The third in Redeye's series of Career Development Workshops.

How do you start a photographic or arts business? The majority of photographers and artists work freelance as sole traders, but it's increasingly important to consider the benefits as well as the pitfalls of short- or long-term working collaborations. This workshop starts with planning, setting up and improving your business as a sole trader, and then considers how to succeed as a group or company.

Growing numbers of photographers and artists see the benefits of working with others – both short term on group projects, exhibitions and collaborations, or longer term as independent collectives or agencies. It can help creatively, and more importantly increases visibility and momentum. But it’s also something of a minefield, with plenty of traps for the unwary and uninformed. We aim to inspire you to consider it if you haven’t already, or give advice if you’ve already started. 
 
The workshop includes:

• A run through various possible business models - sole trader, limited company, partnership, co-operative and others.
• Market research - which areas of the photographic market are growing and which are contracting? Where do you position yourself in the market? Do you need to compromise your creativity in order to survive?
• Do you need a business plan and what should be in it?
• Does your business need finance and what are the various sources?
• Premises, equipment and insurance.
• Why do new businesses fail?
• Keeping going through lean times
• The help available in starting a business.

For collaborative projects:

• Finding the right people to work with
• Taking on staff or setting up partnerships
• Do you need a board or management group?
• Keeping the group fresh and focussed
• Finances - voluntary or funded?

Speakers:

The morning session is delivered by Andrew Thomas of thegreenfield.co.uk, specialising in learning and development for creative industries. He has over 20 years' experience in marketing, coaching and mentoring.

The afternoon session includes representatives from several collective and collaborative photographic ventures, featuring:
Charlie Meecham, co-founder of the Bradford Grid project and one of the pioneers of colour photography in Britain;
John Leyland, Director of Manchester-based arts organisation, Blank Media Collective, and freelance creative producer, project manager, writer, editor and facilitator with a passion for creative development through collaboration;
Elizabeth Wewiora, artist and photographer, of the newly-formed Common Ground Collective, which has recently completed its first collective residency.