.Courses
Alison Branagan MA AIBC FRSA is a specialist business adviser working within the creative industries and has a proven track record in research, devising innovative short courses for artists, designers and creative people, which have enhanced their professional standards, increased entrepreneurial skills and generated opportunities to further their practice or enterprise.
Factsheet downloads
To download a fact sheet about all Alison's enterprise courses
at Central Saint Martins, please click here (101kb, need Adobe Acrobat Reader 5/6)
To download a fact sheet about all Alison's enterprise courses
at Chelsea College of Art and Design, please click here (150kb, need Adobe Acrobat Reader 5/6)
To download a fact sheet about all Alison's business start up master classes for illustrators at the Association of Illustrators, please click here (970kb, need Adobe Acrobat Reader 5/6)
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Evening and daytime courses from June 2008 to April 2009
Essential Guide to Self-Promotion for Creatives
| Course: | 1st July to 4th July 2008, weekdays 10.00 - 16.30, 5 days | |
| Cost: | £355 per course | |
| Location: | Central Saint Martins College, Southampton Row, London | |
| Enrol: | Email: shortcourse@csm.arts.ac.uk | |
This course is essential for anyone who is trying to generate income from being an artist, designer or cultural entrepreneur. Based on ten years of active research this course aims to focus on key self-promotion tactics and how to make the best of your presentation skills. Talent is often not enough to guarantee success in the visual arts/creative industries. Creatives have to build a profile, write statements, marketing copy, generate imaginative publicity for themselves and their ventures. Alongside being able to present visual material for editorial use and proposals. Practical exercises will aid you in being able to speak confidently about your projects and ideas in front of sponsors and audiences. |
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"A fabulous course, which I would recommend to anyone wishing to succeed as a creative person. You are incredibly generous with your knowledge. Thank you for a fantastic week"
Daphne Day - Artist
"Very interesting and useful course, rewarding, great handouts, ideas and tips"
Claire Silvestre
Business Start-up Skills for Creatives
| Course 1: | 12 October to 2 December 2008, Tuesdays 18.00 - 20.30, 8 weeks | |
| Course 2: | 20 January to 10 March 2009, Tuesdays 18.00 - 20.30, 8 weeks | |
| Course 3: | 28 April to 16 June 2009, Tuesdays 18.00 - 20.30, 8 weeks | |
| Course 4: | Easter School 14 to 17 April 2009, 10.00 - 16.00, 4 days (Cost £290) |
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| Cost: | £290 per course | |
| Location: | Central Saint Martins College, Southampton Row, London | |
| Enrol: | Email: shortcourse@csm.arts.ac.uk | |
This course is for artists, designers, photographers and image makers who wish to know about how to set up in business, and learn about the benefits of becoming self-employed. Did you know for instance that you can be employed and be self-employed at the same time? Did you know that if you sell work or need to gain commissions or run workshops on an ongoing basis you need to gain legal trading status? But don't panic! This course will give you an overview of where to find sources of support, how to write a business plan, gain funding, and identify a market for your artwork and skills. Other topics covered include raising awareness of legal issues, how to keep records, financial matters, taxation, and invoicing. |
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"All designers and artists should take this course you will not just stumble upon this in-depth information on your own. A great start for a fuzzy future"
Will Gurley - Product Designer www.willgurley.com
"This course has started me thinking about what to do next, and a really interesting bunch of people in a similar position"
Joanna Morley
"Believing in the Discovery Myth"
Chelsea College of Art and Design
Evening and daytime courses from January 2009 to June 2009
Enterprise Confidence for the Creative Industries
| Summer School: | 18 to 21 August 2008, 4 days 10am - 4.00pm | Course 1: | 29 January - 19 March 2009, Thursday Evenings 6pm - 8.30pm, 8 weeks |
| Course 2: | 29th April - 2 June 2009, Wednesday Evenings 6pm - 8.30pm, 8 weeks | |
| Cost: | £300 | |
| Location: | Chelsea College of Art and Design, John Islip Street, London | |
| Enrol: | Email: shortcourses@chelsea.arts.ac.uk | |
Are you an artist, designer or creative professional working within the visual arts sector? Would you like to know the basics of setting up a business and make earning a living from your practice and creative skills successful? This course will guide you through the basics of being self-employed within the cultural sector. In eight workshops you will also discover how to develop enterprise skills. The course will explore the vital areas of self-promotion, networks, how to charge fees, maximising your income through understanding your rights, enhance your negotiation skills, and have the vagaries of taxation demystified. The programme will include critical debate about the key legal issues relating to your particular venture. |
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Association of Illustrators (AOI)
Business Start Up Master Classes for Illustrators
Every Wednesday from 3th September to 12 November 2008 from 6-9pm
Cockpit Arts, (Holborn) off Cockpit Yard, Northington Street, London WC1N 2NP This course will guide you through the first steps of the business start up process. The workshops are open to AOI associate members, recent illustration graduates and people working as freelance illustrators/image makers that feel the need to fill knowledge and skills gaps. During a series of master classes, you will gain essential knowledge and skills to prepare for self-employment. We will cover sources of support and help you plan your business. The course will help you discover how to market and present your portfolio to prospective clients. The experienced gained will build confidence and negotiation practice for the commissioning process. Workshops also cover tax, record keeping, getting paid on time and key legal issues such as generating income from your copyright and relation to contracts. By the end of the Business Start Up Master Classes you will be able to work as a freelance illustrator and draft an eighteen-month month business plan. The workshops will be run by: More information will be available soon. Please visit www.theaoi.com www.theaoi.com. |
September 3 - Business Start up for Illustrators
Tutor: Alison Branagan
Importance of networking |
September 10 - The Essentials of Self promotion
Tutor: Alison Branagan
Self Promotion |
September 17 - Bigger Markets for Profit
Tutor: Alison Branagan
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Importance of vision |
September 24 - Your rights! Copyright and Licensing, Contracts and Rights Grabs
Tutor: Simon Stern
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What is Copyright? |
October 1 - Content Possibly a portfolio and fees session...TBC
Tutor: TBC
October 8 - The Key to Success - the Art of Persuasion and Negotiation
Tutor: Alison Branagan
Presentation and persuasion |
October 15 - Getting it right - Portfolios and Agents
Tutor: Fig Taylor
Getting your portfolio presentation right |
October 22 - How to Make Money
Tutor: Alison Branagan
Money management |
October 29 - Expand your horizons!
Speaker to be confirmed
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New technology and software explored |
November 5 - Tax and Book Keeping Demystified
Tutor: Alison Branagan
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Introduction to understanding tax |
November 12 - Head to Head
Speaker to be confirmed
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3 illustrators and short presentations |
What last years attendees of the AOI Master Classes said...
"Alison's Business Start Up Master Classes are invaluable for anyone starting out on their own. I found the information both useful and presented in a clear and simple way. It's cleared the fog and demystified a lot of Jargon and scary aspects. I also feel better equipped and more confident to know how to start and what to look out for."
Ben Rowe www.benrowe.co.uk
"Alison's workshops were a wealth of information and presented in an interesting way. I've had my own business for 5 years and have still learned so much."
Stephen Hall www.magpiedesigns.co.uk
"Brilliant before the course I had almost no confidence in the business area of illustration I have learned so much - I owe you one! Thank you Thank you Thank you."
Samantha Williams www.eyecandy.org
"Phew! I had to face this and Alison has helped me to demystify the tax monster, thanks, very helpful."
Dan Bramell www.thescribbler.co.uk
"Alison explained very clearly with humour and lots of handouts. The handouts have a lot of source information and there were other elements e.g. Slides to convey points in an interesting and memorable way."
A. Marr
Further Courses are available for Creative people during 2007 - 2008
Please contact alison@alisonbranagan.com for more details.
