Speed dating for artists

Theatreworks is giving Melbourne artists a chance to meet other like minded folk for some project making at Speed Dating For Artists. It’s a great chance to network with other artists and theatre makers, and best of all – it’s free. But no actors!

You will need to book ahead, and you will recieve a free glass of wine and 2-for-1 Theatreworks season ticket. The next event is on Monday, 21 July at 6pm. The remaining dates for 2008 are also available, and bookings can be made via their website.

Brisbane’s ICON Creative Summit

ICON Creative Summit is having its 3rd annual multi-arts festival at Brisbane Powerhouse from 27 – 29 November, 2008. They’re desperately seeking Brisbane word poets, rappers, slammers and visual artists for their performances.

Deadline for applications is 31 July, 2008. To apply, fill out the online registration form.

iArts digital interactive arts

iArts is a new digital programming initiative hosted by ABC TV, producing content created in collaboration with Western Australian art people and digital content producers. All work will be published by ABC TV on their website with podcasts, vodcasts and TV shorts.

Western Australian artists, musicians, designers, art organisations and digital media producers and invited to join the program. Applications close 21 July, 2008. Guidelines are available on the ScreenWest website.

Keith + Lottie gallery call out

Keith + Lottie is a little gallery/shop space found on the West Coast of Australia. In the past they’ve exhibited a bunch of cool artists including YOK, Beci Orpin, Pat Doherty and Deathbot.

They’re currently accepting applications for art shows, product launches, fundraisers and other fun events for the remainder of the year. Deadline for applications is 30 June, 2008. To find out more, download the gallery application pack. 

How to run a professional blog

Let’s face it – if you’re a designer, crafter or an artist with a blog you’re inevitably going to be wanting to pimp your skills. However, when you start going from personal blog to a professional folio blog, you need to carefully look at the way you present yourself and the way you interact with your readers and the rest of the world wide web.

Luckily, there’s a number of talented bloggers out there who have some tips to help you. As I come along more articles, I’ll add them to this post so it becomes EXTRA-helpful.

Nubby Twiglet has a number of posts on Business & Marketing, coming from her experience as a freelance designer.

• The benefits of folio blogs vs websites
• 13 steps to a successful blog-based business
• Choosing a business name
• The art of networking

Pip from Meet Me at Mikes has recently done a run of entries on how to maintain a craft blog, but they can be applied to pretty much any blog possible.

• How to start a craft blog
• How to market a craft blog
• How to make your blog look cuter
• How to have nice blog manners

Every Tuesday, Leni & Rose does a post on blogging tips & tricks. They also include step-by-step guides on how to customise your Blogger account, if that’s your processor of choice.

Other articles:

• Passive marketing for freelancers
• Build a killer online portfolio in 9 easy steps

 

Melbourne Fringe open registrations

The Melbourne Fringe Festival will be lifting it’s skirts and cancanning into town on the 24th September to 12 October 2008. The Frindge Festival is the largest annual celebration of independent arts in Victoria, with all events created entirely by the participating artists.

Registration for artist events has now opened and will close on 13 June 2008. Please note that even if you registered previous years, you’ll need to do it again.

Cultcha Shock!

…is the title of the new ABC1 series by Marcus Westbury, of Not Quite Art fame (okay, he’s spelt it “Culture” but I think he should consider slanging it up a bit to make it cooler with the kids). Filming and production hasn’t started yet, and Mr Westbury is still on the lookout for artists and the like who can contribute.

I started reading Culture Shock’s proposal, but had a minor brain explosion, so instead I’ll just post excerpts of it here. Please don’t ask me to decipher, I need a sit down instead.

“Picking up from the themes explored in Not Quite Art, Culture Shock takes the audience on an insightful and amusing journey through an increasingly fragmented cultural landscape – where the Internet and communications have given all of us a set of cultural choices and influences unimaginable even a decade ago.

Culture Shock finds an eclectic and amusing mix of artists, writers and musicians whose work has found their audiences through networks well outside the traditional Australian structures of cultural authority.

Over three episodes, Marcus Westbury takes us to meet Australian artists and creators exhibiting and performing internationally while remaining largely unknown in their own communities.

Culture Shock looks at the spectrum of specialist cultures and niche audiences unleashed globally by communications technology. With rapid change in art and cultural influences occurring all the time, this series is not about art that is dependent on technology but on the new cultural landscape that has grown up because of it.”

Ooookay, so if you know someone who is doing something along those lines, drop Marcus a line at his blog. You should also read the rest of his posts. They are very good.

Performance workshops for the learned

Located at 56 Cope St in Redfern, Sydney, the Nussinov Gallery is opening its doors to the public for Cope56. Cope56 is a creative workshop for students or graduates in performance art to develop performance acts and multimedia presentations individually or collectively.

So if you’re into acting, mime, dance, speech, singing, dancing or writing, take a look at Cope56. The entire initiative is made for artists to work organically and safely, with plenty of stimuli and participants. They meet every Tuesday night, and the deadline for artist applications is 30 June, 2008.

To find uot more, contact Micha Nussinov on 0413 592 940.

FBi radio wants to see your arts

For the past whever, FBi Radio in Sydney (94.5FM for those who aren’t in the know) have been hosting a Music Open Day on the last Monday of every month, allowing local musicians to take over the studios and let the radio world in on their doings. And now they’re spreading their independent lovin’ wings to adopt artists of all kinds.

They’ve put out the call for young local artists to rock up to their Alexandria studios and share with the Arts & Culture team what they’ve been up to. So if you’re a writer, dancer, street artist, zinester, scultor, game designer and working on a cool new project, drop round and Show Us Your Arts. Every session is 3-6pm on the last Monday of the month. The next one is this coming Monday, 26th May!

FBi studios can be found at level 1, 44-54 Botany Road, Alexandria. Directions can be found here.

 

Realise Your Dream in Britain

The British Council Australia is giving 6 young Aussies the chance to Realise their Dream and spend a year in the UK turning it into a profit-making reality. So if you’re under 30 and working in industrial & object design, design, fashion, moving image, visual arts, drama, advertising, writing, production, direction, architecture & music, then get cracking!

By the way, I have no idea what this has to do with a djing granny.

Each winner will recieve return flights to the UK, professional consultation, and $8,000 for living expenses, which will cover about a week’s worth of spending at Top Shop. Applications need to be sumbitted online by the 31 July, 2008.