This one goes out to our artists--workshops, conferences and a bunch of opportunities!

Happy Monday! Some of you may be off for a three day weekend, but some of us are back to work--and in the spirit of working hard and making things happen, today we bring you a fun little post dedicated to workshops, conferences,  artists' opportunities and a couple of exciting events on the horizon.  

First up (since it is this upcoming weekend), is the 12th Annual SEA (Self-Employment in the Arts) Conference held at the Hilton Hotel in Lisle, ILThe conference is dedicated to all artists who are trying to remain self-employed (and we know how hard it is!), whether they be in visual, media, performance or literary fields.  Activities at the conference include panel and round table discussions, one-on-one sessions, a juried college art competition, a business plan pitch competition, mock auditions, and much more.  And our friends over at Chicago Artists' Coalition are hosting a panel, "Building Community through Creativity: Teaching Artists within Non-Profits & Neighborhoods". The conference is this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25 and the full rate of $89 for students and $189 for non-students includes all programs, workshops and panels at the conference, along with 3 meals.  Some of the other workshops include How to Network, How to Finance your Business, Utilizing Social Media, etc. So if you have the weekend available, sign up for the conference and get motivated! Check out the schedule and website for more info.
So, if you can't make it to the SEA conference, don't worry! Save the date for the 2012 Chicago Creative Expo (it's free!) held at the Chicago Cultural Center. The expo is held March 23-24 from 10AM-4PM each day, and from our experience last year--is a great resource to meet, connect and learn about all the diverse opportunities for artists in Chicago!  This is the first year that the expo has been expanded to two days-- the first day is dedicated to developing your own creative business or organization and the second day is geared towards the needs of individual artists. Go here for more info!

We also want to mention a fun new opportunity for artists right here in the neighborhood--via Nothin' Less Coffee House.  Not only does the owner of Nothin' Less, Elena Martiniuc, host regular open mic nights and display rotating art on the walls, she has also recently started publishing a neighborhood newspaper in which local writers, photographers and artists are able to contribute to small pieces in the "retro-styled" newspaper. If you wish to be featured, have an idea for a piece, or want to show your art at the coffee shop, email Elena!

And while you're at it, make sure to pop over to the I Am Logan Square website for regular updates on our artist opportunities page and please email us if you hear of any great opportunities that we missed (we can't be perfect, after all)! You can also sign up at the bottom of our home page to receive our monthly e-newsletter which always has a section dedicated to new artists' opportunities. Local businesses such as Cafe D'Noche, Mops Beauty Shop and Dunlay's are always looking for new work to display, so don't be shy, contact one of them and set up a meeting to show your stuff!




And to performers: there is an upcoming performance/truck show that we are so excited about! Presented by curatorial-production duo, Kayce Bayer and Chris Lin and their awesome team, "The Great Fire: A Traveling Truck Show" is currently calling any and all local performers to join their one-of-a-kind traveling truck show. Check out the website for more information about this awesome project!



 "Calling Home", one of the many pop-up galleries at
the 2011 Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival
photo © Brooke Herbert Hayes

Finally, it's not too early to start talking about the 2012 Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival! Keep in mind that we will begin accepting curatorial proposals in the coming weeks--so if you are interested in curating a show, or just showing your work, continue to check the MAAF website frequently for updates. You can also sign up there for email updates and to be notified when applications are available.

And... go!

--Brooke Herbert Hayes

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