The Hunter is home to an innovative and dynamic Creative Industries community. The Smart Arts series aims to provide business and professional skills development as well as networking and collaboration opportunities for the Hunter region’s emerging and established artists, creative practitioners, arts and cultural professionals, managers and leaders.

Event topics will include business development, collaborations, and community leadership for not-for-profit boards.

Initiated by The City of Newcastle in response to local need, Smart Arts has provided professional development opportunities for artists since 2008. With the Creative Industries securing a new respect and appreciation in the business world, Smart Arts has expanded into a three-way partnership to bring vital new dimensions to the program.

The program for Smart Arts will roll out from November 2014 to May 2015 and will include workshops, expert panel discussions and networking opportunities.

Registrations are now open for our first workshop on November 13 with Monica Davidson from Freelance Success.

This workshop is tailored exclusively to build the business skills of creative people and includes everything you need to know about working for yourself in the Creative Industries. Filmmakers, writers, designers, visual artists, musicians, composers, dancers, performers – all are welcome, the more the merrier. If you’re more than one of these professions, great!

In this workshop you’ll find out how to start and run your creative business, and how to manage both personal and business money, including everything you ever wanted to know about tax and the arts. We also look at your legal rights and responsibilities including copyright and contracts, and finally the practical aspects of marketing your work and creating a lifelong career. We’ll even look at what you should charge, how to pitch your ideas without being ripped off, and the personal stuff that no other business course will discuss’.

This workshop is limited to twenty attendees.

Then… All creatives and friends are invited to the Creative Industries Spotlight Session – The Business of Being Creative

Thursday 13 November 2014, 5.30pm – 7.00pm
At HotelCBD, 471 Hunter Street, Newcastle

Are you making a living from your creativity? Our panellists will share their stories, their experiences and their words of wisdom about being involved in the creative industries. Q&A is encouraged and questions taken via Facebook or on the night!

Monica Davidson Freelance Success
Laurence Schuberth Composer Insania music, Head of all things digital NBN Television
Christopher Saunders General Manager, Renew Newcastle
Facilitator – Christina Gerakiteys, Ideation At Work

Followed by Networking and drinks. This event is free and open to all creatives to attend, however, we do require numbers, so please register here for this event: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/smart-arts-spotlight-the-business-of-being-creative-tickets-13322312395