There should always be time allocated for learning and professional development, no matter your experience. Here are some suggestions for artists at all stages of their career for life long learning.
Collaborations
Residencies
Learn a New Style
Mentorships + Internships
COLLABORATIONS
Creative collaborations are excellent ways to learn from peers while also creating together. They are often arranged informally, so forming a good network is a must if you are looking for collaborators. There are potential collaborations everywhere- with other writers, performers, visual artists, commercial brands, and more. Setting aside your expectations and immersing yourself in networking is often the only way to truly find out what collaboration opportunities are out there.
RESIDENCIES
Residencies involve a performer spending time in a new physical environment, in order to challenge their practice and explore new ideas. They can be as short as a week or as long as a year (or more), organic or planned, and may or may not involve collaboration, performance, working with a community, or the creation of work while travelling.
LEARNING A NEW STYLE
Learning a new style of writing or branching out into studying a new genre can be rewarding and a good way to push your practice into new territory, while also helping you meet other creatives in your field!
MENTORHIPS + INTERNSHIPS
Mentorships can provide rewarding learning opportunities, for both the writer being mentored and the mentor. Becoming a mentor is a great way to put your learnings as a professional into practice and contribute to the next generation of creatives.
Conversely, writers at all stages of their career can seek out a mentor to learn new skills and broaden their knowledge. Mentorships can be paid or unpaid, and most are organised through informal processes.
If you are seeking a mentor, you can approach a particular practitioner that demonstrates the skills you would like to learn. If you would like to become a mentor, it can be a good idea to approach schools or organisations to let them know that you would be happy to take on a learner.
LEarning REsources
Wherever you are on your learning journey we have some resources on setting up an effective learning environment and behaviours. You can find these at our Learning Resources page. Areas include;
Learning Library
Creating a Learning Plan
Studying + Working from Home
Make it Better
The Learning Hub is designed for self-directed learning and development, to assist you in growing your personal and professional skills as you see fit. It is a free and democratic resource that adapts as the creative landscape changes; the sections and links you see are just examples of what is possible.
We invite everyone to build upon this current structure, to make the Learning Hub a state-wide go-to for all artists and arts workers seeking development and for anyone considering a career in the arts. All ideas, feedback or content suggestions are warmly welcomed through the Make It Better contributors portal.