YEARLY

PLANNING GUIDE
FOR ARTISTS

GOAL-SETTING
STRATEGY FOR
SUCCESS IN
THE ARTS
 PLANNING AHEAD IS VITAL

So you're ready to begin building your arts practice. Legend!

One thing I've learned in my years working in the creative sector

is the importance of planning ahead.

For some, this is easy. But if you're like me, and you find planning a chore

(I'm a get in and do it kinda gal) then this guide is for you.

But the arts isn't like any other industry.

The thing is, unlike many other industries, effective planning in the arts

requires an understanding of the sector you're working in.

Understanding the industry will help you know which organisations,

programs, grants and networks will help you achieve your goals. And will help

you devise a plan to show, sell, collaborate, earn or create more.

To add to that, as a business owner, I know that in order for your planning to

be the most effective, you need to have a deep understanding of your

practice first.

This guide is more than just a big to-do

list.
 WHAT'S IN THIS PLANNING GUIDE?

This guide follows a 5-step approach to planning. It's customisable to your

creative practice, and designed to be used repeatedly. The examples in this

guide are Australian, but you can substitute them with local ones as

necessary.

Step 1.
Understand your practice: it's vision, purpose and point of difference.

Step 2.
Research the creative sector you work in and identify key partners.

Step 3.
Define what success means to you personally and professionally.

Step 4.
Define your goals, and the actions you'll take to achieve them.

Step 5.
Review your progress and readjust your goals and actions as needed.

bonus!
I've created a public Trello board (link at

end) that follows this methodology for you

to copy and step through these exercises.

 STEP 1. UNDERSTAND YOUR PRACTICE

Up until now, you might have been focused on refining your techniques,

experimenting and defining your artistic voice and direction.

Now it's time to take stock of what you've done, and refine who you are as an

artist, what you want your creative practice to look like, and how it will impact

others.

So, before you start planning and goal setting, let's take some time to look

inward.

define what your practice does

Let's define the 'what' and 'why' before we decide 'how' you're going to
move forward. This will help you define goals that align with you, your
practice and it's vision.

Start by answering these questions

What kind of artist/creative are you?

What's distinct and different about the work you create?

What's the unique purpose of your work? Is there a message you're

trying to share? Does it inspire action or make people feel a certain way?

(see prompts on the next page)

Who do you create it for? What do they love about your work?

How do you create it? Is your process unique?

What is your vision for the future of your art practice? Why?
 PURPOSE PROMPTS FOR YOUR WORK

Need help defining your artworks's purpose?

This list gives a few ideas on how it might make your audience feel.
Circle as many as needed or add your own:

See new perspectives Escape/avoid physical pain

Empathise with others Prevent stress

Learn something new about the Gain praise/recognition

world Have peace of mind

Be an individual Prevent embarrassment

Feel/be creative Look good

Improve health and wellbeing Be popular

Find comfort Satisfy appetite

Make money Avoid criticism

Stop losing money Prevent legal trouble

Be in style Feel like they're making a

Feel house proud difference

Have fun Help others

Feel good Protect reputation

Save time Make work easier

Avoid effort Be more productive

Attract the opposite sex Other (add below)

 SUMMARISE THIS IN A FEW
CLEAR SENTENCES

Time to put it all together so that you've got a summary of your practice to

reference for your planning.

You can use this template to help you write yours, or feel free to change it

to suit you. You'll find this template in the Trello board.

I am (brand/artist name)…
I create (this artwork/product) by...
For people who…
And they love what I do because…
My vision for my practice is...
Because...

Here's an example

As an urban fantasy writer, I create books that explore modern,

ethical problems in stories set in alternative worlds, and feature

characters who are loosely based on real historical figures.

My readers are lovers of speculative fiction, who love feeling

empowered to make positive change. Like them I believe stories

have the power to influence and inspire by drawing parellels with

our own world.

My vision is to build my reputation as an influential writer whose

stories inspire people to become leaders who take bold action and

make positive global changes.

 YOUR TURN TO DEFINE
YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS

I am (brand/artist name)…
I create (this artwork/product) by...
For people who…
And they love what I do because…
My vision for my practice is...
Because...

Add this info into the Trello board.

 STEP 2. RESEARCH THE CREATIVE SECTOR

The arts industry is full of peak bodies, organisations, publications, funding

bodies, philanthropists, programs and networks that can help you learn new

skills, exhibit and share your work, promote and build your reputation.

It's time to identify those who can help you build your creative career.

Of course there are many outside the sector as well, but we'll start here.

Peak bodies
Government bodies and arts More examples available here:
organisations across disciplines:
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia
Some Australian examples:
ment/Parliamentary_Departments/Par
Australian Council for the Arts
liamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1415/Qu
(all disciplines)
ick_Guides/ArtsCulture
Arts Access Australia

National Indigenous Arts &

Make a list of both national and
Cultural Authority
state bodies in your discipline and
National Association of Visual
add them to the Trello Board.
Arts

AusDance

Screen Australia

Australian Society of Authors

The Music Council of Australia

Arts Law Centre of Australia

Australian Copyright Council

Media Entertainment & Arts

Alliance

National Trust of Australia

State Government & Local

Councils

and more
 MAKE A LIST OF ORGANISATIONS WHO
CAN HELP YOU

Organisations
What organisations are set up to help More examples available here:
you?
Some Australian examples (based in https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/p
Queensland): rograms-and-resources/list-of-key-
Flying Arts Alliance organisations
Queensland Writers Centre

Queensland Poetry Festival

Make a list of both national, state

CIRCA
and local organisations in your

QMusic
discipline and add them to the

Indigenous Arts Centre Alliance

Trello Board.

Blak Dance

Brisbane Multicultural Arts

Centre

Judith Wright Arts Centre

Various galleries

Various independent film,

theatre, dance and performing

arts groups

and more

TIP: Now you've identified peak bodies and organisations, go back to

check if they offer any arts funding or development programs.

Make a list of any funding opportunities, or programs that align with your

arts practice.

Do any of these organisations run networking events, workshops or public

programs that you might be able to get involved in? Write those down too.

We'll narrow this list down next.

 NARROW DOWN YOUR FUNDING OPTIONS

By now, you might have a broad list of grants and funding programs that

might suit you. It's time to narrow them down.

As a general rule, grants sources such as those from local council will be less

competitive than those from state-wide or national funding bodies. If you're

new to grants, start local.

grants
What funding is available to help More examples available here:
you?
https://www.artshub.com.au/grants/li
st
Some Australian examples:

Local council (community,

https://business.gov.au/Grants-and-
events and arts grants)

Programs
State government (business,

innovation, digital grants and

mentorship programs) Narrow down your grants using the

Australian Council for the Arts tip below, and add them to your

State Arts Body (such as Arts Trello board and your calendar for

Queensland) the year.

and many more

TIP: To choose the right grant for you, look at the grant's
purpose
guidelines
eligibility
funding amount and
criteria
to make sure you're a good fit.
Make a note of when the grant is due, and contact the funding body with
any questions early, and if you get stuck while putting together your
application.
 STEP 3. DEFINE WHAT
SUCCESS MEANS TO YOU

Say it with me: Success is different for everyone.

It's so liberating to know that you can choose your own path. You don't have

to conform to any expectations, or do things the way other people are doing

them.

The best part is, when you understand this, you'll see that there's no point

comparing your arts practice with someone else's.

So, let's take some time to ask ourselves what "success" really means for you.

personal vs professional Success

Personal success is your driver for Professional success is defined by
shaping a practice you love working in. factors in and outside your business.

This is defined by you, and you alone. Some of these factors you have no

The danger is, that if we don't pin control over.

down what this means to us, we'll

never feel happy or successful Often, when we try to define

personally. professional success, we think of our

reach, recognition, impact and

So, when you're experimenting and financial goals. And while we can

planning projects, take note of the take action to help find success with

things you did that made it easier and these things, we can never guarantee

more enjoyable. them.

Build this self reflection into each Our actions can and will influence

project, so that it becomes a habit - the outcomes, our happiness will

even if you've done something similar come from personal success as well,

before. as this is usually tied to our "why" or

the reason we do what we do.

 WHAT DOES PERSONAL SUCCESS
MEAN TO YOU?

Take some time to reflect on what makes you happy in your

creative business. Here are some prompts:

I'm connecting and working with people who inspire and challenge me

I'm learning and growing as an artist/creative

I'm pushing my work in new directions and refining my style

I'm developing processes that make it easier to get more quality work

completed for sale

I'm contributing to my community in a positive way

I have worked to overcome some barriers that were holding me back

(such as fear, procrastination, comparisonitus, etc)

Your turn
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Or add them to the Trello Board.

 WHAT DOES PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS
MEAN TO YOU?

Take some time to reflect on what professional success looks

like in your creative business. Here are some prompts:
To create XX new pieces/completed X projects each month/year

To successfully apply for a grant from XXXX to coordinate and execute a

project to XXXX

To grow my audience from XX to XX

To have my work accepted as part of this event/exhibition/festival

To have my work featured in XXXX publication/media, which has helped

me raise awareness about XXXX

To grow my professional network which has led to X more opportunities

To earn XXXX this per month/quarter from sales of XX artworks

Your turn.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Or add them to the Trello Board.

 STEP 4. DEFINE YOUR GOALS & ACTIONS

It's time to make things real! Now you have a better understanding of who

you are, what you want to achieve and why, it's time to start defining your big

(and small!) goals.

Then we will write down the steps you need to take to reach them. There are

three types of goals you might want to consider.

short-term goals
Goals that have an immediate impact on your creative business and help you

achieve medium to long-term goals:

Income and expense tracking

Marketing and social engagement goals

Project completion and process goals

Engagement with creative network goals

Medium-term goals
Goals that have an short to medium impact on your creative business and

help you achieve long-term goals:

Quarterly income and expense tracking

Project management and completion tracking

Marketing goals (brand awareness/tracking SEO on your website,

audience growth, promotion in publications/media)

Grant application goals

Exhibition acceptance goals

Long-term goals
Goals that have a long-term impact on your creative business:

Brand awareness, impact and audience growth

Yearly income and expense goals

Grant project completion

Project completion goals

Exhibition/festival/event acceptance goals

 STEP 4. DEFINE YOUR GOALS & ACTIONS

This template will help you create meaningful goals. I've added these as

columns in a spreadsheet to help you track them.

Goal creation template

My goal is to...

Because it will help me to... (add a personal or professional outcome)

I'll know I've achieved it when... (add a measurable outcome)

These peak bodies/organisations/publications/partners/networks

are available to help me by... (obtain funding, provide resources or

support, reach new audiences, etc)

This is a [short/medium/long-term] goal and needs to complete this

by... (add due date)

These are the steps I'll take to reach this goal:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Add them to the Trello Board.

 STEP 5. REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS

A necessary part of your success is reviewing your progress and the impact

those actions/outcomes are having on your creative business.

How often you do this will depend on your practice, and on how many other

factors outside your control (like COVID) have impacted how you're able to

tick off your tasks.

Smaller, more immediate goals can be reviewed each month

Medium term goals can be reviewed each quarter

Big, long-term goals can be reviewed bi-annually or yearly

Goal Review template

Goal name:

Goal due:

Review frequency and reason:

I have/haven't completed tasks mostly on time:

I am/I'm not on track to complete this goal:

Recommended actions: (change of due date/expectations/review

tasks/get more support, etc)

Find these questions in the Trello Board in your Goal Template card.
 Bonus TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE,
TRACK AND REACH YOUR GOALS

There are thousands of goal setting and project management tools out there

to help you make, track and reach your goals. I've tried more than a handful

and have wasted a lot of time switching between them over the years.

Save time by starting simple with basics like spreadsheets and calendars.

You'll have a better idea whether you need something with more features

once you've been doing this for a while - and will be able to make a better

judgement about bigger and better tools to help you.

essential planning tools

Focus and time tracking
Avoid procrastination by using the Pomodoro timer to help you focus

https://pomofocus.io

https://tomato-timer.com

Track your time and get to know how long tasks take you so you can plan

your day:

https://toggl.com

https://www.rescuetime.com

Goal tracking and task scheduling

Goal tracking

Google Sheets or Excel

Trello

Task scheduling

Google calendar

Outlook or mail
 WANT ACCOUNTABILITY?
Join my free facebook group

CREATIVE ALLIES
Join my growing group of like-minded creatives who
are committed to building their creative businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/creative.allies

Connect with me on
FB: @AliStrachanWrites
Insta: @AliStrachanWrites
www.alistrachan.com
0415 272 150

Get access to the free Trello Board here:

https://trello.com/b/01nuKXY6/please-
copy-first-goals-planning-template-for-
artists