9AM - 10AM
3 Ss of Creative Empowerment: Skills, Strategies and Synergies
Presented by Diana Rivera

Everyone wants to get ahead as an artist. Yet sometimes people can lose traction or forget their way as they aim to grow their careers. This session will explore the 3 Ss of creative empowerment—skills, strategies, and synergies—as a way to take charge of one's current life as an artist and unlock opportunities for career advancement.

11AM - 12PM
Utilizing County Resources to Grow Your Small Business
Presented by Melinda Huynh, Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)

This presentation will provide information on a large variety of free business resources which can assist you in expanding and growing your business. Participants will learn how to access resources to further develop their personal and professional goals. DCBA will also give an overview of their new Business and Worker Disaster Help Center, a call-in and online resource for workers and small businesses navigating the impact of COVID-19.

1PM - 2PM
#HUMANFIRSTMONEYSECOND: A Horizontal and Transparent Mindset as a Form of Empowerment for Freelance Creatives to Gain Social Capital
Presented by Amelian Kashiro Hamilton

Amelian will recount her past experiences of being exploited in the fashion world and explore other examples across the creative industries. With this information Amelian will discuss ways to apply a horizontal and transparent model of healthy, creative co-working to your career by considering the most marginalized bodies first as a strategy to power through and overcome the exploitative nature of capitalism. This is a tool for anyone who is pursuing a business, dream or idea; as social capital is a valuable form of currency that isn’t discussed as often as money. She and her team at Sisters with Invoices believe that community and respect understood from a human-first-money-second application is a power all in its own.

3PM - 4PM
Complexity & Compromise in Collaboration: Managing Individual Needs for Collective Goals
Presented by Maceo Paisley

Whether in a two-person partnership or a team of fifty, each member of a team strongly influences the group’s dynamic and operational capacity. In this session you’ll take a human centered approach to collaborating that is based on behavioral psychology to understand what makes it possible—and successful. We all know that compromise and conflict resolution are key, but what do you do when best practices fail? Participants are encouraged to come with their challenges and inquiries to explore practical ways to gain efficacy in becoming a better collaborator.

9AM - 10AM
Navigating the Industries
Presented by Anuradha Vikram

Are galleries still the best venue to promote the work of 21^st century artists to 21^st century audiences? In this workshop, we’ll identify productive synergies between your artistic goals and sources of support and engagement that may come from unexpected places within the larger umbrella of creative industries. Real world examples of artistic success will be examined as models that artists can study to innovate new avenues for thriving and prospering.

1AM - 12PM
Creative Strategizing within the Public Sector
Presented by Sandra de la Loza

What does an artist residency within the public sector look like? How are artists working toward systemic change within state institutions? Can creative strategies help shift institutional culture toward more inclusive and equitable practices both inward and outward? Learn more about the Creative Strategist Program, a relatively new program funded by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors that embeds artists in year-long residencies within various County Departments. As part of the program’s second cohort, Sandra de la Loza will share reflections, experiences and strategies she used to navigate the social, cultural, political and bureaucratic dimensions of a large scale civic institution.

1PM - 2PM
Getting Your Sh*t Together (GYST)
Presented by Karen Atkinson

Investing in yourself as a creative individual is the best thing you can do for your career. Introducing GYST and its motto: making life better for artists (including those who run organizations)! This session will cover the steps to GYSTing, including where to find free resources on everything from securing loans to finding a workspace, software to help you organize using sustainable business principles, steps to get your own career up-and-running and helpful tips that just make life easier.

3PM - 4PM
Pro Tips on Professionalism & Networking for Artists
Presented by Katrina Frye

Struggling to find the words or tools to take your arts practice to the next level? Feeling stuck with your connections and community? Join Katrina for some practical tips and toots to expand your business savvy and sharpen networking chops. Leave feeling confident to approach grants, investors, and industry professionals to ensure the success and growth of your practice.

9AM - 10AM
Demystifying Grant Writing: Clarity and Process for Success
Presented by Sonia Mak-Shahbazi

You already know how to represent yourself through your art. This session will help you understand the technical process of representing yourself on paper to grant makers. You’ll learn how to communicate clearly and authentically in writing and through the grant application process the merits of your art practice and why your work is deserving of funding.

11AM - 12PM
Can I Make a Living Doing This?
Presented by Allison Wyper

This hands-on session will walk you through the why (your goals and deepest values), what (how much you need to earn to thrive), and how (options for how to structure your career) of financial management for artists. We’ll touch on the importance of getting paid for your work (if that is your goal), declaring your worth, and how to leverage the power of personal relationships and barter resources with peers.

1PM - 2PM
Branding 101: Why Should I Care About You?
Presented by Jian Huang

Major studios and successful individuals alike have to constantly look themselves in the mirror and answer this brutal question: why should anyone care? As advertising and DIY digital marketing become more accessible to the general public, those starting out have to be honest with themselves and tackle the toughest questions first. In this presentation we will discuss some fundamentals of branding, go over tools, and discover a roadmap that will eventually lead you to your audience. You can’t win over everyone, but those who you do win will be your brand’s greatest champions.