It was an honor to be invited to discuss some of the things I love the most; arts, business, marketing, entrepreneurship & self development.
I had the privilege of speaking on a panel for the students of Centennial College, Arts Management program. The panel featured industry change makers; Vel Omazic, co-founder/ executive director of Canadian Music Incubator, Taija Grey, Digital Marketing Coordinator and lastly Betty Xie, filmaker & producer from The Good Partnership.
It was a treat to connect with aspiring arts professionals and share my background in the field as a cultural producer, artist manager & performing artist. I've worn many hats in my career, shifting quickly, adapting to new roles, learning new skills to stay relevant, jumping into new opportunities and sometimes that can come off as - chaotic.
"Welcome to the world of arts management & artistic entrepreneurship. "
When we can open up the dialogue to share our stories and welcome in inquiring ambitious minds, you begin to recognize yourself in so many others journey's. Many of the times, we are all questioning ourselves, having to navigate creative impulses/inspiration while juggling logistics & structure.
Truly needing to exercise your left and right brain strengths in your work.
Along with discussions of how to land placements, what companies are looking for in free-lance arts managers and what to think of when hiring, outsourcing, curating concepts camet the topic of mindful self development in your career. Being an entrepreneur means that there will be no one to offer you a job promotion, a change in role or to mark your growth. It's all you. I think that can be one of the trickiest things about navigating a self managed career, knowing when it's time to level up and knowing that it is you and only you are in charge of the path, every single aspect of it.
What we forget is that not everyone can do this. To operate under frequent change, pressure lack of a set traditional career path, it is a strength. To navigate this space is an ability and it is your offering to those who are in need of someone who has the capability to move as quickly, creatively, efficiently, resourcefully and with full knowledge of both the artistic side of projects but the technical side of venues, outreach, contracts, management & goals/projections. Lean into the chaos, that's your zone. That's where the magic happens and that is where you cultivate your signature, what the industry will begin to know you as. Having clarity about what you are good at and what you may need support in will allow you to always put your best foot forward, for the other foot - you outsource, you bring together others to put their best forward and together projects come to life under your guidance, vision & leadership.
I thrive in creative environments, conversation & good company; that's what spending the afternoon connecting with the Centennial College students & fellow panel members was.
Thank you for having me!
T E S T I M O N I A L
"On behalf of the Careers in Arts Management class at Centennial College, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for speaking with us today.
In preparing for the Panel Presentation on Marketing and Fundraising we wanted to ensure that we reflected the realities, challenges, and opportunities for emerging arts managers in the field. Your generous and insightful presentation provided us with a clear overview of your work along with important tips for us to consider as we move forward in the program and in our careers.
We greatly appreciate that you made time to meet with our class and to offer your expertise and experience. Our classmates were meaningfully engaged with the invaluable information that you provided, particularly your stresses on clarity and things to consider when marketing yourself versus a company/organization.
Your willingness and enthusiasm to participate in this panel meant a great deal to us.
Thank you so much for your inspiration and mentorship. "
Warmest regards,
Vanessa and La Juliene
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