Professional Practices for Artists
8 Week Class | Registration opens 2025-10-14 12:00 PM
This practical course explores the basic and vital creative professional skills that are integral to the survival of a creative practitioner. In this course, we will consider several aspects of an artist’s work that are not related to studio practice and will combine seminar discussions, gallery visits, guest visits and workshop sessions. Students will be introduced to the strategic aspects of art practices, such as developing a compelling portfolio and online presence, various application processes, compiling CVs and artist statements, grant writing strategies and how to use photography to document your artwork and getting the most out of studio visits.
Classes will consist of slide lectures, readings, group discussions, gallery visits and critiques including
- Written and Practical Assignments
- Exhibition Visit and discussion
- Weekly Readings
- Weekly Slide Lectures & Presentations
Base Tuition: $406 Total
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- What You Will Learn:
- - Understand the mechanics of the contemporary Canadian art world including artist- run culture and non-profits, commercial galleries, regional university galleries and large scale museums
- Refine and improve marketing and networking skills
- Become an effective and outspoken advocate for your own work
- Learn writing techniques to put together proposals and applications for granting councils, residencies, awards and other exhibition opportunities
Jessica Thalmann
Jessica is an artist and educator currently based in Toronto and New York City. She received an MFA in Advanced Photographic Studies from ICP-Bard College and a BFA in Visual Arts from York University. Thalmann has taught at the International Centre for Photography, Akin Collective, MacLaren Art Centre, Toronto School of Art, Gallery 44 and City College of New York. She has been an artist in residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Alberta, Canada, and at the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a recipient of grants from the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions at Aperture Foundation, International Centre for Photography, Camera Club of New York Baxter St, and Humble Arts Foundation (New York), VIVO Media Arts Centre (Vancouver), Museum of Contemporary Art, Harbourfront Centre, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Angell Gallery, Gallery TPW, Art Spin, and Gales Gallery at York University (Toronto).