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CraftSmarts are the OCC's year-round series of professional development workshops. Taking place both regionally throughout Ontario and in Toronto, CraftSmarts are programmed to address your needs. Some workshops offer new experiences with material, while the majority focus on developing skills required to be successful as a small business owner, as an exhibitor, and overall, as a maker that needs to 'make it' in the greater cultural community.
Coming Up Next:
Past:
Click here to see our Cancellation Policy
For more information about each workshop please contact Jude Ortiz at jude.ortiz@algomau.ca.
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Hearst
February 18 & 19, 2012
Location: La Place des Arts de Hearst, Hall E
CraftSmarts Workshop: Stained Glass Workshop
Saturday, February 18, 2012, 9:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday, February 19, 2012, 10:00am – 6:00pm
Fees: $40.00. Lunch is provided
In this bilingual workshop participants will create a 12" x 18" work of stained glass that they will take home with them at the end of the workshop. All necessary tools, materials and safety equipment will be provided by Les Conseil des Arts de Hearst. Please pre-register by contacting La Place des Arts de Hearst by phone: 705-362-4900 or e-mail: adj@conseildesartsdehearst.ca
Meet & Greet
Sunday, February 19, 2012, 4:00 – 5:00pm
Following Sunday’s Stained Glass Workshop, gather, network, learn and provide input into programs and services carried out by the Ontario Crafts Council, Ontario Arts Council and CARFAC (Canadian Artists Representation). Laurent Vaillancourt, visual artist and recipient of the 2011 OAC Senior Artist Grant, will represent the OCC while Kristian Clarke, Executive Director of CARFAC Ontario will participate via Skype to deliver a presentation. Please bring a piece of your work to share with the group.
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Red Lake
Postponed
Location: Red Lake High School
This event will assist local artists in learning about the OCC and identify opportunities to build on existing marketing avenues and investigate additional ways to get products to consumers within and beyond the community. Jude Ortiz Northern Coordinator, Growing Ontario’s Craft Community will facilitate the events.
Meet & Greet:
Gather, network, learn, and provide input into the OCC’s programs and services. Bring a piece of your art to show the group.
CraftSmarts Workshop:
Marketing your work within & beyond Red Lake
The workshop focuses on ways artists could work together to market their work within and beyond Red Lake. It includes a networking and skills exchange session where artists identify what skills they have and need; identification of individual marketing tools (artist statement, biography, photographing work, brochures, postcards, website, social media) and what decisions need to be made in preparing them, and; how other communities are marketing their work collectively within and beyond their communities.
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Past:
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Fort Frances
October 22, 2011
Location: Fort Frances Museum, 11:00am-4 pm, Networking and Supporting Working Together
The day will begin with a Meet & Greet followed by a CraftSmarts Workshop. Lindsay Hamilton of Fort Frances will facilitate the events.
The workshop aims to bring area artists together to network and support each other in creating their art. Jude Ortiz, Northern Coordinator, Growing Ontario’s Craft Community will link in via telephone to speak about the OCC’s program, services and grants and provide a brief overview of the Ontario Arts Council and CARFAC Ontario’s services.
Irene McCuaig and Laurie Dufresne, Co-Chairs of Kenora’s Lake of the Woods Arts Collective travel to Fort Frances to discuss the origins of their organization and the benefits and challenges they face.
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Wawa
October 14 - 15, 2011
Location: NITGC Board Room at the Confederation College Building
The aim of this event is to bring regional artists together to learn about the OCC and investigate opportunities for developing marketing opportunities, either individually or collectively. Jude Ortiz, Northern Coordinator, Growing Ontario’s Craft Community will facilitate the events.
Meet & Greet: Friday October 14, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Gather, network, learn, and provide input into the OCC’s programs and services. Bring a piece of your art to show the group.
CraftSmarts Workshop:
Saturday October 15, 10:00am - 3:00pm
Marketing Workshop for Local Artists: Individually and Collectively
The workshop is designed to promote the arts as a business opportunity either through individual efforts or through the creation of a regional or local cooperative. The workshop will promote the benefits of both approaches. Presenters include Jude Ortiz and David Thompson of NORDIK Institute, Johanna Rowe from the Town of Wawa and Jim Sanders, co-owner of Gitchee Goomee Gallery in Wawa. Arlene Bear from Ohpahow Wawesecikiwak Arts Marketing Co-op in northern Saskatchewan will join in via teleconference. Dan Friyia, Superior East Community Futures Development Corp and Maury O’Neil, from Wawa Economic Development Corporation will be on hand to assist with questions around development and funding possibilities.
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Manitoulin Island
September 23 and 24, 2011
Location: Central Manitoulin Township Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 6020 Hwy 542, Mindemoya
This event focused on bringing together artists from across the Island to learn about the OCC and investigate ways of working together to market their work. Heather Thoma and Sophie Edwards of 4 Elements Living Arts hosted and facilitated the event which included a Meet & Greet on Friday September 23 from 7:00 - 9:00pm and a CraftSmarts Workshop on Saturday September 24 from 12:00 - 4:30pm.
The event was a great success with a wide range of artists meeting from various parts of the Island, many for the first time. The artists showed their work to each other initiating many new relationships.
During the Meet & Greet Sarah Marusyk of NORDIK Institute, Algoma University provided participants with information about the OCC’s programs, services and grants as well as a brief overview of the Ontario Arts Council’s and CARFAC Ontario’s services. The artists discussed ways the OCC could further support their needs and their suggestions have been passed along.
The CraftSmarts Workshop, Exploring Ways of Working Together, focused on opportunities to market art and craft work individually and/or collectively. Irene McCuaig and Laurie Dufresne, Co-Chairs of Kenora’s Lake of the Woods Arts Collective and John Ferris from the Aboriginal Artworks Group of Northern Ontario based in Thunder Bay linked in via telephone conference and spoke about the origins of their organizations and the benefits and challenges they face while their PowerPoint presentations were viewed.
The two Community Futures Development Corporations located on Manitoulin Island also presented. Jason Peltier, Business Development Officer of Waubutek, spoke about opportunities for Aboriginal development and Mary Nelder from LAMBEC discussed non-Aboriginal opportunities. Both noted that funding could include partnerships across cultures. After the presentations the room was a buzz of possibilities with the group deciding to meet again in November to further discuss marketing options. They anticipate a much larger gathering next time once the word spreads across the Island.
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