Resources and Training
The City of Ballarat works with a wide cross section of creative people within the community to understand the types of resources and training needed. From basic information on whether you’re eligible for grants across to whether you might need to charge GST, or providing you with a chance to meet experts, commentators, curators and others. Below you will find a collection of videos, websites and information sheets to assist and guide you in your professional practice. Resources come from a range of organisations that support artists such as Creative Victoria, Arts Council Australia, NAVA and Arts+Law. Topics range from guidelines to working in the community to advice regarding funding, marketing and support for wellbeing. Check back regularly to see what new training and resources are available.
TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DVELOPMENT
WRITING WORKSHOPS - JUNE & JULY 2024
Ballarat Libraries are offering a series of writing workshops to help writers unleash the story within. The following sessions are free but places are limited and registration is required.
Write Here Write Now - Wed 19 June. 5.30pm
Join Megan J Riedl for a guided creative writing workshop designed to get the creative juices flowing in a fun, pressure-free environment. Megan will share writing exercises, prompts and creative group activities to help overcome the terror of the blank page and experiment with new forms and themes.
How to Write a Travel Memoir - Mastering the Art of Storytelling with Laura Waters - Sat 22 June, 2pm
In this presentation, Laura shares what she's learned about writing an engaging travel memoir, including such aspects as the importance of storytelling, writing techniques (developing characters, building suspense and conflict, foreshadowing, setups, flashbacks), and the overall process from writing to editing and publishing.
Writing Dialogue Workshop: for stage, page and screen - Mastering the Art of Storytelling with Megan J Riedl - Sat 20 July, 10am
In this session with Megan J Riedl, explore techniques for writing dialogue that is powerful, effective and says what you need it to say! Great hands-on session for playwrights, screen writers and writers of creative fiction.
Black Our Poetry - Mastering the Art of Storytelling with Megan J Riedl - Wed 24 July, 6pm
In this session with Megan J Riedl, discover forms of found poetry such as blackout, erasure, and cut-out. You will use ephemera to create visually arresting pieces of writing by removing, rearranging and changing words from existing pieces of text. Add to your literary collage masterpiece with images, colour or cut-out words in this fun hands-on workshop.
Poetry by Megan J Riedl. Photography Tony Evans.
RESOURCES
Writing about you and your creative practice
Writing by Megan J Riedl. Photographer Tony Evas
LinkedIn Learning Online Courses
The City of Ballarat Library offers access to library members access to LinkedIn Learning where many thousands of hours of video training and online courses can be accessed. Categories of content are Business, Technology and Creative.
Find videos to support or extend your creative practice or business and upskill in your own time, at your own pace.
It’s tax time - I’m an Artist : Business Basics Series
Aimed at artists and creatives, Accountant Tim Gay answers questions relating to profit making, GST, taxes, record keeping and insurance. Check out each, informative and entertaining video below.
Professional advice for your creative practice
What is Copyright?
Arts Law explains Copyright is a bundle of rights which visual artists, musicians, writers and video and film makers own in relation to their work.
Moral Rights
Arts Law explains that Moral rights protect the personal relationship between a creator and their work even if the creator no longer owns the work, or the copyright in the work.
Privacy and data law
The essential elements of privacy and data law and the rights and responsibilities of both independent artists and organisations.
Performers Rights
Actors, circus performers, musicians, dancers and other live performers may have performers’ rights in their performances, read on to learn more about these rights.
licensing
Arts Law breaks down the basics of giving permission to another group or person to do something with your work through licenses.
Social Media for Artists
This information sheet by the Arts Law Centre addresses the legal issues that can arise for artists using social media to publish their work and what to consider.
Putting works online
Arts Law answers some of the most common questions received from artists and arts organisations about showing works online and digitising collections.
More Arts Law Centre content
The Arts Law Centre provides free info sheets to understand how to protect and stand up for your rights and your arts practice
Public Art Guidelines for Artists and Commissioners
Avoid conflict and misunderstanding both during the commissioning process and for the life of the work.
Protocols for working with Indigenous Artists
Indigenous Cultural protocol guides published by Australia Council in relation to music, performing and visual arts, writing and media arts.
Wellbeing for creatives
Below are current resources to support the creative sector and help navigate wellbeing of artists.
The Arts Wellbeing Collective
Brings together the expertise of mental and allied health professionals with industry insights and resources to support creatives with their wellbeing.
Support Act Helpline
The Support Act Wellbeing Helpline is a free, confidential counselling service that is available to anyone working in Australian music or the arts.
PAST TRAINING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Documenting your work with Krave Studios
May 2024
The city of Ballarat has engaged Jo Armstrong (Krave Studios) to provide ten creatives the opportunity to have their work professionally photographed and edited with digital files provided for promotion, websites, folios or socials.
Tell us how a one on one session with Jo would support your creative practice to be considered for this opportunity.
The Practical Business of Craft with Angela D’Alton
Feb 2024
Whether it’s selling products through your website, at markets, via commissions or wholesale, there’s some fundamental steps to ensure you’re starting as you mean to continue.
Workshop facilitator Angela D’Alton will guide you through business basics to set yourself up for success as a creative in business during.
Considering practice with leisa shelton
feb 2024
Considering Practice is a focused investigation into the core principles, values and and intentions that underpin our independent creative practice.
The aim of each workshop is to take time and make space for reflection through led structures of enquiry, in order to gain clearer insight into the potential and next stages of each individual's practice.
Photographing your work with david bailey.
July 2023
Capturing your artworks so they look their best for websites, folios and social media can be difficult but an important part of marketing your creative practice and products. Creative City Ballarat has photography David Bailey to provide practical advice on how to photograph your artworks in your own home or studio with tips and practical advice you can do at home.
establishing brand and marketing your creative. April 2023
Hear from the team at Make Good Things Happen about how to get yourself out there and be seen.
Get READY. Get SET. GROW! february 2023
The City of Ballarat is partnering with Runway HQ to support our local creative industries with a new training program - Get READY. Get SET. GROW!
WHAT ARE NFTS, AND DO THEY HURT?
June 2022
We discuss the unchartered territory of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and whether they make sense for regional artists.
Lunchtime workshop sessions (feB/March 2021)
Lunchtime workshop session 1: Creative associations: Should you join one?
Have you ever wondered whether joining a creative association was worthwhile? Join us in this Zoom session learn about the benefits you can gain from becoming a member.
Panel includes representatives from Regional Arts Victoria (RAV), Craft Victoria, National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), Ballarat Arts Alive and Ballarat Writers.
Lunchtime Workshop Session 2: Choosing the Right Digital Platform.
Social media channels and digital platforms give the impression they put all the power of promotion into the hands of creatives and artists. But how do you make the most of them? How do you break through the algorithm and sell work? What about commissions? How do you really build a presence when it’s so competitive?
Panel members are: Ruby Pilven, ceramicist; Rachel Jackson, visual artist; Kate Berry, producer; and Steph Wallace, visual artist.
Lunchtime Workshop Session 3: Get That Gig
How do I get a gig? Do I need an agent? What is the live music scene like after COVID lockdowns? Is it tougher to get a gig on a regional stage, or should I just head to the city? How do I advocate for myself? Isn't the music scene just 'who you know'?
We put the questions to the experts - Bonnie Dalton, Senior Manager Contemporary Music, Creative Victoria; Dale Packard, General Manager and Acting CEO, Music Victoria; Mick Trembath, local music producer and event organiser; Abby Ashmore, self-confessed 'Book Chook' at The Eastern, Ballarat.
Lunchtime Workshop Session 4: Dealing with Creative Block
Creative block is a familiar experience to many artists, musicians, writers and makers across the Arts sectors. Hear from the panel about their experiences and how they work through it. What are their techniques and tips?
Panel includes: Kim Anderson: Artist, Adam McNicol: Journalist, Author, Publisher, Ten Bag Press, Paige Duggan: Composer, Musician, Artist. Facilitator: Ellen Jackson, Potential Psychology.
Lunchtime Workshop Session 5: Best Practice Grant Applications
The City of Ballarat has been included in a new grant fund opened by Creative Victoria by invitation. Ballarat has been identified as a location of high creativity and as such is attracting invitation-only funding to support our creative practitioners and industries.
We want you to apply, and we want you to be successful. Have you got questions? We've got a webinar just for you. Applications may be accepted for requests between $3,000 to $25,000 depending on the project type.
Lunchtime Workshop Session 6: The Art of Rejection
This Lunchtime Workshop session has our panel discussing the Art of Rejection. What is the best way to deal with having your creative project rejected? What can you learn from it? How do you move on?
Panel members are: Julie McLaren, Curator, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Anindita Banerjee, Artist, Kim Anderson, Artist, Adam McNichol, Writer, Journalist, Publisher (Ten Bag Press). Facilitated by Ellen Jackson, Potential Psychology.
Ballarat Arts Incubator
A space to explore, experiment & Collaborate
The Ballarat Arts Incubator located at 36 Camp Street, Ballarat Central, has been established as a space for experimentation for creative industry and practice.
The Incubator includes rehearsal spaces for music, dedicated zones for young people, theatre development spaces for writing and workshopping, quiet zones for administration, and film studios for production. Spaces can be booked via the organisation licenced to each space.
CREATIVE SECTOR ORGANISATIONS (VICTORIA)
Click on the logo to access each organisations website.
