The Portfolio Project was a set of professional development sessions for creatives across the region.

We focussed on setting deadlines, creating portfolio content and networking with some amazing creatives.

Tracey and Maryanne identified a real need for this kind this project: something to help artists and creatives understand what is needed in terms of CV, portfolios, photo selections and artist statements, whether that be for funding applications, approaching galleries or explaining yourself online.

We also knew that artists are time poor and not always fond on ‘admin’ jobs.

We met up with visual artists (of all kinds – sculptors, printmakers, photographers, painters, ceramic artists, installation artists and many who cross over mediums), theatre makers, textile designers, a interior decorator of PCs, upholsterers.

Some of the things we looked at included:

• The types of materials needed for a portfolio ‘suite’: the CV, bio, artist statement, work examples etc;
• Doing skills and experience audits + audits of the portfolio materials already at hand;
• Helping artists decide who, what and how they want to present themselves;
• Looking at taking photos, saving files for sending, putting photos together into a package;
• Questions and answers around technology choices: DIY websites, custom made sites, social media blogs and managing it all.

We had all the participants set themselves goals – and tell us what they are so we could give them a nudge to make sure they’re putting in the time.

We also made ourselves available to trouble shoot and help out and been a test audience for the portfoilos they made.