Many organizations are changing the way they do things during these uncertain times, including Business & Arts NL.
Because of COVID-19, some organizations are putting their programming on pause, while others are pivoting to accommodate social distancing measures. Our Business Workshops for Artists series, for example, has recently gone remote, allowing us to continue to deliver resources to artists, while we all work to flatten the curve.
Last Tuesday, the Grant Thornton team (Denis Manning, Senior Tax Manager; Angela Crocker, Tax Manager; Angie Brown, Director of Advisory Services; and Lori Tobin, Marketing & Communications Specialist) helped approximately 26 people navigate their way through several COVID-19 government support programs. Participants learned about the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), Temporary Wage Subsidy, Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) programs, and the eligibility criteria for each. The team also offered some cashflow management tips and tricks before taking questions and providing further insight for participants. (Grant Thornton has also created a hub on their website with information related to COVID-19 to help guide businesses and individuals through this time.)
The following day, Amy Norman, Account Director with Ray Agency, guided 65 participants through a Social Media Strategies workshop. Norman mentioned that before the pandemic, many small businesses and artists were challenged with how to properly promote their products and services using social media and now, many are turning to the arts for happiness, joy and entertainment.
In addition to sharing what makes a good social media strategy, Norman gave a rundown of the variety of social media platforms available. While it’s not necessary to be on every one, she says, it is essential to understand your demographics for your messaging to have the most impact. Norman also spoke about some of the challenges that COVID-19 presents and the importance of keeping connected with audiences during this time.
Next up in the Business Workshops for Artists series, CBC’s Zach Goudie returns with a second session of his popular “How to Self Produce” workshop. During this session, Goudie will cover the basics of DIY video production, including how to plan your shots, work with light sources, edit directly on your device and more. The session will take place via Google Meet on Wednesday, April 22 from 3-4pm (click here to register).
On Wednesday, April 29 (also through Google Meet), Goudie returns with “Introduction to Video Editing.” Building on his previous workshop, this session will look at how to import and organize footage, combine shots into an effective sequence and other techniques to help participants tell compelling stories. This workshop will be capped at 10 participants and you can register here.
These sessions wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our business volunteers. A big thank you goes out to each of our workshop facilitators for volunteering their time and talents, and sharing their knowledge, for the benefit of the local arts and business communities. During National Volunteer Week, we salute you.
If you would like join in helping the arts community navigate through this time, or if you would like to volunteer your skills in another way or have an idea for a workshop you’d like to offer, please reach out to us at info@businessandartsnl.com and we’d be happy to help.
