Business Seminars at Handmade in Bradford

Creative people in the Bradford district will be able to improve their skills and knowledge with free workshops and seminars on Saturday 23rd June.

Handmade in Bradford is hosting a day of activities for craftspeople and designers at its shop in the city centre on Tyrrel Street. There will be workshops on knitting, mastering your sewing machine, printmaking and creative crafting.

There will also be two business seminars for crafters and designers delivered by Jo Whitehead of Artists in Business.  The seminars are aimed at increasing craftpeople's business skills in Selling Their Work Through Retail and Running Workshops from the Studio.  In addition, creative people will be invited to share their experiences of social media marketing with a lunchtime discussion forum. Handmade in Bradford will also be launching a free Crafting Resource Centre where artists and makers can swap art materials and equipment.

Handmade in Bradford is part of Fabric, a registered arts charity that supports artists and creatives.

The event is from 10am to 4pm at Handmade in Bradford, 1 Tyrrel Street Bradford on Saturday 23rd June. For details please email: info@fabricculture.co.uk or call 01274 370291

 

UK HANDMADE MAGAZINE

UKHANDMADE

The best on-line magazine for designer-makers is out now. It's packed with articles, features and inspiration and is a jolly good read! There's even an article by Yours Truly on Approaching Retail. And have you seen those beautiful mosaics by Lindsey Kennedy-Smith?  Check out UKHandmade today - it's free! 

British Craft and Design Month

It's here! British Craft and Design Month is sponsored by Craft and Design Magazine to support designer-makers and inform the public of craft and design events in the UK.  Follow the events on the blog or add your own event to the website. 

British Craft Trade Fair

The biggest event in the handmade designer-maker’s Spring calendar has to be the British Craft Trade Fair.

Leigh Shepherd Designs

When:  Sunday 3^rd, Monday  4^th and Tuesday  5^th April 2011 Sunday 10am to 6pm, Monday and Tuesday 10am to 5pm

Where:  Hall 1, The Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG2 8PW

What is it? The BTCF is a trade fair and a brilliant opportunity for designer-makers to showcase their new designs and meet  potential buyers from galleries and  boutiques, jewellery shops and garden centres.  Every designer is British and there is a happy mix of newcomers and returning exhibitors for those important buyers to select from. 

Why should you go? If you are an emerging designer then attending the BTCF will help you to decide whether your product is ready for the retail market. You will be able to see how others display their work and enjoy the buzz of a trade fair. You will also get a good understanding of how a trade fair works before you commit yourself to next year’s event.

What you shouldn’t do. The designers cannot sell their work direct to the public at the BTCF so please don’t ask them.  The designers are a friendly bunch and are generally happy to give you advice about showing your work but please don’t take up their time if there are buyers present.  Oh, and don’t  help yourself to their precious marketing leaflets and brochures, these are for potential buyers.

Although the public cannot buy directly from the designer at the BTCF it is a wonderful chance for British designers to make those all-important contacts with galleries and shops, sell their work by consignment and pick up repeat orders.  It’s also a fabulous way for buyers to find out what the latest trends in handmade are and a way to keep their customers buying British.

http://www.bctf.co.uk/news.php

Wicked Gen Crafts

Setting up a creative business from your kitchen table

Did you know that, in the USA, women who stay at home and look after the kids are called SAHMs? (stay at home mums) and that women who work from home are called WAHMs? Personally, I can't see the difference - whether its child rearing or paid employment, they are both "work" in my opinion. 
Whether you are a SAHM or a DAHM (more dads are staying home to look after the kids these days) or neither, you might be considering starting a creative business from home.  I have always been inspired by Laura Ashley, who started her famous homewares business making screen printed tea towels from her kitchen table.  But there's so much more to setting up a creative business from your kitchen table than just making lovely things. You will need to have (or learn) a multitude of skills - most of which you will already have - even if you didn't know it. 


But, before you start sending out press releases for the launch of your new cottage industry, take a few minutes to consider if you have what it takes to run a small business. What do you want from your creative business?
a)  You enjoy making and want to earn enough money to pay for a few treats 
b)  You need to make some money in the short term until you start a job
c)  You want to work for yourself and you want to make a success of selling your creative products.


Follow this Link to find out If You Have What It Takes (but don't forget to come back to read the rest of this post).  


So, what are these additional skills that you need to acquire to start your business from the kitchen table?
Manufacturer - you are making your product therefore you are a manufacturer.
Accountant - you already manage your domestic finances. It's basically the same thing, money goes out and, hopefully, more money comes in.
Trader - you have to sell your product to your customer.
Marketer - you know how great your product is - how do you tell others?
Designer - you need to develop your product in order to attract more sales. 


Your Start Up Business Tool Kit
Here is a list of the basics you will need at the start of your new enterprise.
1.  Office equipment - two vital bits of office equipment that you will need are: a computer and a phone. You probably already own both but spend wisely on equipment - do you really need that photocopying and laminating machine? Anything else is a luxury - only to be purchased when you are making a profit.


2.  Keeping accounts - start as you mean to go on by setting up a simple spreadsheet and logging all money going out and all money coming in. You don't need a separate bank account but you do need evidence of your business finances.


3.  Stationery - letterheaded paper will not only make your business look professional but many companies will not pay an invoice that isn't on letter headed paper.  Business cards tell everyone who you are and enables them to contact you at a later date.


4.  Website/blog/Facebook page - having just one of these will help you to market your product. Rather than spend all your money on a super slick website, blogging is free and you can design your blog to have all the features of a reasonable website. Facebook is also free and you don't have to make "friends" to attract people to your FB page. 


5.  Training - invest in your business by getting yourself onto some basic business workshops such as: book keeping, taxation and national insurance, marketing, costing and cashflow, legal framework for the self employed.  Look around for workshops that are directed at creatives.


Recommended reading for the creative entrepeneur - Business as Unusual by Anita Roddick
Finally, do you have something to say? why not write for Artists in Business? We will post your stories, experiences and advice about your art business in Artists in Business.  Just send us an email HERE.