Designing Better Businesses for Artists & Creatives

What is Arts Lead?

Arts Lead is a 6 month long professional development program

for visual artists in business designed to help artists sustain and grow their businesses, develop their marketing tools and knowledge, and to propel them forward in their creative work.

How does Arts Lead take place?

There are two main components to the program.

Educational Resources.

Each of the 6 months of the program has an important theme that's relevant to and necessary in the business of being an artist. Participants receive educational business topics and resources in marketing, technology, and customer service to name a few. You're growing, developing, and connecting themes throughout the entire program.

Customized Development and Support.

During the entire 6 month program, participants are provided a life-line of support created by the personalized, on-on-one, 2-hr long in-person development sessions each month. Participants can bring their emerging tasks, projects, and issues to the table for problem-solving and guided support. As we all know, a lot can happen in a period of 6 months, so having someone to offer support has been artists' favorite aspect of the program.

What's the program's culture?

It’s not a hustle, it’s a practice.

Accountability and diligence with the materials is important, but participants should not feel overwhelmed and are able to self-navigate how much they partake from the program's open resources.

There's intentional breathing room between each "in-person" session so you can get things done and attend to your business.

What is the cost?

The program fee is $650 total for 6 months. There aren't any other fees or associated costs.

Are payment plans available?

Yes. A non-refundable payment is required to secure your registration and then there are options for installment plans for paying the balance.

Is there a pre-requisite to joining?

If you are a working visual artist that can travel once per month to Raleigh, North Carolina for meetings and you want to develop your marketing efforts, perpetuate and sustain and grow your work, and to earn a profit, then Arts Lead is for you.

Can't travel? While Arts Lead 1:1 monthly sessions are best in person with me, we can still manage that quality time thanks to video calls.

What do Arts Lead participants receive?

NEW for 2020-2021! An introductory "get to know you" pre-program welcome phone call in June-July

NEW for 2020-2021! An introductory pre-program kick-off meeting in June-July to meet other participants

NEW for 2020-2021! A hands-on workshop for participants conducted by Thea Howell and held at the North Carolina Museum of Art on the topic of talking and writing about your art

Five (5), In-Person Development Session (1:1 in-person with Thea for 2 hours, once per month. Total: 10 hours)

Five (5) Group Phone Sessions featuring in-depth professional development topics (Total: 5 hours. 1 hour each, 1 per month)

Three (3) In-Person Group Sessions with program participants. (Total: 6 hours).

Regular email sends including development topics, resources, and tasks

(Client Spotlight) feature on The Artist's Concierge social media pages

A $100 credit toward any service of your choice by The Artist’s Concierge

Special rate website service for website projects contracted during the program term

(VIP) Reduced registration ticket fees to select professional development programs hosted by Thea Fotiu Howell, The Artist’s Concierge

Arts Lead 2020-2021 Participants:

Arts Lead 2019-2020 Participants:

Arts Lead 2018-2019 Participants:

Alannah Bevans

Contact Thea to Join!

Why create Arts Lead?

" I often create my programs and services based on what I want and need as an artist in business. Arts Lead was born from a desire to not only serve my clients and community with education programs and resources, but to follow through and watch those resources being applied, to see their growth and the plans taking shape. Part of my WHY relates to success in business and legitimizing that the arts are integral to society... being part of the action as a first-hand witness, carrying them through the messages, just makes sense to me." Thea Fotiu Howell, The Artist's Concierge

Read the Client Reviews

Month 1: BRANDING FOR ARTISTS

Explore what makes a better, more authentic and recognizable artist brand and the abstract and concrete ways to do so. Getting to know yourself will deepen your relationship with your art-making and your marketing strategies and tactics.

Month 2: WRITING & TALKING ABOUT YOUR ART

Learn how to better articulate and elevate your art products and services with improved ways of looking at, writing about and discussing them.

Month 3: FOCUS ON WELLNESS

Feed your art business through this often overlooked aspect of running

your art business: you. Uncover ways to nurture your spirit while addressing the work/life balance

Month 4: CYCLES & SCHEDULES

You know all those "hats" we wear? Planning and organizing components of your work can help you to do more and work more efficiently on the basic principle that you're not working on everything equally and at all times. Uncover potential cyclical behaviors and seasonal tasks unique to you and manage your business from the inside with intention. (Tied into Wellness topics of month 3).

Month 5: STIMULATING SALES

Using social media, your newly acquired writing sensibilities and greater sense of value, we'll tackle ways to diversify revenue and stimulate sales. It will get you ready for the month of November, but also set you up for success in all you do.

Month 6: FINANCES & BUDGETING

Practical tips for reducing costs and managing revenue and expenditures and helping you to sustain your work

The Artist's Concierge