Point Wilson Light at Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, Washington
Last week, I attended the EDGE Professional Development Program for Visual Artists in Port Townsend, Washington. Getting an invitation to participate was competitive, and there were sixteen of us chosen to come together for a week of intensive learning at Fort Worden State Park.
We had class outside one day to make the legaleze a bit more bearable! I don’t think there’s much a person can do to make contracts interesting, other than sitting outside in the sunshine to talk about it.
We learned a lot about how to run a business as artists... apparently this is something many artists tend to avoid or procrastinate about. We learned about marketing plans, business plans, and legal issues, as well as how to best get the attention of gallery directors, write grant proposals, prepare portfolio packets, develop artist statements, and a lot more... in just eight days. One person compared the experience to sipping water from a fire hose. Hilarious, and true!
On our last day together, we gave a public presentation of our artwork at the Cotton Building in downtown Port Townsend. Everyone’s presentations improved so much from our rough go-round earlier in the week. It was so inspiring to see all the work together, and to support each other in public.
I’m so inspired by all the people I met this week, and look forward to supporting their creative endeavors for years to come. Thanks Artist Trust!
