Bow Skills: How to Win Art Opportunities

About

This talk will offer practical, actionable tips that can be applied across applications, with a focus on a methodical and organised approach for applying to arts opportunities. Covering researching opportunities through to what you should actually submit to an open call, this talk aims to help artists and creative practioners look objectively at what they are already doing and develop this to be as effective as possible, whilst also providing guidance on where to source reputable opportunities.

Bow Arts seeks to support creative professionals at all stages of their careers. In 2015 Bow Arts launched Bow Skills in response to an artist survey which showed over 90% of practicing artists find it useful to receive further support outside formal education. Bow Skills is a dynamic and relevant programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which is informed by an artist steering group and open to all creative practioners and artists across London. The programme of talks, panel discussions, new skills labs and peer crits is open to all and bookable through eventbrite.

Caitlin Smith Bio:

Caitlin has been working in Visual Arts for over 13 years and has worked across many facets of the industry from commercial sales to marketing and event management with a range of clientele. She was lucky to be awarded the Chelsea Arts Club Trust Research Fellowship in 2011 where she developed her skills and passion for working with both emerging artists and platforms, as well as those who are working within more niche areas namely across visual, performance and photography. Currently she is the Marketing Consultant for the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize, a Board Member for performing arts platform Insights Platforms and gives support to a range of clients from individual Artists to more established organisations with developing their audience engagement and reach. At the centre of Caitlin’s drive is the desire to support projects and platforms with their audience outreach through marketing and business development strategy. In turn she hopes this actively encourages more people from the wider public context to confidently engage with the industry as a whole, believing that more awareness and more engagement can positively impact the growth of the Arts as a whole. 

Ashurst Emerging Art Prize: 

The Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize offers 8 awards overall to emerging artists that show significant potential, interesting ideas, a relevant message and skilful execution. We understand that talented artists exist in many forms, so endeavour to appeal to emerging artists of all ages and career paths, whether student, graduate, full-time or part-time, and from any country. The prize was started with the aim of being different to the more faceless, unapproachable prize model seen so often. With a key focus on offering something that benefits all artists and entrants, not just the shortlisted and winning ones, the prize offers an annual talks programme open to all artists, advice blog, application feedback for early entrants and the featuring of entrants in their ongoing campaigns and projects.

Ashurst's aim in sponsoring the Emerging Artist Prize and Emerging Artist Programme is to find, build and support the careers of talented international emerging artists and get their art seen by a wider audience. The 2019 prize is open for entries until 10 February 2019, further information is available here: https://www.artprize.co.uk