This past weekend I completed the last session of the Artists as Entrepreneurs Boot Camp at the New York Foundation for the Arts.  I learned a lot and make a whole bunch of new friends.  It’s rare these days that I get to interact with artists seriously involved in other artistic disciplines, but this program allowed me to get to know several filmmakers, visual artists, actors, and even a puppeteer and a storyteller.  It was good to find out that there are others out there that have the same concerns as I do about having a career as an artist, and to learn that other people are sometimes just as confused and scared as I sometimes am about navigating finances, marketing, intellectual property issues, and just plain survival in NYC.

There is a lot to talk about here, and I’m sure the impact of what I’ve learned about goal setting and financial management will become evident over the course of the next several months.  I have a book to recommend though…especially if you’re a visual artist but it’s great for anyone who wants to make a living as artist…it’s called The Artist’s Career Guide by Jackie Battenfield.  She was the first speaker at the Boot Camp, and her awesome presentation about setting goals was both impressive and inspiring (and a little ass kicking – she started her talk by saying “This book is full of things that you don’t want to do!”).  We all got a copy of her book too, and I’ve gotten a lot out of it.

Two days to the Identity Crisis gig at the 55 Bar…rehearsing tomorrow and can’t wait!!!