Business of Art Conference – Ames Community Arts Council & Octagon Center for the Arts

Ames, Iowa – The Ames Community Arts Council and the Octagon Center for the Arts are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Business of Art conference to be held at Reiman Gardens (1407 University Blvd., Ames, IA) on Friday, March 3 from noon to 4:45 p.m. and Saturday, March 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Designed to strengthen business skills and provide resources for both formally trained and self-taught creatives of all types, this is a wonderful opportunity for artists to learn new business skills and network with local and regional artists. This year, topics will include developing a brand, photographing your artwork, engaging your audience, running a small business, and much more. Professionals and students in all types of creative work, part time or full time, in all stages of their career are welcome.

Registration for the two day in-person conference is $100 for professionals and $50 for students. The registration includes refreshments and a lunch on Saturday.

Full conference details and registration information can be found online at https://octagonarts.org/2023-business-of-art-conference. If you have questions about registering or other aspects of the conference, please call (515) 259-0494 or email info@amesart.org.

In addition to several other local and regional presenters, the conference is proud to host conference keynote speaker, Ash Hanson [www.publictransformation.org]. Ash Hansonhas 15 years of experience working with rural communities to activate stories, connect neighbors, and exercise collective imagination. She is the Executive Director of the Department of Public Transformation (DoPT), an artist-led nonprofit working at the intersection of creativity and civic life in rural communities; the founder of PlaceBase Productions, a theater company that creates original, site-specific musicals celebrating small-town life; and, a member of the Center for Performance and Civic Practice Leadership Circle. Previously, she was the Program Director for the Minnesota Theater Alliance, serving the statewide performing arts community, and the Program Director for Public Art Saint Paul, producing large-scale public art events and experiences. She was an Artist-in-Residence in the City of Minneapolis Planning Department and with the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, where she employed creative community engagement strategies for equitable participation in urban and rural planning processes. She holds an MA in Applied Theater with a focus on Rural Community Development, and she was named an Obama Foundation Fellow and a Bush Fellow for her work with rural communities. She believes deeply in the power of play and exclamation points!

Hosted by the Ames Community Arts Council and the Octagon Center for the Arts, the Business of Art Conference is being supported in part by the City of Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA) and through the generous support of Brackets Custom Window Coverings and Reiman Gardens.

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About the conference organizers:

The Ames Community Arts Council is dedicated to celebrating the arts in Ames. To this end, the organization strives to bring people together through the arts, and to increase arts awareness, collaboration, participation, and education. Each year the Ames Community Arts Council hosts the Ames Artists Studio Tour, the annual Arts Awards Celebration, and numerous other social and professional development opportunities. The Ames Community Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded through memberships, donations, and grants, including the City of Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA).

The Octagon Center for the Arts is a non-profit community art center in the heart of downtown Ames, Iowa. A cornerstone of the cultural scene in Ames since 1966, the Octagon serves more than 30,000 people each year through art classes and outreach, rotating exhibits, a retail gallery shop, and the annual Octagon Art Festival. The Octagon Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded in part through memberships, donations, and grants, including the City of Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA) and the Iowa Arts Council.