What is Artists Connect & Support, Reset-Reinvent?
This is a free weekly online meeting of artists and creative entrepreneurs to connect, support and inspire each other during the lockdown. Here you will find weekly updates, tips and resources.
This blog will be updated on a weekly bases with answers to your questions ⤵️
Content
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How does it work?
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How to attend?
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Tue 14 April 2020, 3pm Minutes and 22 Tips
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Tue 14 April 2020, 3pm Q&A
How does it work?
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Sharing: Participants discuss current challenges and wins.
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Ask the expert: In conversation with a guest speaker about current and relevant topics including: Marketing, Finance, Resilience, Mental Wellbeing, One to One support, New business strategies, Fundraising etc.
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Tips and Advice: Sharing of Ideas and strategies for success
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Weekly online updates, tips and resources.
How to register and attend?
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👉Click here to register and request the Zoom Meeting link
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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Tue 14 April 2020, 3pm minutes and 22 tips
Notes taken during this zoom meeting. Various tips from our guest speaker Kwesi, Tomorr and others on how to deliver online dance lessons and adapt to the new situation.
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Do not compare yourself with others. You and your art are unique and there are lots of people out there willing to pay money for your expertise and what you have to offer.
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Use wireless devices, giving yourself the flexibility to record and deliver your dance lessons online
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Know what you are offering. Taking things online is just as difficult as organising a gig. Therefore, plan it in a similar way.
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Ask your audience what they want. So you can provide what they need.
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Build your personal brand on and offline. Combine your digital assets, videos, documents with live performances, merchandise etc.
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Think how you might generate income independently from Arts Council Funding. Be mindful and ready for when ACE funding might not be available.
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Borrow from other art forms. Musicians generate digital products. As performing artists we can create short videos (1-2 mins)
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Branding. Have branded merchandise at hand (T shirts, keyrings, hats, jumpers, books, calendars etc). Utilise Websites such: T-mail T-Spot. You send them the design and they post it directly for you, minimising the need to have a storage space
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Diversify your income streams. Being at the same place in exchange of our time and energy will not take you anywhere.
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Collaborate with others on getting premises and you can all share the benefits
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Do not ask for permission on producing your digital assets.
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Use various digital platforms (free or at very low cost) to build your digital community online
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Combine your online and offline assets
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Look out for new opportunities post Covid19.
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Revitalise the high street space.
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Community arts space. You can save the Council money, you benefit from traffic, security, other amenities, (40% occupancy). After this situation is over, there will be lots of businesses that will benefit. Empty spaces are a great opportunity
15. Think of creating Holographic platforms, Augmented reality etc.
16. Retail spaces. Go to the council. Visit the website www.nimbus to see what properties are available
17. Contact Local Authorities for empty shops and premises. Try a few before they say yes.
18. Now is the best time to connect and partner with others in the group and outside (web developers etc)
19. Start thinking what services and products could be digitised to build your digital assets
20. Connect with others in the group to have them as the accountability buddy where you could report and get support
21. Look beyond your niche, art from or comfort zone for opportunities
22. If you can not pay cash at the moment, you can exchange your services/products with others, including group members for example:
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Classes with various providers
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Video – Sam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-mchale-north-624a29178/
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Website – Armand: https://bonitech.co.uk/
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Advise and video/audio – Kwesi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwesi-johnson-frsa-9643551b/?originalSubdomain=uk
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Copy writing or editing etc
Tue 14 April 2020, 3pm Q&A
Answers to some of the questions I have received from various artists and creatives.
Question:
A lot of the professional dance studios in London require the teachers to pay for their allotted studio slots – usually taken out of the monies that students pay directly to the teacher on arrival at class (or sometimes taken at the end). Would it harm the studios to say allow a month’s worth of free studio hire in order for them to re-establish their classes? It seems to me that it will take a long time for classes to start picking up again – the first month back could mean teachers will effectively be getting zero with only small numbers turning up (e.g. studio hire = £30 for the hour but student takings only amounting to £28)
Answer:
Call the studio owner and explain the situation. Offer a small fee to retain the place and hours Keep the relationship with the students and their parents by offering value and extra things.
Question:
How long, in your opinion, will it take for dance companies, video projects and other performing/work opportunities to start gaining momentum? I’m just wondering that with the abrupt start of the public ‘lockdown’ many people and companies would have been cut short in their activities and potentially have lost a lot of money already. Videographers, choreographers, performers, and in fact the whole supply chain might find themselves in a ‘year zero’ situation due to the project cancellations in March.
Answer:
Who are your customers? Why do they buy from you? What’s unique on your offering? It is time to show your true colours and care. Do not retreat from your customers. Think what assets you can create. At the moment, Digital assets are a bit easier to create. Partner with other artists and art forms. Videographers would benefit from actors and dancers and voiceovers. Voice over is really taking off at the moment
Question:
For individuals, at any point of the performing spectrum, it may well mean spending a year or more on state benefits or filling jobs in a totally unrelated sector when (as people across the whole political range of viewpoints) we go into the post-lockdown economic recession. Are we looking at a ‘lost generation’ in the UK performing arts industry or do you think it will be a quicker return to normality than current predictions say otherwise?
Answer:
Go back to basics, vision, mission and values.
Why are you doing this?
What is your purpose? We are resilient and have overcome worst situations in the past. ACE is providing some support. Assess and utilise your Transferable skills, Collaborations, Partnerships and above all a new mindset.
Question:
Public/private space: When I get ready and prepare to use/record in (prep/set up/shoot/workout etc). I’d be interested in any information about insurance cover and risk assessment for online movement work delivered from home, including delivering public classes to other people’s homes. Eg contents insurance often only covers home office/admin work (and a limited number of visiting clients)
Answer:
Coming soon
Question:
Does Equity’s PLI cover online classes (whether free/donations or paid work); what happens if a teacher or their student injuries themselves in their home? What steps do performers need to make to ensure they’re covered in their home. Should a disclaimer be included with class/activity details. Not to mention that I know quite a few performers who wouldn’t feel comfortable recording or streaming activities from their private home/space. Any ongoing discussions or info would be great!
Answer:
Coming soon
You can contact me if you want to discuss any thing in particular related to creative industries and your career in the performing arts.
Tomorr Kokona
Artistic Leadership Coach and Performing Arts Specialist
