The ArtLinks e-Newsletter is sent to several 1000 creative practitioners and those interested in the Arts each month
09 Apr 08
Welcome to the ArtLinks e-Newsletter
A regular Art News and Information Bulletin from the participating ArtLinks Partner Counties: Co Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow
Hi everyone,
The first news this month is for our visual arts members; the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray, Wicklow has formed an association with ArtLinks in regards to their Greenstar 2008 Open Submission Award. Please download an Application Form from the homepage of www.artlinks.ie
We will be announcing our Spring ArtLinks Courses in the coming weeks. These courses will focus on the Business aspects of working in creative areas. Registered members please look out for brochures in the coming weeks at which time places on courses can be secured online on the Course page of the website. Courses will include Business Mentoring for your Creative Practice (see more below), Marketing your Creative Work, Applying for Funding, Photographing/Documenting your Creative Work, Getting your Visual Work Online Today, and Blogging for Beginners. Courses are open to all amateurs and professionals, individuals and groups; priority is given to ArtLinks members.
Speaking of which, the news from the Kilkenny Arts office is that they have a blogsite (an online diary) www.no72artistsresidency.com
for their ongoing Artists-in-Residence programme. The current artist is Liselott
Olofsson, who is posting her work-in-progress on the blog; please feel free to browse, comment and learn more about this programme. The Kilkenny Arts Office is also asking Kilkenny writers to respond to a survey to assess the need for a Writer-in-Residence, Kilkenny writers please respond to posted survey forms or download form here.
There is plenty of Art News from other counties (ArtLinks members are increasingly using the ArtLInks online calendar to post their news): there is a new Carlow African Drumming Circle, a new Carlow ArtForms Gallery opening this week, a new Plein Air Painting group in Co. Waterford, a new MA in Arts and Heritage at WIT, a new Young Playwrights Award announced in Wexford and there is a new Arts Festival in Arklow - please click on links to the right for more info.
In the Autumn we will be holding our first professional development courses in Drama and Theatre and Film. The later date for these courses is to allow more time for all those involved in these areas to be aware of ArtLinks and the new courses available to them locally. Do help to expand the ArtLinks directory by letting any local amateur or professional drama/theatre groups or performers know about ArtLinks. Encourage them to register so they can be invited/involved in upcoming courses and be more aware of others working locally in this field.
The ArtLinks Directory Page now lists well over 650 local arts practitioners/managers by Discipline so if you ever need to locate people with specific creative skills, please visit this page. Are you, your group /festival listed? Registration takes only minutes at www.artlinks.ie
Looking forward to see you in the coming months,
Cathy Fitzgerald
ArtLinks Director
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 * Business Skills Advice
from Financial Consultant, Marian MacDonald
Having the skill to produce your creative work is a necessary ingredient for the success of your enterprise but it will not guarantee it!
There is little point in producing creative work or products of excellent quality, having the lowest possible level of wastage, a superb sales record and using the best of raw materials and skills, if
- You are not getting paid for it
- You are not getting paid a fair price
- You are getting paid but not making the best use of the money
Most people believe that they are paying too much tax - on the basis that any tax is too much. However, there are a great many people paying more tax than they need to - simply because they are either not claiming all of the credits to which they are entitled, or they are not making use of every tax avoidance measure possible. TAX AVOIDANCE is not a crime - it is using the tax system to the best advantage. One such measure is the acquisition of the ARTIST'S EXEMPTION status.
SHOULD YOU REQUIRE ANY ASSISTANCE IN DEALING WITH ANY OF THE ISSUES MENTIONED ABOVE, OR PERHAPS YOU ARE FEELING ISOLATED, PARTICIPATING IN A BUSINESS PROGRAMME OR AVAILING OF THE ARTLINKS BUSINESS MENTORING MAY BE YOUR SOLUTION.
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Blogging for the Arts?
A recent UK commissioned
Arts study found blogs (online diaries) are increasingly usedby people to connect not so much with publishers, buyers or curators, but with new peers and build new audiences for their creative work. For e.g. blogs created by writers have created content and audiences for new books, an amateur sculptor reveals
his practice by posting in-process images of his latest commission. A few words from our ArtLinks Blog tutor, Ken McGuire, below.
I'll be giving the ArtLinks 'Blogging For Beginners' course in my home town Kilkenny
this spring. As such, I've started a 'Blogging For
Beginners' series of posts on ProFreelanceBlogger.com which will cover
the very basics of blogging from
- What is a blog
- Understanding RSS feeds
- Blogging platforms (free vs hosted)
- How to set up a blog
- Blog writing tips and techniques
- Getting your blog and posts found
- Engaging your readers
Material that I use for the course will later be posted on Pro Freelance Blogger.
While I have engaged in and continue to offer one-to-one sessions with
clients (in terms of blogging), this will be the first time that I've
offered something on a one-to-many basis so I must say I'm looking
forward to it and meeting you all there.
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Creative Camp update!
A free event,  , was organised in Kilkenny on 8 March, at the Parade Tower,
Kilkenny Castle- an informal conference /gathering on Business, Technology and Creativity. Entrepreneurs and people
working in the technology and Internet sectors met to network and
learn from each other. Talks of interest to the Artistic community were from Krishna De on print-on-demand internet options and new marketing methods for writers; Irish Blog Award winner, Sabrina Dent spoke on best blogging practice, Rachel Rath also outlined how the Dublin www.theattic.ie group of writers /actors /film-makers group have worked together to help each other rehearse new creative material over the last 5 years. Some follow links of these talks can be found on the ArtLinks Forum.
Some ArtLinks members may be interested that a similar day but more centered on Podcasting, Social Networking, Blogging will be held in 28 Sept in Kilkenny - PodCampII. Krisha De is involved in this event so please email info@artlinks.ie if you want to hear more about print-on-demand publishing and marketing for your writing.
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Using the ArtLinks Website:
Want to collaborate with other creative people/ need other creative skills for your project?
Type in keywords in the keyword search on the artlinks.ie home page to find other members with skills you need. Increasingly members are listing professional business skills that they have, e.g. entering 'template website design', 'graphic design' or 'workshop facilitator', will bring up members with these skills. Alternatively you can search for people with different creative skills by going to the Database page.
Interested in the Arts but Not a Creative practitioner?
For anyone one interested in the Arts in the region or who are interested in ArtLinks programme in general but not living in the area, you can now sign up for the FREE ArtLinks e-newsletter on the artlinks.ie home page
Do You Want to Attend Local Arts Events? 
On the artlinks.ie Events page, you will see a month by month Arts Calendar, with a growing list
of events added by the ArtLinks members and Arts Offices in the 5
Counties. Events are colour coded for each artform.
Post your exhibition / event notices now!!
ArtLinks Members: Individuals, Groups, Bands, Festivals, Art Galleries & Art Centres:
By logging in with your username and password you can
- Update your details and news on your Profile Page
- Post your exhibition / event notices
- Post information on the Noticeboard
- Ask questions and network with others on the online Forum
Remember ArtLinks.ie website is not just for individual practitioners; Festivals, Drama groups, Bands, Writing Groups, Societies, are all welcome on artlinks.ie!
If you have registered an an Individual, please also remember to register any creative group, society, band or collective you may be involved with to increase its profile.
And ArtLinks Members: Please keep your Profile Page up-to-date!!
Members, increasingly people are visiting the artlinks.ie website, including gallery owners, event organisers, arts office staff and the media. A blank or poorly filled out Profile page on the ArtLInks site does not give a good indication of your work. Statements do not need to be long, but please write what area interests you and current or past work.
To update your page please Login with your username and password. Forgotton your details? Email: info@artlinks.ie
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Why Join ArtLinks? ArtLinks provides opportunities for all amateur and professional creative practitioners, aged 18 and above, who are resident in
Co. Kilkenny,
Co. Carlow,
Co. Waterford,
Co. Wexford and
Co. Wicklow
to gain skills, knowledge and understanding and necessary support in order to develop their work practices and careers.
FREE ArtLinks benefits:
ArtLinks e-bulletins
Reduced fees
for ArtLinks courses
Don't have a Website? When you register, your details create your online ArtLinks Artists' Profile that you can update anytime
Post your own event notices on the online Events Calendar & Noticeboard
Network with practitioners in your region in the ArtLinks Online Forums
Be eligible to apply for
ArtLinks Bursaries
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