The event was called the 2011 Creative Chicago Expo. It lasted from 10am until 5pm, and was held at the Chicago Cultural Center on Washington just off of Michigan Avenue. First of all- if you've never been to this building, do yourself a favor and stop in because it's beautiful inside. The architecture and ornamentation within the building is worth the $2.25 El fare. Plus, this event was FREE, so that's an extra bonus.
I don't have all that much to say about the Expo in terms of workshop programming because I was unable to attend any of the lectures (due to my extreme tardiness) but, from what I saw, they offered topics relevant to artists working in today's economy. Some topics I thought sounded interesting/helpful included Personal Branding-An Artist's Most Authentic Palette, Maximizing Internship Opportunities (obviously), and Street Marketing for the Arts. I am excited that I looked at these topics, though, because this is an annual event and I can remember to look out for it next year during this time.
In addition to these hourly 'talks', you could sign up for a one-on-one meeting with a professional artist and discuss anything you may be having trouble with or questions about such as grant writing, developing a web presence, marketing, etc. This portion was $15 and needed to be set up in advance.
What I really enjoyed and appreciated during this Expo was all the networking opportunities. They had booths set up on 2 floors of all different vendors from arts-related organizations. The first table I approached was an organization called Chicago Craft Mafia and talked a little bit about what they do. They're a collaborative of independent crafting business owners and they meet to discuss how to increase their exposure. They hold quarterly "Craft Rackets", or free business-oriented workshops that are open to the public and revolve around topics such as pricing or how to apply for arts fairs. The women manning their booth were very engaging and friendly. I think I will look further into what they've got going on.
I also checked out the booth for our neighbors at the Oak Park Art League and met two gentleman who help to run their programming. Maybe you know this already, but I learned that they have receptions on the second Friday of the month that are free and open to the public. I will most definitely be attending these when the weather gets nicer and I can trot on down to their quirky little building just down the block from Terra.
As time wore on, I realized that I came to the Expo WAY too late, and the tables had already begun packing up. Feeling a little disappointed, I strategized as to what was most important for me to see before I had to leave. Quickly, I chose to sign up for more information on Art Loop Open, an organization that helps artist show their work in empty storefronts around the city. My friend, Lauren Brescia, was involved in this project and had much success with exposure for her work. I don't know how 'ready' I feel for this kind of undertaking, but I'd like to be on their mailing list anyway.
My second to last stop was the table for the group called OtherPeople'sPixels. They are a company that constructs (relatively) cheap websites for artists. I signed up for a free trial with them and my fellow Expo visitor had a lot of questions for how to improve his website through their site. I hadn't realized that they were located in Chicago and was happy to hear how willing they were to take suggestions and answer questions. Good job, ladies. Keep up the good work!
Lastly, I traveled to the first floor of the Cultural Center to pop into the space for Project Onward, a nonprofit that works with artists with disabilities. I was very interested in meeting with anyone from this organization because I have been searching for somewhere to volunteer where I could get experience teaching/working with artists with disabilities. After meandering around their shop and gallery for a while, I introduced myself to Mark, one of the directors of their program. He was very helpful with explaining their operations and opportunities for both volunteering and employment. I emailed them today, so I guess I'll see where that goes.
I hope this post was helpful to some of my art buddies out there. It's nice to discover new things in this city that I call home. I must say, it's pretty great, and I'm continually amazed at the gems I find when I'm willing to try new things.
Thank you for reading.
Seana.
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