Get the art career you've always dreamed of (and enjoy the process along the way 🎉)
After Art School is a six week intensive designed to help artists build professional practices & creative careers.
You see other artists getting solo exhibitions, commissions from amazing collectors, grants worth thousands of dollars, and you want to delete your Instagram just to stop the jealousy.
You know it could be you.
You learned how to make art
But no one showed you how to make a living.
It's not as simple as going on Indeed and finding a job called "artist." There is no boss to tell you the next step to take, and it's even harder when you have a pile of rejection letters from opportunities you thought would be perfect for you.
It's frustrating to spend so much time looking for answers and clarity only to not find the resources you're searching for.
WE GET IT:
- There is a lack of transparency in the art industry
- Artists who "make it" keep their secrets close to the vest
- Art school doesn't give tangible skills you need after graduation
In school, the only thing that matters is the art that you make. After graduation your work only counts for a small fraction of what's needed to make a real living as an artist.
Good news! You're in the right place. 🥳
You're so close to finding all the answers you've been searching for.
Isn't it time you found generous funding, support from your friends and family, a platform to present and promote your art, and aligned opportunities for the work you really want to make?
HOW IT WORKS:
After Art School is a six week intensive designed to offer you the next right step to take in you art career.
Topics have been curated into bite-sized weekly chunks with talks from industry experts
Designed with both live and self-paced content for busy artists building professional practices
Prompts to create conversations, spark inspiration, and demystify the art world
We built After Art School for you, and it's full of everything we wish we knew.
We both studied Studio Art at the University of Guelph and after art school we found ourselves just as focused as you are in this moment. We knew that we loved making art, however that was not nearly enough to make a sustainable art career. That's when we started our blog, The Gathered Gallery, as a platform for artists to showcase their work.
This gave us an opportunity to work with artists of all disciplines, like painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, performance, and the list goes on. While it was really great to learn about the careers of such talented artists, what broke our heart was how many of these artists weren't getting the recognition they deserved and they didn't know the first step to start.
That's why we decided to start After Art School!
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“This program is wonderful; not only is it packed with essential information, it is delivered by kind, passionate, and inspiring individuals that want to see artists succeed. I am entering my last year of university in a studio art program, and this course gave me the confidence to reach for the stars. The possibilities of a creative career are endless, and After Art School highlights them perfectly.”
Nicolette Dredge
(@nicoletteartwork)
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"I found the Art After School Program very beneficial. It covered important topics that weren't really taught in depth in my BFA. The learning format is accessible and easy to access. The materials and guest speakers really helped support the topics covered."
Rachel Gilbert
(@rachlgilbrt)
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"The After Art School program was so helpful for my art career! I learned several things that I was never taught during my undergraduate program and had always wondered about. The group was fun and filled with great information and support. I would definitely recommend this program for beginner and seasoned art professionals!”
Brooke Mathews
(@brookedianem)
Studio Mates Founders
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Artist based in St. John’s, NL (CA)
“When I graduated form art school I felt lost. All I wanted was for someone to sit me down and tell me all the answers, and now I am lucky enough to be able to do that for other artists. Watching them experience a lightbulb moment is the best feeling.
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Artist based in Toronto, ON (CA)
”I believe that building an art career shouldn’t be only available to the few who understand how the art world works. The more knowledge we have as artists the more empowered we are to build a career that works for us, which is so exciting to me.
Janine Wheeler
Artist (@janine_wheeler_studio)
"I finally wrote my first grant application, which is something I'd been wanting to do for a long time but I never really felt like I could, I didn't know how. In the program it just hit me that of course I can do this, why not! When the program was done I ended up finally doing it. Because of After Art School I had a ton of resources to help me work on my application and to refer to.
Natalie and Emily, you can tell that they care a lot. They've built this program with a ton of amazing resources, things that are actually practical that artists can use, and they've chosen speakers to speak on topics that they're so well informed on.
Program Information
Access to a virtual community
Opportunities for questions and answers
Prompting questions on the topic for discussion and reflection
Content will be available for the duration of the program and a bonus two weeks
Each week will feature a presenter with expertise and experience in the focused topic!
WEEK 1: ARTIST ESSENTIALS
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Founders of Studio Mates, Emily & Natalie share helpful tips and tricks for creating an art practice you love
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Artist glossary: helpful terms and concepts
Tools for project planning
Must-know resources
And more!
WEEK 2: PORTFOLIOS & STUDIO SYSTEMS
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Artists Chrissy & Kyle of Spark Box Studio create videos, artist resources, and run an artist residency program and print shop
https://sparkboxstudio.com/ -
Inventory up-keeping and organization
Writing an artist statement and bio
Artwork documentation
Artist residencies
And more!
WEEK 3: APPLICATIONS 101
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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How to write an application
Exhibitions, residencies, and grants
Examples of successful applications
And more!
WEEK 4: PLATFORMS & GALLERIES
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Founders of Studio Mates, Emily & Natalie share helpful tips and tricks for creating an art practice you love
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Selling from your studio
Working with curators and galleries
Building a strong website and social media
And more!
WEEK 5: MONEY & MINDSET
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Artists Chrissy & Kyle of Spark Box Studio create videos, artist resources, and run an artist residency program and print shop
https://sparkboxstudio.com/ -
Create a healthy money mindset
Tracking income and expenses
Planning for the future
And more!
WEEK 6: CREATIVE CAREERS
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Building a career in the arts
Artists working across disciplines
Continuing education: pros and cons
And more!
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"As a self-taught artist with an emerging practice, I have always felt like the doors were closed to the art world, mostly because I didn't understand how the doors operated, or how to open them. After Art School showed me the steps I need to take to approach the door and get myself through it. I feel so much more knowledgeable and better equipped to move forward."
Sabrina Pinksen
(@smpinksy)
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"If you are a recent grad or an artist who is feeling stuck or lost in the woods around evolving your creative practice into a professional creative career, I believe that The Gathered Gallery’s After Art School can help you find your way forward. Emily and Natalie have put together a truly comprehensive set of resources and lots of knowledgeable, approachable speakers. This experience has inspired me and given me many useful tools, ideas and connections for my practice that were somewhat lacking during my BFA. Thanks so much Emily and Natalie!"
Mary-Ann Alberga
(@maryannalberga)
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"This course was the PERFECT crash course for all things art career related. From learning how to best organize your collection to figuring out how to best invest into your practice and career, the Art After School classes were amazing."
Abby Nowakowski
(@poorthingsdesigns)
Join the waitlist!
Ahmri Vandeborne
Artist (@artbyahmri)
"If you are a creative person, if you just graduated from art school, if you are about to graduate from art school, if you just want a sense of creative community, if you're looking for some resources, the After Art School program is an amazing opportunity to connect with like-minded humans and to get resources in digestible bits and pieces about your art practice, tips and tricks and about the art industry in general.
Studio Mates has done a really amazing job at breaking things down, to create community, to jam pack the program with resources and really interesting guest speakers as well, who are really knowledgeable about all of the different topics.
I would highly recommend this program! I was registered last year and could not recommend it enough.
FAQs
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Each week will have a live zoom call that will be 1.5 - 2 hours and will be recorded. You’ll also get written resources and additional info on each topic and the time required will vary, however 1 - 2 hours might be a good estimate! In total the coursework per week will likely be 3 - 4 hours however it’s different for everyone!
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Anyone is welcome, whether or not you've attended art school! The information included is relevant for any artist who wants to build a strong professional practice. It's helpful if you have a body of work that you're ready to share through a website or grant application, for example, but this program is helpful at any stage.
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We believe an artist can be "emerging" at any age, stage, or level! If you are trying something new or if you're coming back to your work after time away this program may be the perfect refresher course for you. After Art School is for an artist looking to expand their knowledge and connections at any point in their career.
How to know if you're ready to invest in your creative career:
You have a goal you're dreaming of but you're missing the confidence to go for it
You know you want to grow to the next stage but you're unsure what that can look like for you
You're scared of making a move in case it is the "wrong" one (tip: there are no wrong moves if they're right for you!)
You're ready to get out of the rut you're in and take charge of your career, you just need the support to make it happen
Your work is worth investing in!