks the graduation ceremony and expo for the young people who have grown and blossomed from the program.
By the end of the program, students will have a complete business plan in their quivers, and the opportunity to present their work in front of industry leaders. Graduates of the program will also be awarded a certificate endorsed by all program partners.
What better place to hold the expo and show off what people have learned than the centrally-located Mady Centre, says Grover. “The Mady is at the core of the city's downtown where creativity and businesses thrive.”
Artrepreneur gets underway at 6 p.m., at the Mady Centre, 1 Dunlop Street West.
