‘Self-Promotion For The Artist’ is a course designed for artists of all descriptions, whether painters, photographers, illustrators or sculptors, who are ready to take determined steps towards building a successful, fulfilling career in their chosen field.

The course, written by a successful self-promoting Artist, would be useful for new and emerging artists such as newly graduated students as well as hobbyists & recreational artists ready to move towards becoming professional or semi-professional artists.

You will be guided through many of the situations that you will experience as a self-promoting artist, including networking, art fairs and organising self-financed exhibitions. You will receive advice on producing the marketing materials you will need, how to approach the internet and how to supplement your career with additional earning opportunities.

At the end of the course you should have compiled most of the documents and materials you will need to begin your career as a self-promoting artist as well as developing a positive outlook and an increased level of self-awareness.

On successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate an awareness of the national art industry and the opportunities available to you
• Develop a more detailed knowledge of the local industry and the opportunities available to you
• Develop an awareness of your own practices, motivations and career expectations
• Prepare materials required for your promotional activities
• Be able to identify opportunities and develop strategies to utilise those opportunities
• Express yourself in writing for a variety of different professional audiences
• Reflectively evaluate your own development and career planning processes

Lesson 1: Your expectations

• Introduction.
• What have you achieved so far?
• What do you want to achieve from here?
• What is your ‘motivation’?

Lesson 2: Attitude & Outlook

• What is the art world like?
• Treating this as a business.
• How you relate to others.
• Remaining positive and friendly.
• Frame of mind.

Lesson 3: Networking

• Why do you need to get out of your studio?
• Open studio networks.
• Art clubs.
• Visiting galleries and art fairs.

Lesson 4: Marketing Materials

• The CV.
• Business Cards.
• Brochures, invitations and posters.
• Compiling a portfolio.

Lesson 5: Web-Sites & Online Galleries

• Who cares about the internet?
• Your options.
• Designing your own website.
• Using an online gallery service.

Lesson 6: The Artist’s Statement

• What is an ‘artist’s statement’?
• How do you write one?

Lesson 7: Competitions

• The benefit of entering competitions.
• Scams.
• Choosing the right competitions for you.
• What are the various procedures and processes?
• A checklist.

Lesson 8: Self-Financed Exhibitions

• Why should I self-finance?
• A word of warning.
• Designing and installing an exhibition.
• Promoting a self-financed exhibition.
• The preview reception.
• Health & safety.

Lesson 9: Dealing With Galleries & Agents

• Why would you work with galleries and dealers?
• Imagine yourself as a gallerist or dealer.
• Exclusivity.
• The submission.
• Presenting your portfolio.
• Contracts & terms.
• Maintaining relationships.

Lesson 10: Art Fairs

• What is an art fair?
• Why should you consider showing your work at an art fair?
• Which art fair?
• How to prepare.
• What to expect.

Lesson 11: Additional Earning Opportunities

• Will you ever make a living from this?
• Tutoring.
• Residencies.
• Prints and fine art publishing.
• Greetings cards and graphic design.
• Commissions.
• Open a gallery!

Lesson 12: Final Assessment

• Summary.
• Bringing it all together.
• Produce your Artist’s Statement & Curriculum Vitae

On completion of your course, you will receive two qualifications:

Qualification 1: Self-Promotion For The Artist Diploma

Self-Promotion For The Artist Diploma issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, entitling you to use the letters SAC Dip after your name.

Qualification 2: Level 3 Self-Promotion For The Artist Award

At the end of this course successful learners will also receive a level 3 NCFE Award certificate of achievement. That means that it is independently accredited at a level of learning equivalent to level 3 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in which case GCSE's are at levels 1 and 2 and A Levels are at level 3).

This award has been designed by Stonebridge Associated Colleges to meet specific learners' or employers' requirements. Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that this learning programme has been scrutinised and approved by an independent panel of experienced educational professionals and is quality audited biannually by NCFE.

This course is currently only available to be studied via the traditional paper-based method.

At the end of the course you will receive an award issued by Stonebridge Associated College, and also gain full awarding body accreditation for the course.

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 120 hrs.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

What's Included

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support
• The course fee includes the awarding body registration and certification fee (valued at up to £30.00).

What is NCFE

NCFE is the UK's longest established awarding body, recognised as a highly professional and responsive organisation, committed to maintaining excellent customer service and a friendly approach.

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that the college has been inspected and approved by an independent and experienced education professional and is quality audited biannually by NCFE. The centre delivering the programmes has been licensed by NCFE on the basis of its own quality systems. At the end of an accredited course, successful learners will also receive an NCFE Award certificate of achievement.

For more information on this award, click here

Below you will find a list of courses that previous students have taken to complement their course. We hope that this list will give you some idea of the types of progression courses we offer, or alternative course options that may be of interest to you.

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