Creatabot
Creatabot is a project that connects, promotes and supports creativity. Based in Medway, UK.
Notes From The Creatabot Workshop: Expanding Your Creativity – By Natasha Steer
For the benefit of those who came and those who could not make the workshop here is a list of the subjects discussed. If you would like me to give the workshop in your area or in your community/creative group please contact me on natasha@creatabot.co.uk
EXPANDING YOUR CREATIVITY
WORKSHOP NOTES
- Creatabot is an independent website and online magazine for creatives. Its aim is to inspire and support creative individuals. We work closely with the creative community to help develop ideas and try new ideas. We like to make things happen.
- I work closely with coFWD – a community led work space. Find out more about them by watching this short film. coFWD is based at 161 Rochester High Street, Kent. You can pop by any time to find out more and see the space. Please watch the video before hand so you know what to expect! http://cofwd.org
Event Organising
- If you want to organise an event, the best thing you can do first and foremost is write a press release. The basic order for a press release is the following:
Headline
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
Contact details
Image
You only need about 3 paragraphs of information for your press release.
Here is an example:
Artist Sarah Maple Launches Major Solo Exhibition
Artist Sarah Maple is to hold her first major solo exhibition at the Aubin Gallery, Shoreditch, London, from the 9th of February to 9th March 2012.
Sarah Maple’s exhibition “It’s a Girl!” takes a slightly controversial, but tongue in cheek look at what it is to be a woman and Muslim in the modern day. The work on show takes a more questioning look at traditionally accepted identity, gender and religion whilst revealing the young artists unique talent.
Currently living in Sussex, UK, 27 year old Sarah Maple has displayed work in various exhibitions in New York, Canada, Israel and Europe. Inspired by her own Muslim background, Sarah Maple uses photography and paintings to get her personal message across about subjects that have become socially acceptable and brings attention to the faults in this thinking.
End
Contact Details of Organiser
IMAGE
- Eventbrite is a great way to sell tickets to your/monitor attendees for free events http://www.eventbrite.co.uk
- Facebook is great for inviting people to events and promoting them. Okay not everyone likes Facebook, but for events, it is great.
- MEDWAY PEOPLE: Great people to contact are the KM group, WOW magazine , Going On In Medway and Fizzers Radio show.
Creatabot can set you up with an account so that you can promote your creative related events, anywhere in the UK. email natasha@creatabot.co.uk to make it happen!
- When you need an image to promote an event, do not use someone else’s images without their permission. It isn’t work risking! Instead go to Flickr and go to advanced search, use words linked to your event and tick the Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content.
If the event is for profit then you need to tick the “Find content to use commercially”.
- Find out more about Creative Commons Licences, it could protect your precious work also!
All creatives need to know about these licences!
Online Presence
- The key to social media ( Twitter/ Facebook) is NOT to try and hard sell.
- Express your personality, whilst also being neutral and professional.
- People can unfollow you / unfriend you for silly reasons!
- Post images of your work.
- Facebook and Twitter can be linked, so that you only post something once.
Pinterest is an easy way to create an online portfolio.
WEEBLY is a great easy way to make a FREE website that can be linked to your domain name.
POP UP SHOPS
Dan Thompson has put together the Empty Shops Network – which is a great resource for people wanting to run a pop up shop. The Pop Up Business of Dummies is brilliant. A PDF is available here:
http://emptyshops.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/developing-your-pop-up-plan1.pdf
But I recommend a hard copy, which can be bought on Amazon.
Pop Up Shop people:
Are willing to embrace the temporary nature of an opportunity, and agile enough to adapt and change as the opportunity does.
Always have an eye on the future, using a pop up to inform or inspire another plan or project, or to prototype a new business. They are interested in the long-term sustainability of their work.
Funding
The two main bodies for funding continue to be your local council and the Arts Council. Out of the two, your local council are likely to be more helpful.
MEDWAY PEOPLE: There is an artist resource centre inside the Visitor Information Centre in Rochester High Street. Inside the room there are folders packed with information about applying for funding with lots of different organisations, its brilliant!
You can book time in the room by calling 01634 338319
- In the future in the UK, KICKSTARTER will be an awesome way to get funding. Have a look!
Community Projects
Helping your local community is a great way to expand your creativity, a great way to get people together for a particular project is by using:
That’s all for now! Thank you for reading!
By Natasha Steer
Area: UK Britain East of England East Midlands London North East North West Yorkshire Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands
About Natasha Steer
