NEW BEDFORD, MA — For the second consecutive year, New Bedford Creative is tapping into the knowledge and expertise of the city’s very own creative entrepreneurs to help provide guidance and support to other artists.
Peer-to-Peer Sessions returns on Nov. 1, 2022, and will continue on a monthly basis through April, 2023. NB Creative Peer-to-Peer Sessions are free to attend. They are funded by MassDevelopment/TDI and the Barr Foundation, and this program is one component of a broader TDI Creative Cities initiative to boost arts-based economic development.
“We had a terrific response to last year’s Peer-to-Peer series,” explains Creative Strategist Margo Saulnier, “and we’re fortunate to be able to continue this unique support system for creative residents of New Bedford with a new line-up of talent and topics.”
Peer-to-Peer Peer Sessions are an almost exclusively online series designed to support individual artists and creative entrepreneurs as well as smaller arts, culture, and creative enterprises, both for-profit and nonprofit. The first two sessions will be conducted by sculptor John Magnan.
Called “Your Art is Your Business,” he will introduce the basic information artists need to establish themselves as a business in the series premiere on Tuesday, Nov. 1 from 1-2:00 p.m. Topics for discussion will range from why and how to set up a sole proprietorship, filing taxes, the importance of record keeping, and the real relationship between time and money.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, again from 1-2:00 p.m., he will share his observations and experiences regarding income streams, contracts and commissions, artistic copyright, and moral rights.
Further Peer-to-Peer Sessions from #NBcreative continue each month thereafter, all online and free attend via Zoom. The one exception is one in-person session on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 6:00p.m. at the Kilburn Mill at 127 W. Rodney French Boulevard in New Bedford, conducted by Kathi Chase of K&A Creations. She will discuss the importance of offering sober event options in the area for those struggling or impacted by addiction.
Subsequent NB Creative Peer-to-Peer Sessions are as follows:
Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 1-2:00 p.m.: “Business Strategies – Freelancer Pay Equity.” Fine art photographer and consultant Denn Santoro will discuss compensation research and explain the various costs freelancers are responsible for. This session will explore how to calculate the real value of freelance pay compared to employee pay with benefits.
Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 1-2:00 p.m.: “Business Strategies – Basic contracts for Artists and Galleries.” Again with Denn Santoro, this session will cover basic, plain language information on what artists should be sure is included in gallery contracts and the need to have contracts when a third party is selling your work.
Tuesday, Feb. 7 from 1-2:00 p.m.: Roger Andrews, a first-class freelance illustrator, kicks off three sessions during February with an Introduction to Character Design – “The Good, The Bad and The Fuzzy,” followed by “The Form IS The Function” on Tuesday, Feb. 14, and “Make Your View…Askew” on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.
Tuesday, March 7 from 1-2:00 p.m.: “Planning and Sustainability for Musicians and Audio Arts” with Michael “Mikey Life” Monteiro III, founder and owner of Abstrakt Music, and the Abstrakt Lab. An artist, producer, DJ, engineer, and entrepreneur who splits his time between New Bedford and Los Angeles, he will share strategic planning in the music industry.
Tuesday, April 4 from 1-2:00 p.m.: Fine artist Catherine Carter kicks off the first of three sessions with the workshop “Determining Your Goals” – how to identify and clarify your creative dreams and goals. On Tuesday, April 11 she’ll urge participants to let go of the things that no longer serve them, so they can see what’s left and decide how to use it during “Declutter and Get Organized.” And finally, on Tuesday, April 25, to wrap up the second series of Peer-to-Peer Sessions, she will host “Moving Forward” – how to design an action plan so you can take intentional steps toward your artistic destiny.
“Last year’s Peer-to-Peer Sessions were so well-received – and are still proving valuable to New Bedford artists as videos on New Bedford Creative’s YouTube page,” says Margo Saulnier. “We’re really establishing a legacy of entrepreneurial collaboration in the city that is laying a strong foundation for our creative residents that will be useful for some time.”
Follow New Bedford Creative for specific event listings for each Peer-to-Peer Session. #NBcreative can be found at Facebook.com/NewBedfordCreative, @_nbcreative on Instagram, and @_nbCreative on Twitter. The YouTube channel can be found here.
Featured photo: Artist Peter Lonelle Walker speaks with Marianella Perry, NB Creative Senior ARPA Fellow. Photo: Anj Kepinski for NB Creative.
About New Bedford Creative
New Bedford Creative is housed at the New Bedford Economic Development Council, and tasked with implementing the city’s first-ever strategic arts and culture plan, published in December 2018. The vision of the plan is that “In New Bedford, the creative community is an engaged and powerful partner, inspiring social, economic, and cultural growth. In this authentic seaport city, each and every person enjoys an opportunity to experience a diversity of cultures. Art is everywhere, encouraging fun, provoking thought, and nurturing the soul.”
Funding is provided by the New Bedford Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, proposed by Mayor Jon Mitchell in the spring of 2016 and signed into law by Governor Baker in January 2017. The New Bedford Economic Development Council has a three-year agreement to manage the fund for the City. This work is led by the Creative Strategist, a 24-member volunteer Creative Consortium, with staff support from the NBEDC and Departments of City Planning, Tourism & Marketing, Parks, Recreation & Beaches, and the Mayor’s Office. Additional funding is provided by Arts Midwest, Barr Foundation, Bristol County Savings Bank, MassDevelopment/TDI, Mass Cultural Council, New Bedford Local Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, SouthCoast Community Foundation, and Southeastern Massachusetts Visitors Bureau.