Fall 2024 Workshop Series

Presented in collaboration with FutureBound
In English, with Chris Enns
ONLINE - Friday, October 4th, 2024  – 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Budgeting is hard when your income is always changing, it's especially hard if you get a few lump sums during the year and are expected to make it last for months at a time. In this workshop, we're going to look at how to budget when income is always changing with a specific focus on lump sums. We'll look at connecting your budget to what really matters, clearly defining what you need, and tools that will help you smooth that lump sum out over the whole school year. 

How to Register
This workshop is open to undergraduate students of Concordia University and recent alumni of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Presented by GradPro Skills
In English, with Lina Moreno
Thursday, November 7th 2024 – 9:30 am - 1:30pm
IN PERSON - EV 2.776 (Dean’s Office)

Learning alternative ways to plan and coordinate projects is an essential professional skill, especially in the arts and humanities, where projects are often emergent and hard to map out. This workshop introduces flexible project planning frameworks as supportive tools to foster iteration, collaboration, and efficiency beyond traditional productivity culture.

The first part of the session will introduce traditional, agile, and hybrid project planning frameworks, exploring how they can be tailored to suit different projects and adapted to address specific needs. For instance, participants planning an event with a predetermined timeline and outcome may need strategies to break complex tasks into manageable phases.

Others developing new creative work or collaborative projects may require flexible planning approaches that allow for iterative feedback and adjustments as ideas evolve.

The second part of the session will introduce visual planning tools, including Kanban boards and Gantt charts, and provide an overview of free online project management apps.

How to Register
These workshops are available to graduate students and a limited number of seats are open to recent alumni who have graduated from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, within the last five years. To register, please email your name, program/department and year of graduation to artvolt@concordia.ca.

In English, with Claire Huschle
ONLINE - Thursday, November 14th 2024  –  4:00pm - 5:30pm

Are you an artist or curator looking to apply for residencies and secure funding for your projects? Join us for an interactive Q&A designed to help you navigate the often-complex world of residency applications and funding opportunities in Canada and the United States. This workshop will provide essential insight into application processes, funding bodies, and strategies for crafting successful proposals specifically aimed at residency opportunities.

Whether you’re new to applying for residencies or looking to refine your skills, this session will offer practical advice and answers to your most pressing questions. We’ll discuss key funding sources, eligibility criteria, and common challenges faced by artists in. Important factors to consider when applying include the impact on your work, whether projects are self-funded or paid opportunities, the time commitments involved, as well as budgeting and resources available.

Participants will also learn about valuable resources and tools to help them manage and track their residency and funding applications effectively. Bring your questions and ideas, and leave equipped with the knowledge and confidence to pursue residency opportunities and funding for your creative practice.

How to Register

This workshop is open to recent alumni who have graduated from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, within the last five years.

Participants are invited to submit questions in advance until Friday, November 8th. To send in questions, or to receive the link for the virtual Q&A, please send an email to artvolt@concordia.ca.

About Claire Huschle:

Claire Huschle founded Scaffold, LLC after spending two decades working with artists and arts organizations of all sizes. Over that time, she noticed that many in the field were feeling overwhelmed by tight deadlines and the pressures of organizational management and fundraising. This stress often led to burnout and diminishing enthusiasm. With Scaffold, she aims to offer short-term support that helps artists and organizations create sustainable, people-centered careers and workplaces.

In her recent projects, Claire has focused on governance work with organizations such as Hamiltonian Artists, The Nicholson Project, and Dance Place. As a senior consultant with Good Insight, she connects arts and culture organizations with dynamic leaders. In addition to her work with organizations, she supports a variety of artists with research and writing, reinforcing her dedication to fostering artistic growth and innovation.

Claire Huschle has also held leadership roles in both visual and performing arts, including as Director of George Mason University’s Arts Management program since 2007 and as a Kennedy Center Fellow, where she co-produced a study on audience engagement. As Executive Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, she elevated the museum’s national profile by implementing innovative programs and supporting artist residencies. She holds an MA in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA from the University of Michigan. Based in Washington, DC, she enjoys traveling with her wife, particularly to Montreal and Paris.

In English, with Johanne Pelletier
Friday, November 15th 2024 –  10:30am - 12:00pm
IN PERSON -  4th Space, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd W, Montreal, Quebec 

What makes a good story? How can you use storytelling to have an impact on your communications? Storytelling is a skill you can practice and bring to networking events, job interviews, or time spent sharing personal stories among friends.    

In this workshop you will learn what makes a good story, how to tell more compelling stories, and get tips that can help move ideas and anecdotes into stories that influence and inspire. You will have the opportunity to practice in a supportive, safe, and fun atmosphere and receive immediate feedback. Family events, public speaking opportunities, job interviews, presentations – all are opportunities to use stories to convey ideas.  What is your story?    

How to Register

This workshop is open to current students as well as recent alumni who have graduated from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, within the last five years. To register, please email your name, program/department and year of graduation to artvolt@concordia.ca. 

Presented in collaboration with FutureBound
In English with Chris Enns
ONLINE - Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 – 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Are your finances a major source of stress? In this workshop, we’ll talk about the fundamentals of finance and how to start building a financial technique. We’ll work with tools that help connect your money to what really matters, manage money when your income is variable, and strategies to pay off debt/save for the big things you’re working towards.  

How to Register
This workshop is open to undergraduate students of Concordia University and recent alumni of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Offered in English by Nick Maturo
Tuesday, December 3rd 2024 -  3:00pm - 5:00pm
IN PERSON - 4th Space, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd W, Montreal

Want to know what grants are available to artists in Quebec? Ready to make your first application but not sure how to get started? This is the workshop for you!

Finding resources in English for navigating provincial arts funding in Quebec can be a challenge, but ELAN’s Québec Relations project is here to help. In this presentation and Q&A led by Nick Maturo, we’ll cover the basics of arts funding in Quebec and highlight the resources ELAN offers to take the stress and confusion out of the process. From ELAN’s searchable online funding database and one-on-one consultations to match you with the grants that are right for you, to the free referrals for grant assistance to help you apply with confidence, Québec Relations has everything you need to navigate the provincial arts funding system. Join us to learn more!

About ELAN’s Québec Relations Project:

Since its launch in 2018, ELAN’s Québec Relations project has sought to better understand the needs and experiences of the English-speaking arts community and to develop resources that facilitate artists’ access to funding in Quebec through hands-on support and guidance. For more information, please consult our project webpage or contact us directly at research@quebec-elan.org. Québec Relations is funded by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise.

About Nick Maturo

Nick Maturo currently serves as ELAN’s Director of Programming, having originally joined the team in 2019. Prior to his current role, he oversaw ELAN’s Québec Relations project, which facilitates English-speaking artists’ access to funding in Quebec through free grant writing resources. Nick holds an M.A. in Communications Studies from McGill University and a B.F.A. in Electroacoustic Studies from Concordia University. As an artist, Nick has been active in Montreal’s experimental music community for over ten years and has performed at the Suoni Per Il Popolo and MUTEK festivals.

How to Register

This workshop is open to ELAN’s members, as well as recent alumni who have graduated from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, within the last five years. To register, please email your name, program/department and year of graduation to artvolt@concordia.ca.