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.Enterprise Training

Specialist Areas

My training style is a mixture of formal lecture, group exercises, and interactive role-play with informative handouts. Lecturing at varying levels with creative people and those whom have completed or are outside formal education that are seeking to develop an occupation or set up in business.

Enterprise Training

Current research shows that artists and designers are three times more likely to be self-employed or start their own micro-enterprises than any other member of the UK population. Creative people today leave college with little or no understanding about a number of practical entrepreneurial and business skills that they actually need to learn in order to make a success out of their vocation or ideas.

Though professional development is important, failure to tackle the importance of establishing oneself as an artist or designer-maker officially means creative people are unable to generate an income or take legitimate payment for their services and artworks. This prevents creatives from taking control over their practice and earning a decent living from their creative works or skills.

Courses and workshops are offered at undergraduate/postgraduate levels and for creative people developing their practice or enterprises outside Higher Education.


To enrol on a course visit the courses page
To view a picture diary of workshops, go here
For information on entrepreneurship, please go here
To book Alison for running a workshop at your college or organisation, email her
Have a look at the "Seven Steps to Self Employment"(opens in new window)

Entrepreneurship

  1. Practical entrepreneurial skills development, including formal skills in database creation, Power Point, Internet, marketing, networking and presentation skills, verbal and written application.
  2. Developing entrepreneurial qualities, negotiation, confidence, presentation techniques, how to sell, innovation, vision, spotting opportunities, creative thinking, flexibility, teambuilding and communication skills.
  3. Seven steps to self-promotion, setting up a website, alternative publicity and profile building strategies.
  4. Enterprise tips, case studies, career options for artists and enterprise signposting.
  5. Community, ethics and social entrepreneurship.
  6. Legal issues, business plans, contracts, NDAs, terms and conditions, insurance, regulations, licenses and copyright/design right/trademarks.
  7. Research methods for interviewing an arts figure/professional/entrepreneur in the visual arts or creative industries.
  8. The artist as entrepreneur, historical overview.
  9. Overview of creative industries, how artists earn their income and location.

Entrepreneurship      

Business Start up

  1. Seven steps to self-employment, business start up and plan, recognising skills gaps, strategies, marketing, USP, 4 P's, accounts, cash flow, costing and pricing, money management, invoices, tax issues, business structures, funding and sources of support.
  2. Writing a business plan for an exhibition or event/project. This includes, funding, plan, SWOT, costing and pricing, timescale, market research and importance of venue.
  3. Marketing and management strategies for an exhibition/event/project. Including, overview of venues, legal issues, meetings and time management, business and marketing plan, promotion, timescale, pricing work, exhibition accounts, roles and responsibilities.

If you are an artist and interested in doing a Professional Development or Enterprise Training course, email me

If you are interested in having a guest speaker or short course delivered, email me