CAN Do Creatives is our targeted training for 21 artists and creatives from a range of artistic disciplines and backgrounds. The programme has the options of either online or in-person training.
This is CAN’s first face-to-face work since lockdown started in March 2020.
This FREE course, funded by the European Social Fund, supported unemployed artists and creatives facing the challenges of building a successful creative career, especially in these uncertain times.
The course delivered bespoke training in employability, including:
Confidence and presentation skills;
Self-employment and finance;
Successful project planning including applying for funding and commissions;
Marketing and networking to grow a profile; ensuring an artist’s practice meets relevant legislation such as health and safety;
Creative sessions to develop a digital showcase of artists’ work to conclude the programme.
The course includes a Survival Skills for the Real World unit where artists can share ideas and talk about working in the climate of COVID.
COVID has presented more challenges for artists than just social distancing and isolation.
“The pandemic is having a huge negative impact on opportunities for artists and the sector is becoming even more competitive. This is a particular challenge for unemployed artists who are new to the UK, emerging artists and those keen to reignite their careers.”
“The landscape of COVID means, that now, more than ever, there’s a need for artists to upskill, network, grow their profile, and share strategies and approaches.”
The first unit, delivered by the trainer, Linda Horsburgh concentrated on building confidence, with lots of practical exercises, discussion as well as some theory, with subsequent units exploring employability skills, marketing and health and safety. The units were delivered to small groups in person, and online. Kooj Chuhan, an artist who’s worked with CAN for many years, delivered a range of sessions including project planning, self-employment, finance and digital skills to support artist’s careers in both the organisation and marketing of their work. Members of the group at the face-to-face sessions were, of course, suitably masked and socially distanced, and delighted to connect.
“Thanks for the session today. Confidence is something that fluctuates for me. I can go from feeling confident about my practise to feeling really low in confidence so today was helpful.”
This programme is funded by the European Social Fund.
